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1994 BMW 850CSi Could Bring You V12 VIP Status, Is More Expensive Than a 2021 M8

Have you ever considered which '90s BMWs are the coolest in your book? Most BMW enthusiasts might answer by saying the M3 E36 was the coolest Bimmer of the late 20th century, but there's a good chance that some will think of the 8 Series. And as the M8 that BMW envisioned at the time never made it to production, the 850CSi was the best one you could have.
1994 BMW 850CSI For Sale 41 photos
Photo: Motor Car Classics
1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale1994 BMW 850 CSi for Sale
For almost a decade, BMW sold around 30,000 units of the BMW 8 series, and five different engines were offered during that time, ranging from a 4.0-liter V8 to a 5.6-liter V12. That means any '90s BMW 8 Series you might be looking at is going to have between 282 horsepower and 375 horsepower.

At first, I was a bit concerned that this particular example might not be an actual CSi, which is by far the most desirable one on the market, as the seller notes the engine is a 5.0-liter instead of a 5.6-liter. But seeing that a VIN was also provided, I went on and investigated, only to get a confirmation that this does have the larger displacement engine, and it is an original CSi.

This 1994 BMW 8 Series was manufactured at BMW's Dingolfing plant in Germany and was ultimately something for fans to settle for since there was no M8, which would have been a direct competitor for Ferrari. After almost three decades, this car has been driven for just 36,516 miles (58,766 km), and it looks almost brand new. Everyone knows that the 8 Series had a plethora of features, some of which were quite ahead of their time.

Everything from the cellular phone to the drive-by-wire throttle goes to show that BMW really wanted to push the boundaries of the automotive industry with this car. It's no wonder the Bavarians spent almost $1 billion (2019 equivalent) for the development of this vehicle.

While you may find a base-version of the 8 Series for around $20,000, this unit on sale here is advertised for $159,900. To put that into perspective, a brand-new 2021 BMW M8 Coupe has got a starting MSRP of $133,000 before taxes ($995 handling fee), while the M8 Competition Coupe is slightly more expensive at $146,000. While this might feel expensive now, I won't be surprised if these will be trading hands for more than $1 million ten years from now.
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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
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The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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