Collectible Classic: 1991-1997 BMW 850i - Automobile Magazine
The 1991 BMW 850i was blasted by the automotive media and ardent Bimmer-philes as an enormous letdown - a passionless cruiser from the self-proclaimed makers of the Ultimate Driving Machine. The 850i was a technological showcase, boasting cutting-edge luxury features such as remote keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a power tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, a twelve-speaker stereo, and windows that automatically closed at high... An active five-link rear suspension helped steer the 850i at the limit, and an early form of electronic stability control helped keep the big coupe on course. Under the hood, an aluminum-block, 5. 0-liter V-12 used the industry's only drive-by-wire electronic throttles and was attached to one of the world's first six-speed manual transmissions. The symmetrical aluminum intake manifold is a work of art, but the engine it fed isn't - in fact, it's little more than two BMW 2. 5-liter in-line sixes joined at the hip. BMW boasted that the six-speed 850i would hit 60 mph in 6. 1 seconds, but most 8-series models came with only four speeds - and an automatic transmission. The automatic added almost a full second to the 0-to-60-mph sprint, and it was recalcitrant in normal driving, reluctant to downshift in response to even the most violent prods of the accelerator pedal. Source: www.automobilemag.com
