BMW 8 Series Gets A 7 Series Face And Pulls It Off

As far as design goes, we’d call the current BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe “consistent.” Many of the brand’s traditional design cues are present. There’s the widely-spaced headlights with rounded lenses, which of course make room for the trademark BMW kidney grille. Unlike several new models, this one hasn’t been under the new BWM styling department’s knife just yet. For now, it stays relatively small.

There’s also a trio of lower fascia openings, a design trend that goes back to before the E46 platform. Of course, there’s also the brand’s trademark Hoffmeister kink in the rear window, as well as some very traditional-looking tail lights out back. In many ways, the 8’ers smaller BMW 7 Series is categorically different, despite their shared luxury car leanings. So, what happens when you play a little “mix n’ match” with the two cars?

Sugar Design has given us a look at what that might look like. In short, the BMW 7 Series’ headlights and DRLs have been transplanted onto the face of the 8 Series. However, there’s much more at work than just that. Sugar Design also brings in some elements from other BMW models as well.

For now, we’ll focus on the 7 Series transplant. The headlights of this hypothetical Gran Coupe have gone all squinty and presumably turned into DRLs, just like on the BMW X7. Lighting appears to now be handled by two vent-mounted projectors- again just like the BMW 7 models.

For whatever reason, it seems to work better here than on the 7 Series. Perhaps it has something to do with the 8 Series GC’s more aggressive stance. Or more likely, it has to do with the grille. Like the re-worked 7 Series we saw a while back, Sugar Design has added in a little “sharknose” to the Gran Coupe.