1993 BMW 850ci

Random Vehicle Blog tonight…..the random generator has selected….

1993 BMW 850ci

YES!  One of my favorite cars!  This is my 1993 BMW 850ci.  This was my first true "Supercar".  I was at an exotics dealership in Houston one day looking for an S-Class Benz when I saw this thing on the lot.  It was red (and I mean RED) and in perfect condition.  It was so nice that I actually had a disagreement with the salesman as to whether or not it had been painted recently.  We worked out a deal and I took it the next day.  It was an impulse buy to be sure, but you don't get the opportunity to buy these cars in this condition very often.

 

The 850 is a 12-cylinder monster which BMW built to be their flagship in the early 90's.  It can be driven as either a manual or an automatic with the flick of a switch.  It also has different transmission settings, which make it two distinctly different vehicles (common on cars today, but in '93 this was cutting edge).  In E (for everyday), the car is refined and smooth.  A switch to S (for sport) and it takes on an entirely different personality.

It had a huge amount of raw torque and horsepower, but also about every possible amenity available in '93.  This car cost over $100,000 when new, and very few were imported into the US.

It had a very advanced traction control system, heated memory seats, a built-in K40 front and rear radar system, complete onboard computer system, keyless entry and arming, an integrated cell phone, and on and on…  The only non-stock items were the 17" Azev wheels.  I used this car as a weekender for the most part.  The paint would start to fade if left outside for a few months, but a decent buff made it look like new again.

This is a picture of Barry and I attempting to do a brake job on the car.  FYI - This is a bad idea.  I ended up turning this one over to professionals and it still wasn't quite right.  Other than the brakes and a bizarre problem with the traction control, I never had to do too much to it.

The interior was a tan two-tone leather.  It was in really good shape, but the driver's power seat was beginning to slow down.

All four windows could be lowered with the touch of a single button, and there was no center pillar.  If you opened the sunroof as well, it was pretty close to open-air driving.

I loved driving this car and kept it for years.  I bought it in August of 1999, but I can't remember when I sold it.  I know I missed it though, because I've purchased two since.

This was certainly the "neatest" car I had owned at the time, and it got quite a bit of attention.  Most people really didn’t know what it was, but the lines and color usually commanded a double take.  It certainly wasn't a good vehicle to keep a low-profile in.