The BMW 850 story

Chapter 1

The birth of a flagship grand tourer

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Chapter 2

The engineering marvel of the V12 engine

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Chapter 3

Cutting-edge technology and cultural legacy

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YOUR GOAL

Master of The BMW 850 story

Ch 1 · The birth of a flagship grand tourer

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gus BMW 850i

Unleash that V12 with a six-speed shift! (Oh-oh, the ultimate gift!)

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gus Slicing through the air in wind tunnels

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The massive billion-mark gamble

gus The massive billion-mark gamble

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Fun Fact

Wind tunnel magic: The pop-up headlights of the BMW 850i were engineered so precisely that they barely affected the car's aerodynamic drag when raised.

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Slicing through the air in wind tunnels

gus Slicing through the air in wind tunnels

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Glossary

grand tourer (noun)
A high-performance luxury car designed for comfortable long-distance driving. BMW debuted the 850i at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show as its premier grand tourer.

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Quiz

How long did eager buyers sometimes have to wait for delivery after ordering an 850i in 1989?

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Gossip

Would you buy a classic 1990s car today?

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Meet the Eight

gus Meet the Eight

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gus Stealing the show in Frankfurt

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Quiz

What was the aerodynamic drag coefficient achieved by the BMW E31 8 Series?

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Gossip

Which 850 color looks best?

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gus Designing with computers for the first time

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Quiz

Which BMW model line did the 1990s 8 Series temporarily replace as the flagship coupe?

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gus The massive billion-mark gamble

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Quiz

Approximately how many German Marks did BMW spend to develop the 8 Series?

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Quiz

What unique design feature allows the BMW 850 to have a completely open side window profile?

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Quiz

In which German city did the BMW 850i make its grand public debut in September 1989?

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Quiz

What computer technology, rare in the 1980s, did BMW use to design the 8 Series chassis?

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Quiz

What is the internal chassis code name for the first-generation BMW 8 Series?