The big 8 Series coupe was BMW's flagship car for the 90's. It came with either a V8 or V12 engine, usually mated to a 6 speed manual or 5 speed automatic transmission.
Building upon the idea of its luxurious 750IL sedan, BMW turned to a comparable 2+2 coupe for 1991. Introduced in June 1990, it served as the sucessor to BMW's 635CSi coupe and cost even more than the 750iL. BMW's familiar "twin-kidney" grille was installed, but the rear-drive 850i wore hidden headlamps, a feature never before seen on BMW models in the US. .
The 840Ci exists with two different engine
packages. The first used the 4 liter M60B40 engine with 286
PS (210 kW) and was produced from mid-1993 to late 1995.
From mid-1995, production phased in the newer 4.4 liter
M62B44 engine, which had better fuel economy and more torque,
though power output remained unchanged. 840Ci was available
with a 5-speed automatic transmission, though European cars
were given the option of a 6-speed manual transmission. The
only external features distinguishing the V8 model from the
V12 models were the quad round exhausts, which were square
in the V12 models, The 840Ci stayed in production until May,
1999.
Pictures, Specifications and Model Details
- As a top-of-the-range sports tourer, the 850CSi took over from the prototype M8. The 850CSi used the same engine as the 850i, which was tuned so significantly that BMW assigned it a new engine code: S70B56. The modifications included a capacity increase to 5.6 liters and power increase to 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp) .The 850CSi's modified suspension included stiffer springs and dampers and reducedthe car's ride height. The recirculating ball steering ratio was dropped 15% over the stock E31 setup. The model also sported wider wheels, with the option of forgedalloys. 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). Production ended in late 1996 because the S70 engine could not be modified to comply with new emission regulations without substantial re-engineering.
Pictures, Specifications and Model Details
Featured:
Explore the E31 8 series >> (Pictures, Specifications and Model Details)
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