Introduction
Adam Purrier
The 8 Series is maturing nicely and moving from ‘modern’ to ‘proper’ classic status with every year that goes by.
The condition and specification of this car means it’s clearly for investment. Cars like this really don’t come on the market every day. Try a Google search for yourself and you’ll see just how rare these cars are. However, if you’re reading this far down then you already know what you’re looking at and how rare it is, and if you listen carefully you’ll hear the little voice in your gut screaming ‘buy it before someone else does‘. But there’s logic to consider too, so be safe in the knowledge that with rarity comes value, and more importantly this increases over time.
In summary there’s no debate on this car, this 8 Series is the ‘one to have‘ and in this condition its value is only ever going to go one way. Believe me, we are all going to be looking back at these sale prices in a few years and kick ourselves. This is an 850CSi with only 1,510 made, that’s just 5% of the total 8 Series production – super rare.
I think this is a very smart buy.
The BMW 8 Series is truly an iconic car and it was much ahead of its time when it was launched in 1989 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. What a spectacle it must have been back then, something space age and arguably far more technically advanced than any other car at that time. As most people will know I love the Porsche 911 and have a few in my collection, however, when I compare sitting in my 1989 3.2 to the 850CSi, the differences are astounding. The 911 feels like something from the 60’s (as of course it is and that’s why we love them) and the 8 Series is like something from the future (even today, around thirty years later). It’s difficult to believe both cars were in manufactured in the same year.
So we all know the 8 Series is a fantastic car and its following is growing by the month and for those in the know, the 850CSi is on another level all together. It’s the top of the model range and took over from the prototype M8. The 850CSi used the same engine plan as the 850i, which was tuned so significantly that BMW assigned it a new engine code – BMW S70B56. The modifications included a capacity increase to 5.6 litres and power increase to 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp).
The 850CSi’s modified suspension included stiffer springs and dampers that reduced the ride height. The recirculating ball steering ratio was dropped 15% over the stock E31 setup. The front and rear bumpers were reshaped for improved aerodynamic performance. Four round stainless steel exhaust tips replaced the square tips found on other models. The 6-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission option. In Europe, all 850CSi’s came with four-wheel steering (AHK – Aktive Hinterachs-Kinematik, Active rear axle Kinematics), up rated and ventilated brakes with floating front discs, rear differential oil cooler, engine oil cooler, two-tone interior, sports seats, and reshaped mirrors.
Production ended in late 1996 because the S70 engine could not be modified to comply with new emission regulations without substantial re-engineering. However, this has kept numbers down making the 850CSi very rare, as only 1,510 were produced. Compare this to circa 30,000 for the lower model options (840Ci / 850i / 850Ci) and you can see why the ‘rare’ status is well deserved.
Take a look at the Petrolicious video here to see why the 850CSi is the ultimate dream machine.
This auction listing was written from information supplied by Adam after meeting Rob, car's custodian, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.
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Full Transparency
8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.
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Leicester
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