In 1989 BMW released the E31 generation 8-series luxury coupe. From a casual glance, it may look like a successor to the E24 generation 6-series, but it was an entirely different breed of automobile --not simply sharing a chassis with something as pedestrian as the executive class 5-series, but a purpose built luxury machine designed and engineered with the aid of CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) and FEA (Finite Element Analysis). Klaus Kapitza's (famous for his work on the Ford Capri, Escort, Sierra & BMW Z-13 prototype) slippery design has withstood the test of time and looks as dynamic today as it did when it was new in the showroom. Find this 1992 BMW 850i 6-speed
offered on ebay for $11,995 or best offer in Madison, WI with 7 days to go.
The 850i is powered by the M70B50, a 5.0 liter V12 that puts 295 horsepower and 330 ft-lbs of torque into a 6-speed manual transmission. The big V12 is a complex machine that requires a delicate touch when dealing with the twin quasi-independent inline-6 ECUs that control the fuel system and failure-prone electronic drive-by-wire system.
This 850i is offered as a medium mile (134k) example with the desirable 6-speed manual gearbox (much preferred over the 4-speed slushbox). Condition looks decent, but a small used car dealer like this is going to slather the inside with Armor All and take pics that emphasize the positive points. However, the price is not bad if maintenance has been kept up-to-date.
See a better way to get into a V12 powered luxury coupe for less? tips@dailyturismo.com
I put this in the same category with the 928. Beautiful, powerful, tasteful and cheap to buy. Unfortunately, it is just one mechanical problem away from financial ruin.
ReplyDeletePull off the resonators and you will have a car that sounds like a 100k supercar.
ReplyDeleteThis is bottom of the market for a 3 pedal car. I hear these have one of the heaviest clutches ever fitted to a car, which is why so many were autotragic. Pay for a full PPI with compression/leakdown numbers, which is worth every penny in peace of mind.
ReplyDelete