2019 BMW 8 Series convertible announced

BMW has revealed it’s working on a convertible version of the recently-debuted 2019 BMW 8 Series.

Testing in the Nevada desert, the drop-top 8 is wearing full camo, with only the interior and soft-top roof undisguised by black and white patterns.

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BMW says the development program for the 8 Series convertible has also undergone testing at the Winter Testing Centre in Arjeplog, Sweden, and at BMW’s proving ground in Southern France. Of course, the Nürburgring is also on the cards.

“With intensive function trials and test drives between Las Vegas and Death Valley in the USA, the critical phase in the series development for the new BMW 8 Series Convertible has now begun,” a BMW release says.

“Temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius, extreme dust formation on the edge of the desert, stop-and-go traffic on the Las Vegas Strip, gravel tracks around Mount Whitney and long-distance journeys between the Pacific coast and the Rocky Mountains characterise the challenging test programme for the new BMW 8 Series Convertible on its way to series maturity.”

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It’s uncertain which variants will be available without a roof, though it’s likely the top-spec (until the M8 arrives) BMW M850i will be the first 8 convertible revealed.

That would likely give the M850i convertible the same 390kW and 750Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 as the coupe, as well as BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system and a kerb weight north of 1890kg.

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Despite the camo, we suspect it’ll look much like its ‘tin-top’ sibling. As we’re not sure when the 8 Series is landing in Australia, we expect to find out more details from BMW Australia in the near future.

Stay tuned.