BMW 8 Series Concept LEAKED ahead of a debut at Villa d’Este for the new BMW tomorrow

The BMW 8 Series Concept – a luxury BMW range-topping Coupe – is heading for a debut at Villa d’Este tomorrow, but it’s leaked online a bit early.

It’s only a couple of weeks since the return of the BMW 8 Series Coupe was officially acknowledged, as BMW seek to deliver a real rival to the Mercedes S Class Coupe and leave space for the next 6 Series to be a car more focussed on attacking cars like the AMG GT and Porsche 911.

As a prelude to a production 8 Series debut, BMW are planning to reveal the new 8 Series as a Concept at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este tomorrow, but the iunterwebs have beaten them to it.

We have the first photo of the new BMW 8 Series (above), courtesy of Belgium website AutoTijd, shows an edgy design with a much more ‘in yer face’ nose than current BMWs, dropping bonnet, fairly severe coupe roofline and a bluff back end. But it looks cohesive.

We’ll have to wait until tomorrow for BMW to start revealing specifics about the 8 Series (well, the concept), although some things are probably a given.

That means underpinnings borrowed from the 5 and 7 Series cars, high-end V8 and V12 powertrain options – and a hybrid too, we wouldn’t mind betting – with extreme luxury and all the technology bells and whistles you can think of.

In fact, BMW boss Harald Kruger has said the new 8 Series will be a “Genuine Dream Car”. We’ll have more idea at Villa d’Este tomorrow.