Modern Classic: BMW E31 8 Series

The BMW E31 8 Series debuted with the 850Ci (above). Photos: BMW

When the original BMW 8 Series appeared in 1990, I thought it looked very futuristic and indeed it still looks sharp today. 

Although the 8 Series returned again in 2018, I feel it’s lost its individuality and has the ‘Russian Doll’ feel that inflicts BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi these days. But back in 1990, the 8 Series was unique and stood out.

The E31 8 Series many felt was a successor to the long-running E24 6 Series, however, technically it wasn’t and was a completely new category. It was for sir or madam who had a 7 Series for the family (at that time the X5 SUV wasn’t conceived) and the 8 Series was for fun.

The E31 ran on for nine years until 1999 and was then axed due to poor sales, with a total of 30,609 sold. 

The BMW 850Ci had pop up headlights.

First debuting at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show (initial reaction was so strong that they sold 5000 orders within eight days of the show), and with work starting in 1981, the 8 Series had a V12 which had a six-speed manual. 

It had an electric drive-by-wire accelerator and a multi-link axle, which was amongst the first in its day. More than US$900 million was spent on its development and it used high tech (for its time) CAD development tools to get the design right and a drag coefficient of 0.29.

Models were the 840Ci and 850Ci, with 4-litre V8 engines (210kW) and a 5-litre V8 engine (221kW).  Apart from the six-speed manual, the V12 also used a four-speed automatic, whilst the V8 had a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. 

The 8 Series had no B pillar for the windows, which sweep beautifully across the body.

The 850Ci was the only model initially on launch and in fact it was originally called the 850i and gained the ‘C' when BMW upgraded the V12 engine to 5.4-litres (240kW) from October 1994. The 840Ci started in 1993 with an upgrade giving it a 4.4-litre V8 engine from 1995. Not surprisingly, model sales quickly trended from the 850Ci to the cheaper 840Ci once the cheaper model was introduced.

Design-wise many loved the pop-up headlights that were unusual for a BMW and worked well with the front end designed. It also had no B pillar for the windows, which sweep beautifully across the body. For its day it was high tech and well loaded with equipment, and BMW’s latest electrics, including stability control, traction control and damper control.

Particularly sought-after is now the 850CSi that was essentially a modern-day M8 in mid-1990s clothing. The size of the V12 was increased from 5-litres to 5.6-litres and power increased from 210kW to 280kW, via a six-speed manual only. 

For its day it was high tech and well loaded with equipment.

The standard 0-100km/h time for the V12 was cut from 6.8 seconds to 5.9 seconds. It also gained four-wheel steering. Its appearance was brief from late 1993 to 1996. Also rare were 18 examples of an 830i that was to run a 3-litre V8 (160kW), which were done as “testers” with one of them that sits in the BMW museum in Munich today.

In 2010 it was confirmed though that BMW had ambitions to offer the original 8 Series in an M8 version. A 6.1-litre V12 was the plan and it would have had over 350kW and a top speed of 320km/h. But it was never to be!

Once production finished in 1999, BMW focused on the 6 Series experience. Released in 2003, it was a heavy car, like the 8 Series, and the same driver criticism came that neither car felt particularly “BMW sporty” and was more grand tourer-like.

The E31 8 Series first debuted at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The 8 Series harks back to an era, much like that of the Mercedes-Benz S Class Coupe and the Jaguar XJS, of the 1970s to early 1990, when the high-end sports coupe had traction. 

Its style has come and gone a few times since then; especially with BMW now sporting the 8 Series coupe and convertible whilst Mercedes Benz has dropped the S-Class Coupe. 

Perhaps the original 8 Series was a little late to the market, chasing the dust of its competitors, but in its futuristic styling and equipment guise, it still made quite an impression and for those looking for a comfortable car to remember the best of the 1990s, this has to be one of them!

The 8 Series had an electric drive-by-wire accelerator and a multi-link axle.