Within the silo of BMW’s vaunted M, or Motorsport, brand, the M8 sits at the top. For 2021, the two-door coupe and convertible body styles disappear (BMW has said it’s due to coronavirus-related supply issues), leaving just the four-door “Gran Coupe” body style. Furthermore, the M8 Competition, previously a standalone model, is now a package on top of the base M8.

Motivating every M8 is a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, enough to rocket the car to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, according to BMW. The Competition package bumps things up to 617 hp and will hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds flat. Both versions come electronically limited to 155 miles per hour.

The engine pairs to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD) with a locking differential. The AWD system is rear-biased, only sending power to the front wheels when additional traction is needed. But for maximum fun, you can deactivate the traction control, which will put the M8 in rear-wheel-drive (RWD) mode. Adaptive suspension comes standard, although the Competition package gives you a firmer tune.

Standard features for the M8 include 20-inch wheels, LED exterior lighting, a carbon-fiber roof, power-folding and heated side mirrors, Merino leather upholstery, articulating front seats, an Alcantara headliner, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, navigation, soft-close doors, a 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster, keyless access and start, a 464-watt Harman Kardon surround sound system with 16 speakers, satellite radio, and automatic four-zone climate control. Heated front armrests, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and power rear sunshades are optional.

Safety-wise, every M8 gets forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera standard. You can then add adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a parking assistant, an evasive-maneuver assistant, and rear cross-traffic alert functionality. No version of the M8 (or the BMW 8 Series it’s based on has been crash-tested by any major safety agency.

The BMW M8 effortlessly blends performance and grand-touring notions into a single, sleek vehicle.