A few photos of the 8-Series Gran Coupe leaked but now we have the official real deal. Say hello the G16 8-Series Gran Coupe which for the US market will start with three different models. Two will be B58 3.0 I6 powered and the third will get the N63TU3 4.4 liter twin turbo V8. Yes, expect an M8 as well. The two B58 powered models only differ in offering rear wheel drive and all wheel drive. The design translate well do the 4-door coupe style and no doubt will be a big seller for BMW. Stretching the wheelbase of course comes with a weight penalty and the 840i rear wheel drive coupe comes in at 4262 pounds. The M850i curb weight balloons to 4758 pounds. Ouch. Pricing? $84,990 for the RWD 840i, plus $995 destination, total of $85,985. The 840i xDrive runs $88,795 and the M850i xDrive starts at $109,895. New BMW 8 Series range expands with the arrival of a four-door sports car for the luxury segment. New BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe has a distinctive character, smile-inducing driving dynamics, emotion-rich design, a luxurious aura and greater spaciousness in the rear. Sports performance of the new BMW 8 Series combines with enhanced everyday usability and a talent for covering long distances. Only model in segment derived directly from a two-door sports car. Developed alongside the BMW 8 Series Coupe and the BMW M8 GTE endurance racing car. Body structure, powertrain and chassis geared squarely to maximising performance capabilities. Low centre of gravity, even weight distribution, lightweight construction with aluminium, magnesium and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), aerodynamically optimised body. World premiere of the new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe at the BMW Group #NEXTGen event on 25 – 27 June 2019 in Munich; launch from September 2019 with four model variants: the BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe (fuel consumption combined: 10.0 – 9.9 l/100 km ; CO2 emissions combined: 229 – 226 g/km)* with 390 kW/530 hp V8 engine, BMW 840i Gran Coupe (fuel consumption combined: 7.5 – 7.4 l/100 km ; CO2emissions combined: 170 – 168 g/km)* and BMW 840i xDrive Gran Coupe (fuel consumption combined: 7.8 – 7.7 l/100 km ; CO2 emissions combined: 179 – 176 g/km)* with new 250 kW/340 hp six-cylinder in-line petrol engine, plus the BMW 840d xDrive Gran Coupe (fuel consumption combined: 6.3 – 6.2 l/100 km ; CO2 emissions combined: 166 – 162 g/km)* with six-cylinder in-line diesel unit and 235 kW/320 hp. All engines comply with the Euro 6d-TEMP exhaust gas standard. Power transfer via eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive or (on BMW 840i Gran Coupe) rear-wheel drive. Distinctively styled, extrovert exterior featuring the BMW brand’s new design language with precisely drawn lines and expansive surfaces. Distinctive proportions, wheelbase 201 millimetres longer than on the. Distinctive proportions, wheelbase 201 millimetres longer than on the BMW 8 Series Coupe. Elegantly flowing roofline merges into tail with fin‑shaped transition; dynamically stretched silhouette. Powerfully sculpted shoulders around the C-pillars, extremely wide tracks and distinctive, width-emphasising design at the rear end intensify the car’s sporting allure and presence. Luxurious sports-car feel can be enjoyed from all seats. Standard specification includes sports seats and Vernasca leather trim, shift paddles on the steering wheel, ambient lighting, and fulled leather trim for the instrument panel and door shoulders. Outer rear seats styled as individual seats with integral head restraints. Third rear seat is suitable for use on short journeys. Abundant spaciousness in the rear. More legroom than ever in a BMW coupe. Large door apertures make getting in and out easier. Considerable increase in shoulder room in the rear, more headroom in all seats than in the two-door members of the new BMW 8 Series range. Automatic boot lid operation and Comfort Access (including hands‑free opening and closing of the boot lid) are standard. Boot capacity of 440 litres is big enough to accommodate three golf bags. 40 : 20 : 40 split-folding rear backrest offers extra flexibility for carrying luggage. Panoramic glass roof exclusive to this model; transparent area of around 1.5 square metres produces an exceptionally light and airy feel and creates a continuous glass surface extending from the windscreen back to the rear window. Other options available exclusively for the four-door BMW 8 Series variant include four-zone automatic climate control and sun blinds for the rear side windows and rear window. Exceptional balance between supreme long-distance comfort and sports performance courtesy of extended wheelbase and bespoke chassis tuning honed with race expertise. Adaptive M suspension as standard, active roll stabilisation optionally available for all model variants. BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and BMW 840i Gran Coupe fitted with M Sport differential as standard, Integral Active Steering standard in the all-wheel-drive model variants and optional for the BMW 840i Gran Coupe. Driving Experience Control switch activates clearly differentiated COMFORT, ECO Pro, SPORT and SPORT+ modes, enabling a broad spectrum of setup options – from dynamic to comfortable. Adaptive LED headlights and LED rear lights as standard. BMW Laserlight with Selective Beam and extended high-beam range of 600 metres available as an option. M Sport package comprises bespoke design and equipment features: extra-large air intakes, specially designed side skirts and rear apron, 19‑inch M light-alloy wheels, M Sport brakes, multifunction seats, M leather steering wheel, illuminated door sill plates with M logo. BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe