Take this one with a grain of salt as no source is cited by
Car, but they are claiming that the X8 M (
recently trademarked) will be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
The report claims that the X8 M PHEV would feature approximately
750 HP and
737 LB-FT by pairing electric motors to a 4.4L twin turbo V8.
An X8 M PHEV wouldn't come as a total surprise however, as BMW M CEO Markus Flash
said last year that:
"I can assure you we’re working on electrification... I've driven petrol-electric vehicles from the M team. I've driven plug-in hybrids from the M team."
But, for now, electrification of M models will be limited to the larger, heavier cars like SUVs. In the same interview from last year, Flash said:
"The models that will see electrification won’t be the pure, the core, the most distilled projects such as the M2, 3 and 4. If we do something that will bring weight it’s very likely to be to a heavier, larger car. The X5 M today is a heavy and large car."