By: Tycho de Feijter for 6th Gear Automotive Solutions.
Haarlem, May 2019.
BMW is busy readying the M8 for the market. The M8 will be the ultimate performance variant of the 8-Series coupe, set to be launched later this year. It will be a technological masterpiece, a four-wheel drive monster powered by a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Output will be 600 horsepower in ‘standard’ trim and at least 620 hp in Competition trim.
As cars are becoming more like computers every year, the M8 will be digitally adjustable almost everywhere. Like in any new high-end BMW, drivers will be able to choose between various kinds of settings for steering, engine output, engine sound, suspension stiffness, and 4WD power distribution.
But BMW is taking things one step further for the new M8. As the very first automaker, in the world, they are adding brake-pedal feel to the list of adjustable options. The BMW 8-Series uses an electrically powered brake-by-wire system, naturally without vacuum assistance. This allows BMW, or any other carmaker using brake-by-wire brakes, to setup a balanced brake-pedal feel for any car.
For a small car, the brake-pedal feel can be relatively light, whereas for a supercar it may be heavier, and there are many variations in between. The new thing: BMW makes the brake-pedal feel adjustable within a single car. There will be two brake-pedal feel modes: Comfort and Sport. The former is laid-back, with a long and soft pedal travel. The latter is speedy, with a short and much harder pedal travel.
BMW says the system allows drivers to get the most out of the brake system in any given situation. On a relaxed road trip, drivers may choose for Comfort, while on track, they may go for Sport. Critics however, say that an adjustable brake-pedal feel is dangerous, because a consistent pedal-feel is very important for drivers to gain confidence in a car’s capabilities.
Well, critics said pretty much the same thing about adjustable steering too, and nobody is complaining about that anymore. So it seems adjustable brake-pedal feel is here to stay. Other car makers are working on similar systems, including Volvo, the safety king of Sweden. If even Volvo thinks it is safe, BMW should feel confident they have reached yet another brake-by-wire milestone.