The year was 1989, and at the IAA in Frankfurt, BMW presented a luxury coupé with the V12 engine that was already familiar from the 7 Series. Under the direction of chief designer Claus Luthe, Klaus Kapitza designed a sporty body including folding headlights, which is now a sought-after classic. 34 years later, I am standing in front of the closed barriers of the Großglockner-Hochalpen road with the new 840d x-Drive Gran Coupé with two questions: What can’t the BMW actually do? And why didn’t I take a look at the weather forecast beforehand?

A few days before this article was written, we were sitting over a cappuccino in the extraordinary warmth of Munich. “We still need an idea for the 8-page article”. At over 20 degrees, we decide to take a drive up the Grossglockner High Alpine Road – “Getting Kaiserschmarrn in Austria with the BMW 8-series”. That’s the motto.

On this day in October, the alarm clock rings at 7 a.m. The journey from the state capital of Munich to the Grossglockner High Alpine Road takes just under 2 hours. The first stage takes us along the A8 and A93 motorways to the German/Austrian border. It is immediately apparent that the 8 Series feels at home here. The standard adaptive suspension is set to the comfortable level, and bumps are almost perfectly concealed. The quietness is not only evident in the suspension, but also in the interior, where the overall noise level is impressively low even at high speeds. After a good hour on the motorway, the average fuel consumption on the display is just over 6 litres. Fascinating when you consider that this is made up of city traffic with stop-and-go phases and sometimes brisk motorway speeds of over 200 km/h.

BMW has equipped the 840D x-Drive Gran Coupe with its 3-litre in-line six-cylinder engine, delivering 340 hp and a massive 700 Nm – more than enough for German motorways and also for winding country roads, as we notice on the last stretch to the toll station on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. The most appropriate term to describe the agility of the 8 Series would probably be “nimble”. And that with a vehicle weight of around 2 tonnes? Yes! Because thanks to the all-wheel drive, rear axle steering and individually controlled rear wheels, the 5.08 metre ship can be effortlessly manoeuvred around bends. Incidentally, the Munich model is equipped with the tried-and-tested ZF 8-speed automatic transmission in all engine versions.

Shortly afterwards, we are surprised by a sign at the Großglockner toll station, which we would not have expected a few days earlier in Munich. Snow chains are compulsory! When asked, an employee replies that this also applies to four-wheel drive vehicles. Further up the road, the first snowfall has been expected since last night. The 8 Series with its 20-inch rims on summer tyres then turns its nose 180 degrees. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road in the rear-view mirror and the question of what now? After a short period of reflection, it’s clear – we need a new destination.

The idea of taking the diversions through the Felbertauern Tunnel towards Lienz and the Three Peaks in South Tyrol seems to make perfect sense. On the one hand, we could continue to drive the BMW over Italian mountain passes, and on the other, we could indulge in Italian cuisine in the evening.

The route is then recalculated – about 3 hours to the destination “Lago di Misurina”. Without thinking twice, we confirm the new destination and head for the Kreuzberg Pass in South Tyrol. The 5 kilometres of the Felbertauern tunnel act like a portal that transports us to the sunny side of the Alps. A few minutes later, our spaceship takes us safely to the Italian border. A photo stop at the former border hut is a must.

During the many photo stops, we take the time to take a closer look at the design of the 8 Series Gran Coupé. The 4-door version of the 8 Series is 23 centimetres longer and a good 6 cm higher than the 2-door version. As a result, the GC offers significantly more space for all 4 travellers than the Coupé, which requires a little body art for the rear passengers to get in and out. The design of the vehicle features a steeper windscreen, which not only makes for an extremely modern appearance, but also results in increased headroom at the front. The extension of the front doors and the skilfully added rear doors help to improve access and the overall appearance of the vehicle. Of particular note is the widening of the vehicle by four centimetres from the C-pillar downwards, giving the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé a striking and powerful presence.

After 6 hours in the comfortable seats of the BMW 8 Series, we reach Lago di Misurina, our new destination. The empty car park at the northern end of the lake offers us the perfect opportunity to take the last photos of the car in the evening light and reflect on the journey. The BMW scored points above all with its long-distance capability, efficiency and sportiness on winding country roads. In any case, it is clear that we could not have thought of a better companion for such spontaneous detours than the Munich.

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BMW 840d x-Drive Gran Coupé

Engine: 3.0L R6 Twin-Turbo
Power: 340 PS @ 4,400 rpm
Weight: 2070 Kilogramm
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 4.7 s
V-Max: 250 km/h*
Press car price: 129.120 Euro