The Manhart MH8 600 Is A Bling-Tastic M8 Alternative

The BMW M8 is almost upon us, with the international launch just weeks away. But if you want a less mainstream way to go really, really fast in an 8-series, here’s an alternative.

It’s Manhart’s MH8 600, which was first previewed last year. Now though, the German tuner is ready to give us all the details and has also revealed some new images of the car.

The starting point is the already very fast M850i, which Manhart clearly doesn’t think is brisk enough. Its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 has been fiddled with to produce 613bhp - around 100bhp more than stock, and almost as much as the M8 Competition. In fact, it’s torquier than BMW’s mightiest 8er, developing 656lb ft of twist vs 553.

There’s no word on how fast this will make the MH8, but its acceleration figures should be similar to the M8 Comp, which cracks the 0-62mph sprint in just 3.2 seconds.

So the world knows you’re not driving around in any old G15 8-series, Manhart has added a new spoiler, diffuser accents, mirror caps and a rear lip spoiler - all made from carbonfibre. Gold decals are available if you’re feeling especially bold.

Filling each arch is a 21-inch matte black wheel. The car sits rather nicely on its new set of rims too, thanks to a 30mm drop courtesy of some H&R springs.

So, what will it be for you: the M8, or Manhart’s fantastically unsubtle creation?