BMW 8 Series Convertible tested in Death Valley

BMW has travelled to the United States to continue testing of its upcoming convertible version of the new 8 Series.

The German brand took the soft-top model to what is considered to be the hottest place on the planet – Death Valley – so that all of the car’s equipment and features could be tested to the limit.

With BMW driving the car in temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius through dust, on gravel roads and up mountain tracks, the 8 Series Convertible is being pushed to the extreme – and follows on from cold weather testing in Arjeplog, Sweden.

The extreme conditions give engineers a chance to check how the electrical systems cope in the heat and see whether the automatic climate control can keep drivers cool – even in the warmest weather.

While testing it in the United States, BMW has also driven the 8 Series through Las Vegas traffic, from the Pacific coast to the middle of the Rocky Mountains and on longer journeys around the country’s western seaboard.

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The car has also been driven to the Hoover Dam, which poses a unique challenge as the hydropower plant turbines create large electromagnetic waves which can seriously affect the electrical circuitry on modern cars, and after passing that test, the vehicle’s electrical systems have been announced as good to go.

Although an official release date for the 8 Series Convertible is yet to be confirmed, it is expected to go on sale in 2019, with the coupe version available from late 2018.