Car Review: Taking in Ontario's 'west coast' with the 2020 BMW M850i Cabriolet

Article content

The 2020 BMW M850i xDrive Cabriolet may be an all-new model — and it indeed bristles with most of the marque’s latest tech — but in essence, this svelte two-plus-two is a throwback to the noble tradition of top-down grand touring. As a replacement for the 6 Series, the M850i is elegantly sculpted, the cabin a sumptuous blend of fine leather and exquisite detail, and a beast of a V8 that purrs and pounces in equal measure lies under the hood.

Article content

And so, last summer, armed with the M850i and itching for adventure, I aimed the Bimmer’s pretty prow northwest from my home just outside of Toronto, and headed for the West Coast. Okay, not that west coast — I mean Ontario’s West Coast, the stretch hugging the shores of Lake Huron. Granted, I wasn’t going to see orcas or frolic in the Pacific surf, but what’s not to like about endless white sandy beaches gently lapped by warm water, charming little towns, a provincial park, and if you’re so inclined, one wild summer party known as Grand Bend? On top of all that, it’s only about two and a half hours away.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Car Review: Taking in Ontario's 'west coast' with the 2020 BMW M850i Cabriolet Back to video

On that July day, the air was hot, the sun was strong — a far cry from January’s wintry clutches — and the Carbon Black Metallic roadster’s top was resolutely stowed, showcasing this tester’s striking red-on-black, leather-lined cabin. Very effective tri-level seat ventilation kept my derriere well within the comfort zone.

Article content

The M850i xDrive comes in both coupe and cabriolet configurations, and it resurrects the 8 Series nameplate after more than two decades of dormancy. It’s no different in mission directive from the outgoing 6 Series, nor is it any larger. In fact, it’s 4.5 centimetres shorter. So, why bring back this moniker? BMW says this new car is a leap forward in in every respect — luxury, handling, design, performance — and anyone with a faint understanding of marketing will acknowledge eight is better than six, and therefore should cost more. In the case of the M850i Cabriolet, the $131,500 starting point is $18,500 dearer than the 650i droptop it replaces.

Article content

A key ingredient here is the freshly revised version of BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, kicking out 523 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a robust 553 lb.-ft. of torque between 1,800 and 4,600 rpm. The M850i lives in the netherworld between “regular” BMW automobiles and full-blown M cars; although an M8 with over 600 horsepower is coming very soon, this M850i is nonetheless bloody quick, blasting from rest to 100 km/h in about 3.9 seconds

And unlike most of BMW’s turbocharged V8 engines in recent memory, this version has a fabulous soundtrack. With the top down, there’s a real bark and rumble on start-up, and in Sport mode, the exhaust makes enough blats, woofs, and gurgles to have the folks at AMG raise an eyebrow .

Once west of Stratford, the landscape transforms into rolling green vistas of farmland dotted with groves of forest. Sadly, out here in this agricultural Shangri-La, meaningful curves in the road are about as scarce as chicken lips, so I’m not giving this chassis much of a workout. That said, the structure is quiver-free, the steering has real feel — are you back with us, BMW? — and what bends I do encounter are dispatched with poise, confidence, and a general feeling of dynamic harmony that makes me want to lean a bit harder next time.

Toggle full screen mode Previous Gallery Image

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

17. 

18. 

19. 

Next Gallery Image Toggle gallery captions

View All 19 Photos

1 of 19

All 19 Photos for Gallery

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

OK

Article content

Looking at the spec sheet, we see M-tuned adaptive suspension bits, an electronic locking rear differential, active roll stabilization, rear-wheel steering, and rear-biased all-wheel-drive. All standard. I’m liking this. The ride quality is well-judged, too — even in the aggressive Sport+ mode, where the adaptive dampers are most buttoned down, the M850i xDrive Cabriolet never loses its composure.

Ontario’s West Coast officially stretches from Amberly Beach (35 kilometres north of Goderich) south to the Pinery Provincial Park, a 2,532-hectare natural reserve that is home to two rare ecosystems: Freshwater dune grasslands and the Oak Savannah. The latter — a transition zone between prairie grasslands and oak forests — is all but gone elsewhere. The Pinery protects about 50 per cent of the world’s remaining Oak Savannah. Why is it still here? Good fortune. The sandy soil was unsuitable for farming, and plans for a huge golf resort in 1929 fell through due to lack of financing.

Article content

While the town of Grand Bend is only nine kilometers north on The Bluewater Highway (no. 21), it’s lightyears from the tranquility of the Pinery. Turn left off 21 onto Main St and you’re right in the heart of the experience. This strip, lined with shops and bars, takes you to the famed beach. Beware, this place turns into traffic gridlock hell on the weekends, although much of the (barely) rolling metal can be pretty interesting — this is a cruise destination for the muscle car, antique, and hot rod crowd.

If you’re staying in Grand Bend, check out the top-notch stage productions at the Huron Country Playhouse, and for those with a penchant for noise and drama, the Grand Bend Motorplex is Canada’s larges quarter-mile drag racing facility. There’s something going on most summer weekends, and Friday night’s “Test and Tune” gives you the opportunity to thrash your street machine. Don’t worry, BMW, I did not flog the M850i down the quarter, even though the temptation was nearly unbearable.

Article content

About twenty minutes north on Highway 21, you’ll find Bayfield, where the quaint main street is lined with galleries, craft shops, antique purveyors, and eateries. Be sure to drop into the Black Dog Village Pub and say hello to Ted McIntosh, the owner. He and his wife, Kathleen, came to Bayfield a number of years ago, scraped the paint off this historic grocery-store-cum-beer-hall, and turned it into a going concern. The food is fabulous, and with 50 beer and 150 whisky options on the menu, it’s a destination for aficionados of said elixirs. Lots of good live music, too.

The more time I spend in the M850i Cabriolet, the more I appreciate the ritzy roadster’s broad scope of abilities. Fast, comfortable, well-appointed, and dang if it doesn’t tick all the aesthetic boxes. I’m getting the stares, and at night the cabin comes alive with artistic ambient lighting. Oh, there are a few complaints — I found the $4,900 Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System to be underwhelming, and trunk space is very skimpy. However, since the rear seats are pretty much unsuitable for human occupation, they do present themselves as very finely upholstered parcel shelves. Without the manually installed windblocker that fits over the rear seats, there’s a lot of wind turbulence within the cabin.

Ontario’s West Coast is famous for its sunsets. After observing one particularly spectacular display, I dropped the top, lit that lusty V8, and blasted off into the cool evening. As the encroaching darkness revealed a sparkling sky overhead, the roadster’s laser lights pierced the night and BMW’s Air Collar caressed my neck with a warm breeze. Grand touring, indeed.

Article content