Giannis
Staff member
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What is the BMW 8 series? A quick google search would come up with "BMW's first coupe to come with a V12 and a wide range of new technologies, later made standard in all mass market BMW models". Asking an accountant, would give you an answer like "it was a massive sales flop. It came in an era of unrest, and the timing wasn't good for a new big coupe with a V8 and a v12. The oil crisis was mostly responsible". But is it enough to describe this car?
It's certainly not. The 8 series was a milestone for BMW. Despite its mediocre sales, it features many innovative technologies, shocking for the year 1989 in which the 8er debuted and it influenced all the subsequent BMW models. It came with two engines producing up to 380hp, a V8 and a V12, which in the 850CSi trim came with a VIN starting with the letter WBS. The letter "S" is what differentiate all models from Garching from their regular brothers and sisters with a VIN starting with WBA. It also had a drag coefficient of less than 0.3, the outcome of a highly innovating and aerodynamically optimize design and implemented details, such as the aerodynamic mirrors, the placement of the windscreen wipers and the tight seals.
Moving on, the 8 series had a steering linked rear suspension, a breakthrough for its time. The four wheel steering was mated to BMW's Dynamic Stability Control, the DSC, BMW's version of the ESP, that is now standard in each and every model. Despite the touch times it happened to be unveiled, the BMW 8 series was an exceptional vehicle, that has a very solid fan base and represents an ere of breakthrough for BMW. After all, maybe its successor is just around the corner and the Pininfarina Grand Lusso Coupe was not just a design concept, but a preview of BMW's next generation of grand coupes!
Click more for a nice video and a small photo trip down the 8 series memory lane!
Source: [YouTube]
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