Mercedes-AMG has made a powerful statement for the combustion engine with the new CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, a highly exclusive V8 coupe producing 646 horsepower. Its extreme formula could also give BMW a reason to reconsider what a modern V8 two-door could be.
BMW Could Take a Different Approach
The CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung transforms the CLE 53 into a rear-wheel-drive performance machine powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine. It also features extensive carbon-fiber bodywork, a bespoke suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes and serious aerodynamic hardware.
Like the M4 CSL, the Mercedes-AMG coupe eliminates its rear seats and sheds a substantial amount of weight. Mercedes-AMG is producing just 30 examples, and all of them have already been sold.
BMW would not need to go that far. A V8 coupe with a wider body, low-slung stance, extensive carbon fiber, a distinctive exhaust soundtrack, serious brakes and a properly sorted chassis could deliver a similar philosophy without being quite as extreme.
Most importantly, such a BMW could use the “S68” engine with power sent to the rear wheels.
With the 8 Series and M8 now gone, BMW no longer has a V8 coupe in its lineup. That leaves a notable gap for a company that spent years producing highly desirable eight-cylinder two-door models.
BMW Still Has a Two-Door V8 Connection
BMW has not completely abandoned the idea of an extravagant two-door V8. The Speedtop is essentially an M8 underneath its shooting-brake body, while its ultra-limited production run made it an instant collector’s item.
There is one major limitation: the Speedtop is sold out. The same was true of the targa-roofed Skytop before it.
That makes the Speedtop and Skytop glimpses of what BMW could still create rather than an answer for buyers looking for a new V8-powered two-door.
Both models were based on an M8 chassis. In an ideal scenario, however, BMW M could build a V8 coupe around the smaller and more focused M4.
The V8 Makes Timing More Important
The case for such a car is not necessarily about responding to every Mercedes-AMG launch. The bigger issue is that the window for a project centered around a V8 engine is becoming narrower.
The V8 is not disappearing tomorrow, but each passing year makes a project like this more difficult to justify. BMW is already deep into its Neue Klasse transformation, with electrification playing an increasingly important role in the company’s future product strategy.
That makes the timing particularly important. A V8 coupe that is left for later could eventually become a project that never happens.
ALPINA Could Offer Another Path
There is still reason for hope, although the alternative may be a more luxurious grand tourer rather than something as extreme as the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung.
The Vision BMW ALPINA Coupe provides a blueprint for a lavish GT-style car that could potentially become a production model one day. Even if it does, however, it would not be based on the 8 Series because production has already ended.
BMW ALPINA or BMW M V8 Coupe?
The new ALPINA era places its cars above regular BMW models, making a limited-production V8 coupe a logical possibility. Such a car could follow the concept’s general philosophy while being developed as a proper production vehicle.
Production could potentially be larger than Mercedes-AMG’s 30-car run. Around 300 or 500 examples would still make the car special without making it so rare that every example disappears into private collections before enthusiasts have an opportunity to buy one.
BMW also would not need to match the Mercedes-AMG coupe’s 646 horsepower. An ALPINA-branded coupe producing somewhere in the 600-hp range would already offer substantial performance, with the focus placed on effortless power rather than outright lap times.
There would also be a case for a more extreme BMW M version. Deep-pocketed enthusiasts could be interested in paying top dollar for a track-focused V8 coupe that sacrifices some comfort in favor of all-out performance.
Either approach could give BMW a compelling V8 two-door. But once the V8 is gone, it is gone for good.
