HomePick of the DayV12-powered BMW 850i coupe has a strong future as a classic

V12-powered BMW 850i coupe has a strong future as a classic

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Here’s another future classic that’s been gaining in appreciation as a younger crop of collectors surges into the classic car market.

The Pick of the Day is a 1992 BMW 850i coupe, the German marque’s gorgeously styled grand touring halo car powered by a high-performance V12 engine.

BMW
The coupe has its original 19-inch alloy wheels

This 850i boasts its original silver paint that looks to be in very nice condition, with its original factory alloy wheels, the desirable sunroof and a gray leather interior. The 79,000 miles showing in the odometer are original, according to the Denver, Colorado, dealer advertising the coupe on ClassicCars.com.

The 850i, with the designation of E31, was designed as a fast cross-country luxury tourer with all the amenities of the day, designed to go up against other pricey 12-cylinder GTs from Germany, Italy and the UK. The engine, which produces a silky-smooth 296 horsepower, is hooked up with a 4-speed automatic transmission.

BMW
The V12 engine is smooth and powerful

The well-preserved Bimmer has received dealership maintenance throughout its life, is garage kept and has had no accidents or other issues, the dealer says, and includes full documentation. Everything is original and in working order, including the audio system, according to the ad.

While later 850s were powered by BMW’s V8 engine, the V12 versions have a strong bragging-rights appeal for collectors, and values for these cars in good to excellent condition shot up last year.

BMW
The interior looks to be in very good original condition

The asking price for this original survivor is $18,900, which seems like a decent price for a desirable and drivable classic that appears destined for a strong future as a collector car.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen
Bob Golfen is a longtime automotive writer and editor, focusing on new vehicles, collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. He is the former automotive writer and editor for The Arizona Republic and SPEED.com, the website for the SPEED motorsports channel. He has written free-lance articles for a number of publications, including Autoweek, The New York Times and Barrett-Jackson auction catalogs. A collector car enthusiast with a wide range of knowledge about the old cars that we all love and desire, Bob enjoys tinkering with archaic machinery. His current obsession is a 1962 Porsche 356 Super coupe.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Oh, Jeez-us wept. There’s a reason that an $80+k car sells cheap with low miles.
    Have ya looked at maintenance costs? What replacement parts will ding ya for? The G** Dam*** thing is fiendishly complex, and most shops won’t touch it; those that will… well, you’re sending somebody’s kid to Harvard. Price those intake boots.
    Yeah, if you love it, and have an endless wallet, it’s a great deal. First major issue, sell your kids to sex slavers and get a second mortgage.
    NOT NOT NOT a "deal" in anyone’s book.
    Buy an early ’70’s 911- major factory/aftermarket/club support; way less complexity and lots more cachet.
    But, if you love it- and I do, but drive a Holden/Pontiac GTO- go for it.
    Personally, I’d put the V12 in the front of a ’34 coupe with a Tremec 6spd, or in a ’70’s era Donzi hull driving a Berkeley jet drive. Just me.
    -R
    Fargo ND

      • YUP…..I did the same. Bought a 1995 BMW 840 CI with 93,000 miles…the only problem I had to change out two (2!) batteries….cool looking car for the same maintenance as the 540….higher than a Chevy, but won’t kill ya. More admired than any "Vette !

  2. This car is a ho hum performer with maintenance costs rivaling an abused Ferrari. It’s not the ‘pick of the day’ but the ‘sinkhole of the 90s’.

  3. I have the 1992 850 with a DINAN 8 upgrade package. It has all the maintenance records since new. About $48,000 in maintenance over last 20 years including the $24,000 DINAN 8 upgrades. Looks great, drives great, sounds greats with that DINAN exhaust. I paid $15,000 and put another $4,000-5000 in various expensive repairs….water pump, cooling system, valve gaskets, etc… Good investment so far. You gotta buy em right. Love it!

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