also features a front spoiler extension, 20-inch M light-alloy wheels with high-performance tyres, specially designed M Sport brakes, exclusive exterior features in Cerium Grey, interior trim strips in stainless steel mesh design and illuminated door sill plates bearing the model badge. M Technic Sport Package is also available for all other model variants. Standard Chrome Line Exterior with distinctive trim bar in the rear apron adds model-specific details that accentuate its elegance. Scope for customisation is provided by the M Carbon exterior package (with air intake bars, exterior mirror caps and tailpipe trims in CFRP) and highly exclusive options from BMW Individual. High-quality options for added sporting flair, passenger comfort and modern luxury: multifunction seats and M Sport seats, BMW Individual Merino leather trim with extended appointments and BMW Individual Merino full leather trim, active seat ventilation, soft-close doors, Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System, Heat Comfort package, glass applications for selected controls. Extensive range of driver assistance systems: High Beam Assistant, Driving Assistant comprising Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info, rear crossing traffic warning and rear collision warning, plus Parking Assistant including reversing assistant all fitted as standard. Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Driving Assistant Professional including steering and lane control assistant, lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection, Evasion Assistant, distance information, crossing traffic warning, road priority warning and wrong-way driving warning, and Parking Assistant Plus with Surround View, Top View, Panorama View and Remote 3D View available as options. Luxurious and progressive standard specification including BMW Display Key, telephony with wireless charging, BMW Head-Up Display and BMW Live Cockpit Professional with navigation system, fully digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch Control Display. BMW Operating System 7.0 enables extremely quick access to settings and functions. Customisable displays with modern, consistently designed graphics. Multimodal operation using touchscreen display, iDrive Controller, steering wheel buttons, voice control or gesture control. BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant on hand as digital co-driver and vehicle expert. Controlled using natural voice commands. Experience Modes for the interior are tailored to different requirements. Integration of Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business. BMW Digital Key makes it possible to access the vehicle and start the engine using a smartphone. Remote Software Upgrade facility for updating vehicle functions over the air. Model variants at launch: BMW 840i Gran Coupe: Six-cylinder in-line petrol engine, eight-speed Steptronic transmission. Capacity: 2,998 cc, output: 250 kW/340 hp at 5,000 – 6,500 rpm, max. torque: 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) at 1,600 – 4,500 rpm. Acceleration : 5.2 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph). Fuel consumption combined: 7.5 – 7.4 l/100 km (37.7 – 38.2 mpg imp), CO2 emissions combined: 170 – 168 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6d‑TEMP. BMW 840i xDrive Gran Coupe: Six-cylinder in-line petrol engine, eight-speed Steptronic transmission, BMW xDrive. Capacity: 2,998 cc, output: 250 kW/340 hp at 5,000 – 6,500 rpm, max. torque: 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) at 1,600 – 4,500 rpm. Acceleration : 4.9 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph). Fuel consumption combined: 7.8 – 7.7 l/100 km (36.2 – 36.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions combined: 179 – 176 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6d‑TEMP. BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe: V8 petrol engine, eight-speed Steptronic transmission, BMW xDrive. Capacity: 4,395 cc, output: 390 kW/530 hp at 5,500 – 6,000 rpm, max. torque: 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) at 1,800 – 4,600 rpm. Acceleration : 3.9 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph). Fuel consumption combined: 10.0 – 9.9 l/100 km (28.2 – 28.5 mpg imp), CO2 emissions combined: 229 – 226 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6d‑TEMP. BMW 840d xDrive Gran Coupe: Six-cylinder in-line diesel engine, eight-speed Steptronic transmission, BMW xDrive. Capacity: 2,993 cc, output: 235 kW/320 hp at 4,400 rpm, max. torque: 680 Nm (501 lb-ft) at 1,750 – 2,250 rpm. Acceleration : 5.1 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph). Fuel consumption combined: 6.3 – 6.2 l/100 km (44.8 – 45.6 mpg imp), CO2 emissions combined: 166 – 162 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6d‑TEMP.

This is not officially approved but green parties in Ireland are pushing for it just as they are in much of the European Union. Do not forget three years ago German politicians announced plans to kill off the internal combustion motor by 2030 as well. Will it happen? Probably not. This seems like a way to score cheap political points. It is easy to say let's stop selling internal combustion cars when there is no real replacement plan in sight. Logic is not how politics works. Ireland is relatively small compared to Europe so they are banking on having an electric charging infrastructure in place by the time the ban comes into effect. Essentially, they are placing their bets on something that does not exist yet and may never exist in order to make the proposal palatable. Even if the ambitious charging plan comes to fruition how exactly do you force people to pay more money for a new electric car? That part they have yet to solve. Source