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Iconic BMW model is being discontinued after 35 YEARS with ‘retro-inspired' send-off

Iconic BMW model is being discontinued after 35 YEARS with ‘retro-inspired' send-off

The Sun2 days ago
DEAD END
It's getting one-last hurrah - with a selection of very cool colours and other added extras
THE BMW 8-Series is set to be discontinued - a model that traces its roots back to the iconic 1990s E31 generation.
And to send it off, the German giants are giving the stylish motor a retro-inspired send-off, courtesy of a very cool special edition called the Edition M Heritage.
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According to the BMW Group in America, the limited-edition release will pay homage to the original 8 Series and, to that end, will mark the end of its production run with a host of nostalgic design cues.
The car, based on the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, will be limited to just 500 units, with buyers able to choose from some excellent colour finishes including Bright Red, Mauritius Blue, Cosmos Black, Oxford Green and Daytona Violet.
It also comes with a carbon fibre roof adorned with M tri-colour stripes, special 20-inch alloy wheels and the M Sport Professional package - all as standard.
This also includes upgraded brakes, black calipers and additional black exterior trim.
Inside, buyers can expect plenty of luxury with Alcantara and black Merino leather seats featuring diamond stitching.
Alcantara also lines the headliner, dashboard and parts of the door panels.
Matte carbon fibre accents and M tri-colour stitching are also used throughout.
As you'd expect with the 8 Series, it packs plenty of oomph - retaining the same power as the standard M850i, with a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 523 horsepower.
That's good for a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.
The 8 Series' discontinuation was announced at the beginning of the year and various sources close to BMW have told us it will cease globally sometime in the middle of 2026.
BMW M135 is a power-packed hot-hatch that's precise, solid & slick… everything about it is 'sheer driving pleasure'
Sadly, no direct successor has been planned.
The Edition M Heritage has been quoted at a price of $131,575, which is roughly £97,000 ,and a fair chunk pricier than the standard M850i Gran Coupe.
Production of this exclusive model will begin in late 2025, with deliveries expected in early 2026.
The model will be distributed to "a few select markets around the world".
This comes as, back in May, .
The carmaker announced that it was axing 180 jobs from its Oxford factory amid uncertainty surrounding recently hiked US tariffs.
In March, US President Donald Trump declared that a 25% levy would be put in place on all vehicles imported to America from the UK - which has put a significant strain on the British automobile industry.
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When you look at these rip-off merchants that we're seeing increasingly, people have used them because the price was so cheap. Look for reliable, established brands. Go for one of the big brands; it may cost you a little bit more, but in the long run it will work out much better. Insurance rip-off Next, look at exactly what you get included in the price. I never take the excess car insurance from the car hire provider. I always book my own. I've got an annual policy. It's much cheaper. You can buy excess car hire polices in the UK; they are effectively like travel insurance but they protect your car. Should you have an accident, it protects the no claims bonus, and they are very good value. They are accepted by every reputable car hire company; if they try to convince you that you can't use it and you have to buy theirs, that is wrong. There are some very high pressure selling techniques around at the moment, trying to up-sell you various different things. You have to be strong. You don't need to take a policy out, you've taken an excess care hire policy out in the UK. You could also get yourself an annual, or even a two-week excess waiver policy from a specific company in the UK, too. Document dents The one thing you must do when they hand over the keys to the car is make sure that you take as much video and photographic evidence as possible before you leave. Very often they will give you a form where you're meant to mark little crosses where you see dents, scratches and other problems. But do take photos and videos yourself; it's much more important because it's timestamped and means you have incontrovertible evidence to counter any claims, should they come about. It's really important, if you do see any damage on the car when you pick it up, to make sure you have alerted the hire company. You could say to them: "Look, I've noted this damage. Here's my photo of it. 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In several cases, vehicles and services appear to have been issued under a different brand identity, while still being processed within a CARWIZ-branded environment, including signage, uniforms, and physical premises. We fully understand how, from the customer's point of view, this leads to the perception that the service is being provided directly by CARWIZ. When staff in CARWIZ uniforms hand over a vehicle from a CARWIZ-branded office, the distinction between brands is understandably blurred, even if the booking, payment, and contract technically fall under a separate company or brand entity. "We are currently conducting a formal internal review and will take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of dual-branding at CARWIZ locations in the future. "At CARWIZ International, we continuously monitor, audit, and improve our global network to uphold the standards our brand represents. We are committed to ensuring that every customer feels respected, safe, and well-served."

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