E31

The BMW E31 was the only model to be classified as the 8 Series, instantly creating a new standard as BMW's flagship model. It enjoyed a ten-year production run from 1989 to 1999. While launched immediately after production of the E24 6 Series finished, it was not considered a direct replacement; it was more of a Grand Tourer aimed at a much more exclusive market and so commanded a substantially higher price and better performance than the E24 ever did. It was fitted with a brand new range of V8 and V12 engines.

The E31 made large technical advancements for BMW. The development process made substantial use of CAD and wind tunnel testing, which were still very new technologies for car design at that time. The E31 was the first road car to feature a V12 engine mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox and was also one of the first to use an electronic throttle. An early multi-link rear suspension was also fitted, and even four-wheel steering was available on some models.

The futuristic styling of the car encapsulated the twin peaks of performance and luxury that BMW had attained. Yet these incredible advances didn't yield the success BMW had hoped for. The sheer bulk of the vehicle earned it lukewarm reviews in the press, and the ill-timed launch coincided with a global recession and spiralling energy costs.

Four models were made available during the life of the E31. The 840Ci, 850i, 850Ci & 850CSi. The 840Ci was the only one to use the V8 engines, the M60B40 up to 1995 and the the M62B44 until 1997 when production of this model ended.

The 850i was the first E31 available from launch and was fitted with the M70B50 V12 engine, superseded by the 850Ci fitted with the M73B54 engine in 1994. The range topping 850CS1 was available from 1992 until 1996, and was as close to producing an M8 BMW ever got, since the engine fitted was an M-Division S70B56 powerplant. This model also featured adjusted steering ratios, four-wheel steering, reshaped bumpers, uprated suspension and was only available with a manual gearbox. Production of the 850CSi ended in late 1996 because the S70 engine could not be modified to comply with new emission regulations without substantial re-engineering.

Model	Model Year	Production years	Engine	Volume	Engine alloy	Power	Torque	0 to 100	Production total
840Ci	1993–95	1992–96	M60B40 V8	3,982 cc (4 L)	Nikasil	282 hp	300 lbft	6.9s	4,728
840Ci	1996–99	1995–99	M62B44 V8	4,398 cc (4.4 L)	Alusil	282 hp	310 lbft	6.6s	3,075
850i	1990–94	1989–94	M70B50 V12	4,988 cc (5 L)	Alusil	295 hp	330 lbft	6.8s	20,072
850Ci	1995–99	1994–99	M73B54 V12	5,379 cc (5.4 L)	Alusil	322 hp	360 lbft	6.3s	1,218
850CSi	1992–96	1992–96	S70B56 V12	5,576 cc (5.6 L)	Alusil	375 hp	420 lbft	5.6s	1,510