With how many different body styles BMW offers for its cars, it’s understandable that some might slip your mind. And the ‘most often overlooked BMW’ crown arguably goes to the 8 Series, the brand’s flagship passenger car. But don’t let that fool you; the luxury coupes—and the Gran Coupe sedan—handily justify their position in the brand’s lineup. And with BMW’s light touch-ups, the 2023 8 Series should be more of the same.

BMW shuffles the 8 Series lineup for 2023 and subtly sharpens its styling

At first glance, the 2023 BMW 8 Series looks identical to the 2022 version. Considering the response BMW’s new grille designs are getting, many would say that’s a good thing. Admittedly, the 2023 8 Series does have a new grille, but it’s the same shape as before. However, it now has wider slats and standard illuminated elements. Mercedes may have a light-up star, but BMW now has a light-up grille.

In addition to the new grille, the 2023 BMW 8 Series offers more exterior colors, new headlights, and two new optional wheel designs, Roadshow reports. One of them, style 895M, is packaged with the M850i xDrive’s Cooling and High Performance Tire Package. And speaking of the M850i, it now has an M badge in its grille and aero-optimized mirrors that were originally M8-exclusive.

At this point, it’s worth noting that the BMW 8 Series lineup can get a bit confusing. As with BMW’s other cars, ‘Gran Coupe’ means a sedan with a coupe-like roof, while ‘Coupe’ and ‘Convertible’ are two-doors. Still, apart from one model, the 2023 lineup is identical to the 2022 one:

• 840i Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe
• 840i xDrive Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe
• M850i xDrive Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe
• M8 Competition Coupe, Convertible, Gran Coupe
• Alpina B8 Gran Coupe

Eagle-eyed BMW fans will note that for 2023, there’s no base M8; it’s Competition only. Mechanically, though, nothing has changed. And the M8 Competition and Alpina B8 get the same styling updates as the other 8 Series models.

If the standard cars aren’t stylish enough, the new options list can help

Besides the across-the-board styling tweaks, the 2023 BMW 8 Series also gets some model-specific visual options packages.

Last year, BMW made the M Sport Package standard on the base 840i and 840i xDrive. For 2023, though, there’s an expanded version called the M Sport Package Professional. This adds more blacked-out exterior trim—including headlight surrounds—black M Sport brake calipers, and on the M850i, a black rear spoiler.

The blacked-out headlight surrounds are standard on the 2023 BMW M8 Competition, Car and Driver says. But it gets some extra options of its own. For the first time, you can get the same heated, power-adjustable M Carbon bucket seats as in the M3 and M4. They come with an illuminated M8 badge and have additional color options, too.

In addition, in homage to Jeff Koons’ latest Art Car, there’s a limited-edition ‘8 X Jeff Koons’ 8 Series available this year. And to celebrate the M division’s 50^th birthday, buyers can order the M850i and M8 with classic blue-purple-and-red BMW Motorsport logos on the hood, wheels, and trunk.

The 2023 BMW 8 Series gets a bigger screen without a bigger price tag

If you were waiting for BMW to bring the 8 Series’ night vision option back for 2023, that’s not happening. However, the flagship does have a new center touchscreen. Instead of 10.3” screens, the 2023 cars have 12.3” screens.

In more bad news, the 2023 BMW 8 Series still isn’t cheap. But the good news is that it hasn’t gotten more expensive. For 2023, the MSRPs breaks down in the following way:

• 840i
  • Coupe: $85,000
  • Convertible: $94,400
  • Gran Coupe: $85,000
• 840i xDrive
  • Coupe: $87,900
  • Convertible: $97,300
  • Gran Coupe: $87,900
• M850i xDrive
  • Coupe: $99,900
  • Convertible: $109,400
  • Gran Coupe: $99,900
• M8 Competition
  • Coupe: $130,000
  • Convertible: $139,500
  • Gran Coupe: $130,000
• Alpina B8 Gran Coupe: $139,900

However, if you want a regular 8 Series and not an M8, you might want to start saving up. Rumors from Australia suggest that after this generation, BMW will fold the 4 Series and 8 Series into a new 6 Series, Motor1 says. Furthermore, these rumors also claim that the 8 Series Gran Coupe will become part of the 7 Series as a sedan alternative. As of this writing, though, BMW hasn’t commented on these rumors.

Follow more updates from MotorBiscuit on our Facebook page.