Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I had to do a double take when I saw this 1995 BMW 840Ci for sale in California, as Carter had featured a strikingly similar example at the end of last month. Sure enough, this Oxford Green Metallic 840Ci is a different car altogether, but one which has almost 80,000 less miles. With the lower running costs of the V8 engine over the V12 and such low mileage, this could be one of the ultimate 8 series opportunities that we’ve come across here at GCFSB.
By the time the 1990s were coming to a close, the writing was on the wall for the BMW 8 series. This was never a volume seller for BMW and while it lasted until 1999 in some markets, the last year in the US market would be 1997. Available in its twilight with the 4.4 liter V8 or the 5.4 liter V12, this example, purchased by Tom Cruise for Nicole Kidman, carries the twelve cylinder lump under the hood. Under 200 850ci coupes made it stateside in its final year, making this one very special Bimmer.
A friendly automotive blog recently asked on Facebook if the E31 was already a classic, a future classic, or a car forever undeserving of that title. To me, it is nearing classic status, and when seen in comparison to the big BMW coupes of the last 10 years, it is a lithe and lustworthy piece of badass machinery. The 850CSi is the grandaddy of them all, an ///M-car all the way down to the engine serial number but lacking the name and badges. There are enough plain, modern mass-market Bimmers carrying more M badges than passengers to effectively kill the badge’s coolness, while the CSi badge provides a link to some of BMW’s greatest classic coupes. An M-tuned V12 is enough to get the mouth watering and the pants a little tighter, so when you add in low, clean lines and some flared fenders you’ve got what I consider the makings of a classic. This example has covered almost 100k miles, but the auction is starting refreshingly low after we’ve seen some 850CSi going for well above $60k.
While the 850Ci 6-speed manual we featured last week was certainly an attractive grand tourer, the V12 running costs may put some prospective enthusiasts off. For those, we have this car, the 840Ci. With four less cylinders a little bit of the servicing complication away without finding yourself down on too much power. This second to last year E31 coupe for sale in California has covered under 70,000 miles. If you desire a BMW coupe from the 1990s but want to stand out from the crowd, these grand tourers are a good way to go about it.
If one word could describe the 8 series, I think it would be “masculine.†This black 850Ci for sale in California adds on to that aura with the V12 engine, 6-speed manual and beloved M-parallel wheels. With the sleek low hood, concealed headlamps and flared haunches, this coupe has a stealthy look about it. Short of exotic Italian machinery, there aren’t a lot of cars from the modern era that pair a V12 with a manual gearbox. For a while in the 1990s, however, BMW was more than happy to provide this drivetrain combination to the enthusiast who just wanted to go fast.