BMW 850 began to develop in 1984 to replace the conveyor on the 6th series in the back of the E24. The car was first introduced to the general public in 1989 and went on sale that same year. Initially, the popularity was high, but gradually began to decline. Production continued until 1999, when the hype subsided, and all who wanted to have already purchased this car. In just 10 years of production, a little more than 30 thousand cars were produced and sold. Such a small figure was caused primarily by the sky-high price of the coupe - from 70 to 100 thousand dollars. Even the budget 840s models did not save the situation. But in any case, the BMW 850 E31 has been and remains today one of the most interesting and controversial models of the BMW brand.
In the 850 model, BMW tried to embody the full range of then existing technical innovations. New, at that time, multi-link rear suspension with the effect of passive steering, electronic gas pedal, retractable headlights, V12 engine with 300 hp with a successful six-speed manual gearbox and a bunch of advanced electronics. The E31 body itself was made according to the aerodynamic scheme with a drag coefficient of only 0.29. Designers managed to achieve the impossible: for all its dissimilarity to other cars of the BMW, 850 brand , it allowed to uniquely identify itself in the stream. Elegant contours and a beast looking out from under them. Very beautiful car, which now looks quite modern. The interior was notable for a luxury performance coupe rare and was made according to the 2 + 2 scheme. All this stuffing brought the mass of the car to 2 tons, which was about half a ton more than is permissible for a sports car.
The BMW 850 was an attempt to combine the sporty character of the coupe with the comfort and functionality of an executive class. The attempt, although it failed, is clearly counted. In other words, he and BMW have the flagship, a rare, coveted one, but there is money to spend without it.
Over 10 years of production, a whole range has appeared:
- 830i and 840Ci are cheaper modifications with 3 (220 hp) and 4 (280 hp) liter engines, respectively.
- The 850i is the very first model, the M70B50 engine with a capacity of 5 liters and 300 hp. It was equipped with both an automatic 4-speed and a mechanical 6-speed gearbox.
- 850Ci - the new M73B54 engine, 5.4l - 320 hp
- 850CSi - with a modified engine from 850i, which received the marking S70B56 and power of 375 hp
Also, the tuning studio Alpina was involved in the business and released its variants of the BMW 850.
In general, the car, although it was unusually beautiful, was not very successful and untimely. The sky-high price and expensive service extremely narrowed the target audience. A man who wanted speed bought a Ferrari, comfort - Mercedes, an ordinary BMW was also loaded with M-versions, and only true connoisseurs of the brand could decide to buy a flagship. The beginning of the
Persian Gulf war also contributed to lower sales
. Then, fuel prices jumped, and demand for gluttonous and impractical models fell.
Be that as it may, the BMW 850 was and will be an amazing car, a remarkable milestone in the history of the company. Today, prices for it at German auctions range from 5 to 30 thousand euros, and offers are in sufficient assortment. True, the cost of maintenance is near-space, so the BMW 850 still holds the car’s brand “not for everyone”.