This week I’ve got a real beauty for you, the 2019 BMW M850i xDrive coupe, the flagship of the BMW lineup. This is one of those cars people want to look closer at every single time I make a stop and can’t tell you how many friends and neighbors wanted to go for a ride.
I can understand that, it has unusual bodylines between the wheels, big rear haunches, huge tires on 20” wheels, massive brake calipers, quad exhaust, front-end and fender vents, a rear spoiler, and a carbon fiber roof. Adding to the mystique is the Sunset Orange color.
Under the long chiseled hood is a beast of an engine, a 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 rated at 523-horses, but more importantly it is pumping out 553-pound feet of torque. It has an 8-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel. This combo will thrust this big coupe from 0-to-60 in just 3.3 seconds and it does it with authority. The xDrive designation means it is all-wheel drive, but power feels heavily weighted to the rear wheels.
Inside you find a beautiful interior with two-tone bolstered seats, heavy stitching throughout and beautiful door panels that feature two colors and a nice amount of aluminum.
The gauge cluster is easy to read and configurable, but odd to me is the speedometer on the left and tachometer on the right, that is unusual. Most cars have the gauges opposite of that. The center console is where everything is controlled. It starts with the crystal gear shifter that is stunning. To the left is the traction lock button, camera control switch, park assist, and the start/stop disable button.
Just under that is the push button start, and under it are the drive modes. There is Sport and Sport Plus, then Comfort, Eco Pro, Adaptive so you can pick and choose, and finally the Auto Hold button, which I love. You can take your foot off the brake pedal at every stop, and it releases when you touch the gas pedal.
To the right of the shifter is the controller for the 10.25” screen that operates the navigation, sound system, vehicle settings, and a suite of apps. The BMW Drive version 7.0 is actually easy to operate and quick to respond. The M850i has Apple CarPlay, but no Android. By the cup holders is a wireless phone charger, but it is not easy to get to.
Front seat passengers over 6-foot tall may have issues getting comfortable, and although officially this is a 4-seater coupe, there is no legroom OR headroom in the back. It’s great for a briefcase or purse, and the front seats slide electrically out of the way.
Trunk room is exceptionally good and very deep.
My review vehicle has a number of options, but pretty much everything is standard equipment including: a Harman Kardon sound system, keyless entry, 20-way power seats, laser LED headlights, ambient lighting, and a colorful head-up display.
On the safety front, you get: active driving assist, front collision warning, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring.
Options total just $6300, with $3000 of that being the carbon fiber roof panel. If you are a fan of moon roofs, you cannot get it with the carbon fiber roof. Other options include: air-conditioned seats, heated armrests on the center console, and a few smaller items.
A couple of standout features with this coupe are the acceleration and the exhaust sound, both are incredible when in Sport Plus mode. This mode changes steering, suspension, and transmission shifts, if you don’t use the shift paddles.
On the opposite end, in Comfort mode, you have yourself a quiet, luxury Grand Tourer. It is essentially two completely different cars in one.
Even with all that power, fuel economy is actually pretty good at 18 in town, 25 on the highway, for a combined 20.
As you might expect, this luxury sports car is not cheap. Total MSRP is $119,295.
Just to be clear, this car is not part of the M Series speedsters from BMW, although rumor is there will be an M8 sedan and coupe later this year pumping out over 600-horses, and frankly, I can’t wait.
