BMW Pondering M8 Supercar for 2016?

BMW AG is developing an M8 supercar, its first since the last M1 was sold in 1981, to introduce three years from now, according to Car and Driver, which cites no sources.

But the magazine says the car's future will depend upon Friedrich Nitschke, who heads the company's high-performance M unit, prevailing over BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer, who reportedly objects to the car's relatively retro technology.

The $325,500 M8 will weigh less than 2,800 lbs, thanks to an extensive use of carbon fiber, aluminum and other exotic materials, according to C and D.

The magazine says the limited-edition supercar would be powered by the current M5 sedan's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, modified to make between 600 hp and 650 hp. Power would be delivered to the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The M8 is being designed to share its platform with BMW's upcoming i8, a plastic-bodied plug-in hybrid due next year, according to C and D. That model is expected to generate 349 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, zip from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and achieve a top speed of 155 mph.