BMW M8 Gran Coupe priced

BMW Australia has revealed pricing and specification details for its latest V8 sledgehammer: the BMW M8 Gran Coupe.

A rival to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 four-door, the M8 Gran Coupe is due in showrooms in the second quarter of 2020 and pitched at an identical price to its cross-town rival: $349,900 (plus on-road costs).

That figure positions the M8 Gran Coupe marginally below the two-door BMW M8 Competition Coupe ($352,900 plus ORCs).

As with that car, the luxo four-door employs a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol good for 460kW and 750Nm, hooked up to an eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive system.

All told, the M8 Gran Coupe promises a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds and is offered with an M Sport exhaust system, M Sport differential and lashings of carbon-fibre on the engine cover and roof.

The rich asking price brings with it a long list of equipment including 20-inch alloy wheels, Laserlight headlights, electric seat adjustment, heating and ventilation, armrest heating, a heated steering wheel, quad-zone climate control, automatic tailgate, keyless entry and start, carbon-fibre interior trim, electric sun-blinds in the rear, Alcantara headliner, 'Merino' full leather seat trim and velour floor mats.

There’s also a 12.3-inch central touchscreen display with Bluetooth, digital radio, wireless phone charging, Bower & Wilkins audio system, ConnectedDrive online services, 360-degree camera and Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto).

The M8 Gran Coupe offers standard safety features including a Night Vision camera system with pedestrian recognition.

The Gran Coupe joins a refreshed large performance segment in Australia. BMW argues that the M8 Gran Coupe is larger than the recently launched Audi RS7 Sportback and it's more appropriate to cross-shop the BMW against Porsche’s Panamera Turbo – itself no minnow in the world of prestige performance large cars from Germany.