BMW is working on a flagship coupe to revive the 8-Series name and today we have our first spy shots of a prototype.

BMW hinted at the model in March when senior executives said the automaker was looking at adding more high-end models. One of these will be the 8-Series. Another will be an i8 Spyder.

The 8-Series looks to feature a low roof and wide, muscular shoulders reminiscent of Aston Martin’s DB9. And just like Aston Martin’s popular grand tourer, the 8-Series will feature four seats arranged in a 2+2 format.

Some readers will recall BMW had started work on a large, coupe-like sedan based on the striking CS concept car of 2007. However, the global financial crisis that erupted that year put an end to the project.

BMW never gave up on the idea of a large coupe, however, and in 2013 we got a taste of a modern successor to the 8-Series with the unveiling of the Gran Lusso Coupe concept. Developed with Pininfarina, the Gran Lusso Coupe marked the start of a partnership between BMW and the Italian design house and is thought to hint at some of the finer design elements of the new 8-Series.

The platform is BMW’s carbon fiber-infused CLAR design that debuted in the 2016 7-Series. It should ensure a low curb weight (for a large, luxurious coupe) as well as compatibility with electrified powertrains. We can also expect the latest in infotainment technology including next-generation gesture control.

Recent BMW trademark filings suggest V-8, V-12, M Performance and dedicated M options for the car. The filings included “850”, “860”, “M850” and “M8.” It's possible the M8 will feature a high-performance hybrid system known as the Power eDrive plug-in hybrid. The system combined a turbocharged inline-4 with a pair of electric motors for a combined 670 horsepower. The V-12 models should feature the same 600-hp twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter engine from the latest M760i xDrive.

Production of the 8-Series will take place at BMW’s main plant in Dingolfing, Germany, most likely starting in 2019. This means we should see the car introduced as a 2020 model. Rivals will be the Lexus LC, Maserati Gran Turismo and Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe.

To make way for the 8-Series in BMW’s lineup, the slow-selling 6-Series will be phased out. Don’t be too sad because we hear a new 6-Series will eventually arrive, although it will be a much sportier proposition to take on the Jaguar F-Type, Mercedes-AMG GT and of course the Porsche 911.

Eventually, BMW is likely to add an 8-Series Convertible and perhaps even a four-door 8-Series Gran Coupe to its lineup.

The good news are that BMW is definitely going to bring back the 8-Series but the even greater ones are that the big Bimmer is going to gain a range-topping M version.

Autocar cites BMW insiders which said that the new 8-Series range will be spearheaded by an M8 version, offering more than 600hp in order to successfully rival models like the Bentley Continental GT Speed and of course the Mercedes-AMG S63 and S65 Coupe models.

A new twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine will provide the thrust to either the rear or all four wheels as an option. The new BMW M8 with AWD is expected to be capable of 0-62mph (0-100km/h) of well under 4 seconds.

BMW plans to indirectly replace the 6-Series with the new 8-Series, with the existing model to end production in early 2018 in order to make room for the new one. The M8 model will follow on the second half of 2019, shortly after a convertible version of the 8-Series makes its debut.

The new two-door coupe will be based on the modular cluster architecture (CLAR) platform, used in the 7-Series and in the upcoming 5-, 4-,3- and 2-Series. The target for the next 8-Series is to offer the most rigid body with the lowest kerb weight in the class, with the platform using a mix of aluminium, magnesium, high-strength steel and carbon fiber.