BMW tried to keep this concept car under wraps for over 20 years – but it’s too cool to keep a secret.
The completed version of this car – the E31 M8 – was never shown to the public.
In fact, the German manufacturer denied its existence for two decades.
But it was confirmed to be a real thing in 2010, when BMW Car Magazine revealed the car in its February issue.
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Taking a closer look at the mysterious car that BMW kept a secret for decades
Our story begins way back in the 1970s when BMW decided they would create a line of grand tourers following on from the success of the E24 6 Series.
As reported by autoevolution, they began work in 1981 and debuted their new car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989.
The 8 Series was the first car available with a V12 linked to a six-speed manual, and it was capable of 296HP and 332Ib-ft of torque.
However, engineers at BMW still felt it was too under-powered and embarked on a secret mission to turn the 8 Series into high power beasts.
The idea was that they would put the world’s fastest sports cars to shame.
Between 1990 and 1992, they toiled away in secret and produced the M8.
Its not the first time a manufacturer have worked on something in secret – Ford were developing a secret mid-engine supercar in the mid 1980s.
What was so special about the M8?
Inside the hood of the M8 was a redesigned version of the 8er’s engine, increased to over 6-liters as opposed to 5.
Thanks to the updated engine, the M8 would be capable of producing up to 640HP and 479Ib-ft of torque.
This was twice as powerful as what had come before it.
In order to accommodate the car’s power, engineers worked on reinforcing the chassis, widening the track and fitting larger front brakes.
However, the car would never been shown to the public.
The Gulf War and the global recession of the early 1990s had soured the sales of the 8 Series, leading BMW to not go ahead with the M8.
It would remain unseen until 2010, when it was given its big debut in the February issue of the the manufacturer’s in-house magazine.
In the years since, it has made occasional public appearances, including at the 2022 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
No matter how you slice it, the German brand have been around for a long time and will continue to make cars for years to come.
In fact, they’ve already been teasing what their future cars will look like.
