Sleek lines with no B-pillar, pop-up headlights and the small matter of a 5.0-litre V12 engine make the BMW 850i one of the coolest BMWs of the 1990s.
Creating the ‘E31’ 8 Series was no mean feat; it took nearly 10 years and cost BMW more than 1.5 billion Deutsche marks. Its CAD-designed body was sculpted in a wind tunnel. Features such as recessed windscreen wipers and super-tight seals on the side windows contributed to a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.29.
The car was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in autumn 1989, and BMW received 5,000 orders within the eight days that followed.
Well ahead of its time, the 850i was viewed with both awe and suspicion by BMW buyers. It came with gadgets you won’t even find in many cars today, such as an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and an electrically adjustable steering column with a memory function. Unlike some of the toys on modern BMWs, these features weren’t locked behind a monthly subscription, either.
The 850i’s pièce de résistance is, without a doubt, its 300hp naturally aspirated V12. Mated, for the first time, to a six-speed automatic gearbox, it gives the car an effortless turn of speed. These engines are impressively reliable, too, with well-maintained examples known to clock up more than 200,000 miles.
One thing the V12 definitely won’t offer is fuel-efficiency. On the plus side, however, this means more time standing beside it at petrol stations, where you can admire your beautiful BMW.
This particular 850i has been meticulously maintained by its most recent owner, and has sheltered from British weather in a heated garage.
With buyers mindful of their upkeep costs and prodigious thirst, E31s are still relatively affordable. This is a great opportunity to own one in excellent condition, with no need for repairs or restoration. All we’d do is swap those aftermarket Racing Dynamics alloys back to standard rims.
Car & Classic’s auction for this 1992 BMW 850i, in association with Retro Motor, is now live and runs until 30 May 2023. Experts estimate it should fetch between £20,000 and £22,000. Less than a fifth of what you’d pay for a brand new 8 Series, then…
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