2025 BMW M8

How does the M8 Convertible drive? Acceleration from a standstill beggars belief. We recorded a 0-60 mph time of 3 seconds. That's quick enough to dust off most any non-supercar, let alone most convertibles. It also ripped past the quarter mile in only 11.1 seconds at 123.6 mph. Better yet, the M8 convertible in Competition form can deploy that power all day thanks to its impressive all-wheel-drive system.

But the M8 is anything but high-strung. With plenty of low-end torque, its intelligent transmission tuning all but eliminates unnecessary shifts and provides you with ample and immediate power.

That all-wheel-drive system does what it can to offset the M8 convertible's somewhat portly 4,500-pound curb weight. The BMW delivers neck-stretching grip and loads of confidence through medium- and high-speed bends. We wish the steering delivered more feedback, but that's a common complaint with modern BMWs. We weren't particularly fond of the somewhat grabby feel of the carbon-ceramic brakes since that made it tricky to stop smoothly in city traffic. Performance braking is nonetheless impressive. Our test car stopped from 60 mph in a scant 104 feet, and there was no fade after repeated stops.

How comfortable is the M8 Convertible? You can't build a grand-touring convertible without offering high levels of comfort and the ability to sustain them over a day's worth of driving. The M8 convertible does exactly that, offering accommodating yet supportive seats, a well-insulated cabin (especially for a convertible) and an exceptional ride.

A smooth ride quality is one of the hallmarks of the M8 Competition convertible, balancing excellent body control with good impact absorption. Only a slightly soft Comfort setting earns a mild demerit. We're very impressed.

The climate control works well but can be difficult to decipher even if you mainly leave it in Auto mode. Activating seat heating or ventilation requires multiple steps, and we found the ventilation, even at its highest setting, to be marginal. We'd also skip the optional Neck Warmer option since the warm air it blows on your neck all but vanishes at speeds over 30 mph.

How’s the interior? Getting into the M8 convertible is relatively easy so long as you have room to open the long doors. The car's relatively typical ride height means you don't have to plop down much to get in. And once there, the front passenger will have ample room to stretch out and the driver can dial in a near-perfect seating position. Rear passengers won't fare quite as well, but adults can fit for short rides. That's more than can be said for the back seats in a 911.

Typical for higher-end BMWs, there's a lot going on in the M8 convertible. Buttons abound, whether on the steering wheel, the center console or around the shift lever. Some controls, including BMW iDrive, are immediately familiar, while others, such as the climate control and steering wheel-mounted cruise control settings, require a second glance or, worse, additional selections on the touchscreen.

How’s the storage? It can be tough to criticize the trunk space in a convertible, but the BMW M8 is neither small nor inexpensive. As such, we expected a bit more efficient use of space. With the top up, the M8 has a decent capacity of 12.4 cubic feet. That puts it well ahead of a 911 Turbo Cabriolet and the Lexus LC 500 convertible, which both have less than 5 cubic feet.

But all that capacity vanishes if you'd like to put the top down as you need to deploy a trunk divider, which essentially leaves space for two half-full grocery bags. The rear seats do fold for longer items (assuming the top is up) but the opening is quite narrow.

It's much better on the inside, where both front passengers will find ample room for their personal effects, especially in the long, padded door pockets. The rear seats do have anchors for car seats, but they're better used for holding bags and jackets.

Is the M8 Convertible a good value? Value certainly takes on a different meaning for the BMW M8 Competition, with a starting price north of $140K and an as-tested price nearing $180,000, as well as other cars in this class. Buyers expect a lot for their money, and the M8 convertible delivers with an attractive high-quality interior, plenty of impressive technology and jaw-dropping performance. That performance might be the biggest bargain since almost nothing combines the BMW's mix of comfort and speed for less money.

At four years/50,000 miles apiece, both the bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties are typical for the class. You also get three years/36,00 miles of free maintenance. Roadside assistance is a generous four years/unlimited miles.

The strength of the BMW M8 convertible lies in its ability to be effortlessly capable of long highway trips as well as devastatingly quick on a deserted back road. Its performance numbers are brash, but the car is cloaked in a subtlety and refinement to the point where you almost forget how capable this convertible can be. And therein lies the charm of the M8 convertible. It's fast and engaging when you want it most and calm and collected when you need it the most. It's expensive, yes, but it does more things extremely well than most cars do at all.