Compare the2025 BMW 8 Series Gran CoupeVS 2024 Porsche Panamera

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Panamera doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Panamera doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 8 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Panamera doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Panamera doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 8 Series Gran Coupe and the Panamera have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 8 Series Gran Coupe for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Panamera (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 76 percent more BMW dealers than there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the 8 Series Gran Coupe gets better mileage than the Panamera running its gasoline engine:

For better stopping power the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Panamera:

The 840i Gran Coupe’s standard 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Panamera’s standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 8 Series Gran Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Panamera doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe M550i/Alpina B8 has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Panamera doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Panamera (119 inches vs. 116.1 inches).

The front grille of the 8 Series Gran Coupe uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Panamera doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the 8 Series Gran Coupe’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Panamera doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its sedan body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 8 Series offers cargo security. The Panamera’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Panamera doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

If the windows are left open on the 8 Series Gran Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Panamera can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The 8 Series Gran Coupe’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Panamera’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Laser headlights, standard on the 8 Series Gran Coupe, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Panamera’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

The BMW 8 Series comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Porsche Panamera isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The BMW 8 Series outsold the Porsche Panamera by 37% during 2023.