This year's unveiling of the BMW Concept 8 Series marked the long-awaited revival of the beloved 8 Series for the first time in nearly 20 years. As if that wasn't already exciting enough, BMW simultaneously confirmed that a high-performance M variant of the 8 series will be going into production. While the racing variant of the BMW M8 is making its track debut at the Daytona 24 Hours next January, BMW's company chairman Harald Kruger has confirmed that the road-going M8 will make its debut sometime in 2018 alongside the standard 8 Series Coupe.

Powertrain details are still unknown, but the M8 is likely to borrow the new M5's biturbo 4.4-liter V8 which will deliver the grunt you would expect from the performance variant of BMW's upcoming flagship coupe. Reports have suggested the unit will be reworked to deliver over 615 hp compared to the 600-hp M5 to compete with the likes of the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT. It will also reportedly inherit the M5's advanced MxDrive system that lets you switch between RWD and AWD. However, a high-performance luxury coupe with a steep asking price is only going to have niche appeal, which is why BMW is making a big push for electrification.

According to Kruger, as many as 25 electrified models will form BMW's lineup by 2025, including 12 full EVs. A fully electric Mini is due to launch in 2019, along with an X3 in 2020, and the iNext in 2021. In preparation for this onslaught, BMW has already secured naming rights for the i1 to i9 and iX1 to iX9. A production version of the BMW i Vision Dynamics electric sport sedan is also a possibility, as Kruger hinted it could have a range of 373 miles and a "strong emotional appeal."