It's been a very long time since I've made a thread, mostly because I don't see a reason to be excessive with them. I usually just research car stats when I'm bored, and I've found a few cars that are absolute gems. I think that one of the most overlooked cars that I've found is the BMW 8 series. I've pretty much gotten myself obsessed over this car, because there's nothing wrong with it, except its weight. So, I think I'll just write some stuff about it here.
There were 2 main models of the 8: the 840 and 850. The 840Ci was the base model, with a 286hp, 420Nm V8. The more upscale 850s all had V12s that ranged from 300-380hp and 450-550Nm. They totally guzzle gas, going through almost 20 liters/100km. In 1990 the idea of a M8 came up, and a prototype had a 6 liter V12 that made 550 horsepower. The project was scrapped, and the engine was transformed to be used in the McLaren F1. Mr. McLaren himself said that he could have probably gotten 1000hp out of the engine. Only 1 prototype M8 was made, unfortunately, and it sits with some boxes in the Giftschrank, BMW's vault. The idea was for it to be a "Ferrari Killer," which would have been no problem with such a monster engine for the time.
Some people say that the 8 series was almost over engineered, because development costed one billion German marks (500 million euro, $604,827,036). The first running prototype costed 1 million euro ($1.2 million), and the 100 more made after costed almost $1 million a piece.
The 8 series is considered to be the last real German touring car, because it was actually made to dominate the autobahn. The 850CSi had 4 wheel steering to make it capable of lane changes that are quicker than a Porsche 911. The rear wheels had a maximum turn-in of 1.5-2.5%, which BMW won't reveal. The 8 series is considered the last real German touring car also because it provides luxury with a huge trunk and smooth ride. The engine was so smooth, in fact, that a 2 Euro coin can be stood up on the engine when stopped, and stay standing during startup. The 3600 pound weight shows how much is devoted to luxury.
The BMW 850CSi is considered to be the detuned M8, because of subtle M touches, such as ///M door sill plates and logo on the engine cover. Even the VIN numbers start with WBS (BMW Motorsport). I will be looking for a 850 to call my own in a few years, because a pristine one costs about $15,000 and a good one can be bought for around $10,000. Many owners have taken theirs past 150,000 miles, and still use them as daily drivers.
When I get to my other computer I'll post a few of the best pictures I've found.
EDIT: I forgot to ask wouter to make an 8 series stats page for the main site. I also got most of my stats from www.e31.net
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