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BMW Celebrates 25th Anniversary Of The 8 Series Coupe

BMW is celebrating its 8 Series flagship’s 25th anniversary, with the original model launching at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. Following the success of the stylish 6 Series coupes of the 70s and 80s, BMW turned its attention to transforming its


BMW is celebrating its 8 Series flagship’s 25th anniversary, with the original model launching at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Following the success of the stylish 6 Series coupes of the 70s and 80s, BMW turned its attention to transforming its then-flagship 7 Series sedan into a similarly successful venture.

While the 8 Series certainly had a presence on the road, pricing and perhaps ‘too much of a good thing’ limited its appeal with buyers, and the model was discontinued in 2000.

The original model, tagged ‘E31’, was a clean-sheet design that produced the 850i for the 89 Frankfurt Show, powered by a 220kW/450Nm 5.0 litre V12 engine.

The 1989 850i was fairly brisk even by modern standards, considering its 1790kg weight, with a 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h.

Power was transmitted to the rear wheels through a new six-speed manual gearbox, specially designed for the 8 Series, or a four-speed automatic.

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