The BMW M8 is one of the most capable production machines to ever come from Munich. For some enthusiasts, however, the factory 4.4-liter twin-turbo mill doesn’t have enough power with its stock 625 horsepower (460 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque. This is where aftermarket engine remaps come to help, bringing more power and potentially increasing the top speed of the grand tourer.
Regardless if we talk about an unmodified M8 or a tuned one, the Autobahn is the natural habitat for the two-door performance vehicle. In the case of the video above, it has a soft top and a tuning package that takes the peak output to 800 hp (588 kW). But is that enough for the convertible to hit the 186 miles per hour (300 kilometers per hour) mark? Let’s find out.
Gallery: 2022 BMW M8 Competition Coupé
The 3:30-minute clip takes us to different sections of the German highway, some of which have no speed limits. This is where the tuned M8 Convertible unleashes its full potential and plays its exhaust symphony. Surprisingly, however, we never get to see it go beyond the 186 mph (300 kph) mark but that doesn’t mean it can’t go beyond that velocity.
In stock form, the M8 has a restricted top speed of 155 mph (250 kph) but this example here hits 185 mph (298 kph) without any stress. The reason why it doesn’t hit higher speeds probably has to do with the fact that the driver simply doesn’t want to push the vehicle to its limits. As you can see, at the end of the video, the road is clear and the car happily accelerates after the stock car’s electronic restriction. We don’t know the dry numbers for this particular М8 but we believe it could hit 192 mph (310 kph) or even slightly more.
The M8 with its twin-turbocharged V8 remains one of the fastest and most powerful cars currently on sale from a non-exotic automaker. With a little help from tuning specialists, the car can be easily turned into an absolute rocket, and now we know the Autobahn is the M8’s favorite place.
