The E31 8 Series succeeded the E24 6 Series, arriving in the U.S. in 1991 and departing in 1997. With a V12 engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and an absolutely gorgeous design the likes of which we are unlikely to see from BMW ever again, the 8 Series stood poised to turn the Bimmer world on its ear. But, that didn't happen.
In the flesh, the 8 Series was a capable grand touring coupe with acceptable performance numbers in all iterations save the superlative 850Csi with its BMW Motorsport engine and suspension. But capable and acceptable are not enough when combined with stratospheric pricing and when following the E24's act. Financially, the 8 Series was a flop. The ho-hum performance numbers were largely the result of the E31's portly weight. BMW insisted that the new car be a showcase of wowie-neato technology, cramming black boxes in every conceivable unused space. In a nutshell, according to sources within BMW, the 8 Series didn't meet sales expectations because there was no convertible version. According to 6 Series owners, they didn't buy it because it was too expensive and their old car was faster, quicker and handled better.
On the bright side, E31 prices stabilized and are starting to fall. The cars respond dramatically to the tried and true BMW performance modifications--chips, exhaust, springs, shocks, wheels and tires, curing all ills. Best of all, the electronics are not nearly as troublesome as you might think. On the other, dim side, most 8 Series cars have automatic transmissions, and those transmissions break to the tune of $5,000 a whack.
By the time you read this, the elite automotive press will be deep in the throes of examining the new BMW 6 Series coupe, which debuted at the September 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show. Dubbed the E63, not a two-door 7 Series as originally feared, and not Bangle-ized quite as much as the limousines above it, the new coupe still promises to be a technological powerhouse in the manner of all new Bimmers.
BMW characterizes the E63 as the rebirth of an icon, referencing the E24 but not the E31 in its 645Ci press information released the day of this writing. Will the sins of the E31 be revisited, or was the world just not ready for that much why-tech? Time will tell, but for BMW coupe fans who either dismiss or embrace the eccentricities of particular times or particular BMW models, every new Bimmer is a good one!
The new coupe on the block,...
The new coupe on the block, the 645Ci. Model code E63, it debuted at last year's Frankfurt salon.
Though not much more expensive...
Though not much more expensive than its more prosaic siblings, the CSi can be unbelievably expensive to repair.
A beautiful car with a few...
A beautiful car with a few fatal flaws, the 8 Series reached its pinnacle with the 850CSi. Only 200 reached America, but they're well worth searching out, the 5.6-liter V12 pumping out 372 bhp and 402 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with a six-speed manual, the big coupe could jet from 0 to 60 mph in less than 6 sec.