2020 marks 30 years since I first drove a BMW. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve ever felt in one. This first exhibition involved the logo’s flagship product at the time, the 850i coupe with V12 engine. My last outing in BMW back in the large coupe logo that relaunched the 8 series shield, in this case under the so-called 840i. What have 30 years of “progress” brought us in BMW’s big coupes?
The original 8 came in 1990 as a more exclusive replacement for the beloved Series 6, which was one of the most productive coupes of its time. The 8 was another from the 6 at a time when BMW’s design was beginning to stretch its legs and into cooler visual language. This era of the past 80s and early 90s brought us cars like the roadster Z1 and the E36 series 3. The 8 abandoned the classic 6 front grille in favor of a slender silhouette with a miniature edition of the double-rein grille and retractable headlights reminiscent of the classic M1.
The recently relaunched 8 series is visually a very different animal. The emerging lights disappeared with the end of the original race 8 in 1999 and never returned here in a BMW and the grille of the new coupe is a long way from the subcompact edition of 30 years ago. Fortunately, his debut in 2018 came before BMW to adopt the absurd vertical grilles of the new 4 series coupe and the Series 7 sedan. While the existing 8 series grid is large, it extends horizontally.
While not as revolutionary for the logo as the original, this second generation 8 series is an eye-catching design that only shows its unexpected profile size. At 191.1 inches long, the new 8 series is giant compared to its small cabin, but only 2.9 inches taller than the original. At 3933 pounds, it’s about two hundred pounds thinner than the 12-cylinder style of 3 decades ago.
At the time, he ran with ABS for Lotus Elan and Esprit racing cars, so although the 850i was not a direct competitor, it was still in the premium category. There have been a number of new features in this car, adding a complete acceleration formula on the V12. This 5.0-litre engine was comfortable as silk and provided a lot of strength during the day. It had two complete and independent engine control formulas, one for each six-cylinder bank and may simply lied to a bank in the event of a computer or sensor failure.
But stay in the brain in the context of time. Around the same time, I bought a new Mustang 5.0LX and its 225 horsepower was considered impressive. This engine produces one-third less force than the current four-cylinder Mustang and less than part of what the V8 GT generates. This BMW V12? The one that was tested through Car and Driver at about the same time produced 296 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. There was a V8 a few years later but less forceful.
By 2020, the “entry level” 840i is powered by a 3.0-litre, 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine with direct injection. I’m a big fan of six design online because it’s so sweet and torrid. Thanks to current technology, this fundamental engine produces 335 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque between 1,600 and 4,500 rpm. There are also turbocharged V8 engines that climb the M8 ladder, but they are for time.
With more strength and torque and less volume, this 840i reaches 60 mph in 4.6 seconds or 4.3 if you opt for the all-wheel drive version. This is up to 2 seconds faster than the V12. It is also much more effective than the V12, which had an EPA score of thirteen mpg and an observed C/D power of 14 mpg. The new 840i has a value of 25 mpg combined and I saw approximately 23 mpg in my driving week. As with many cars today, one thing you can’t get in a fashionable 8 series is a manual transmission, anything you could have with the 850i.
Over the years, BMW cabs have become much more premium and this 840i is no exception. There are top-notch fabrics and, as in the past, the center console is tilted towards the driving force for easy access. Analog dials are replaced through giant virtual displays for the cluster and infotainment system, and the 8 still uses the highly functional iDrive controller to navigate the interface.
The front seats offer many adjustment possibilities and advertise a sporty ride. There’s a back seat, but let’s be honest, nobody sits on it. It is difficult to get in or out and there is no useful room for the legs or head. This is a wonderful vintage travel coupe for a couple. Use the X5 or X7 to send to the family.
With driving mode set to comfort, it’s an amazing cruise that’s incredibly quiet with the windows open. Press the accelerator and create speed without problems and without dramas. Switch to the game and the guide effort intensifies, the surprise dampers become a little firmer and the engine score becomes much more aggressive. Although synthetic, they look pretty original compared to what the afterlife’s six-cylinder BMWs have been.
It is to communicate the price in the context of a luxury coupe that has a price of $101445 delivered. But when I think in 1990 and check this old C/D review, it’s quite unexpected that this 840i is rarely much more expensive. The car tested through C/D cost $90,970 in 1990. Adjusted for inflation, it’s almost $175,000. The 840i starts at $88,000 and even the M8 festival coupe costs only $146,000.
Although the existing 8 series deviates much less from the popular one for BMW than the original, compared to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LC coupe, it is quite competitive. Another way the new 8 deviates from the previous one is that you can also get it in a convertible. Although I’m still in favor of driving with maximum sense, unfortunately, it’s likely that maximum consumers who buy an 8 series today probably won’t need to get rid of their hair and will therefore leave the maximum sensitivity raised.
Much has been replaced in 30 years, yet some basic elements of what makes the premium luxury coupe have remained bizarrely consistent despite adjustments in the way those goals are achieved.
I’ve spent my adult life running in and around the industry. After graduating from GMI with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I spent the next 17 years running
I’ve spent my adult life running in and around the auto industry. After graduating from GMI with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I spent the next 17 years working on electronic systems that help cars stop, pass, and replace direction before leaving to write about what other engineers were creating. Since then, I’ve been looking to teach my readers, audience, and listeners about how the newest automotive generation works, what it can do, and, perhaps most importantly, what it can’t do. Since 2014, I have combined my wisdom in communication and engineering as a senior analyst with Navigant Research, covering select fuels, complex driving technologies and connected vehicles. I’m also a co-host of the Wheel Bearings podcast on https://wheelbearings.media/