***Images supplied by vendor***
Highlights
- Low mileage example
- Impressive original condition
- Rare and sought after Final Edition model
- Plethora of historical documentation
The Appeal
One of the most iconic BMW’s of all time, the E31 was once considered a flagship model for the German marque.
This bonkers Bavarian beauty ruled the lineup with its design unlike any other, a hint of the Germans loosening their ties a little bit with pop up headlights, a hardtop body style with no B-pillars, and menacingly good looks.
To this day, it remains among the most unique BMW’s to ever be created, and with less than 800 in the UK, with around 300 of them being the highly desirable Sport variant, it definitely wouldn’t go unnoticed.
This bonkers Bavarian beauty ruled the lineup with its design unlike any other, a hint of the Germans loosening their ties a little bit with pop up headlights, a hardtop body style with no B-pillars, and menacingly good looks.
To this day, it remains among the most unique BMW’s to ever be created, and with less than 800 in the UK, with around 300 of them being the highly desirable Sport variant, it definitely wouldn’t go unnoticed.
This example is among the last to be produced being a Final Edition, fitted with the far superior 4.4 Litre V8 M62 engine, offering more torque and much greater reliability than the older 4.0 M60’s. It also wears a set of extremely rare 17” Throwing Star wheels, M Sport body styling, wing mirrors and suspension.
If you were ever in the mood to jump into an overengineered piece of automotive iconise, we don’t think you’ve got a better shot than this.
The History and Paperwork
- Originally registered in 1999
- Lived in Dublin for most of the vehicles life
- 2 previous owners before coming into the UK
- Imported over to Scotland in November 2021
- All relevant import documentation complete
- Registered for UK roads on February 2022
- V5C present and in the current owners name
- Original owners handbook
- Two original keys
- MOT passed with flying colours
- Extensive lever arch file of paperwork
- Invoices from previous mechanical work
- Enthusiast owned
- Highly renowned garage used for any service work
The Interior
- Nappa Grey interior leather
- Stunning and iconic floating headrest seats
- Sunroof model
- Matching grey carpets in lovely condition
- Newly fitted period correct Blaupunkt Barcelona Bluetooth head unit
- M Tech steering wheel
- Door cards beautifully presented
- Original chrome sill plates
It can’t be denied that the interior of these luxurious Grand Tourers are just as spectacular as the outside.
Finished in a stunning grey nappa leather, grey carpets and a black headlining, this is a fantastic place to be - it would be easy to spend too much time in here… If there is even such a thing.
Finished in a stunning grey nappa leather, grey carpets and a black headlining, this is a fantastic place to be - it would be easy to spend too much time in here… If there is even such a thing.
Opening the drivers side door you’re greeted with a beautifully presented grey nappa leather driver seat seemingly in fantastic condition, the leather is very well maintained with very little signs of wear and all of the stitching appears to be intact - not to mention they look bonkers thanks to the floating headrest design which also houses the seat belt, because of this being a pillar-less design.
The passenger side seat is very much the same, very little signs of any use and the leather is fantastically kept, bolsters are well presented and the colour remains as it should be.
The passenger side seat is very much the same, very little signs of any use and the leather is fantastically kept, bolsters are well presented and the colour remains as it should be.
The rear seats show very little sign of any use, as is the case with very many 2+2 style vehicles which leave virtually zero room for anyone who is burdened with having a set of legs.
Maybe not a bad thing though, it means the seats will always remain in fantastic form and you have essentially a very well trimmed bit of storage behind the front seats - a win win, maybe.
Maybe not a bad thing though, it means the seats will always remain in fantastic form and you have essentially a very well trimmed bit of storage behind the front seats - a win win, maybe.
Directly in front of the driver seat, the stunning M Tech steering wheel sits with some minor signs of use as you’d expect from one of the most tactile areas of any interior, however the leather around the steering wheel looks to be well maintained with just the usual sheen, all of the stitching is intact and the airbag cover is veer well presented with the original BMW emblem.
Just behind the wheel, the gauge cluster sits showing a mere 67,000 miles. No unwelcome warning lights appear on the turnover of the engine, and all the dials work just as you would expect them to. The owner tells us that the onboard computer has recently had some work too, to ensure that it functions flawlessly for many years to come.
Just behind the wheel, the gauge cluster sits showing a mere 67,000 miles. No unwelcome warning lights appear on the turnover of the engine, and all the dials work just as you would expect them to. The owner tells us that the onboard computer has recently had some work too, to ensure that it functions flawlessly for many years to come.
Moving across the dashboard to the centre console a new period-correct Blaupunkt Barcelona head unit has been fitted, and all of the surrounding controls appear in great detail with all of the symbols bright and visible and all of the buttons remaining functional too.
Moving down to the floor, all of the carpets appear to be very well presented and in great condition with no apparent rips or tears throughout, they also have retained their colour very well with no fading or dye transfer that we can see. All telltale signs of an extremely well cared for example.
The interior of this lavish 8 series is a sight to behold. Beautifully kept leather with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a flagship 90’s tourer, it’s easy to appreciate the craftsmanship and the care that has gone into it over the years past.
The Exterior
- Incredible Cosmos Black Metallic paintwork
- Completely original bodywork
- Straight and true body panels
- Corrosion free example
- Badge brightwork in great condition
- Extremely rare 17” Throwing Star wheels, recently refurbished
- Pop-up headlights (we all know this is the best bit)
- M Sport wing mirrors
- Stunning pillar-less design
- Menacing quad exhaust tips
Arguably the best bit about the E31 is having the ability to just step back and stare at it. It is among the most iconic and recognisable BMW’s ever made, and it still holds that title over 20 years later.
Starting at the front of the vehicle, the paintwork appears to be in very good shape for its age and originality. It of course does have some stone chips as any car does, but aside from that it is well kept.
The bumper features small kidney grills - yep, we said small, can you believe it? - and just above the sleek pop-up headlights reside with their own individual bonnet cut outs.
The headlights function as they should and the lenses retain no unwelcome cracks or damage, the same can be said for the indicator lights and the fog’s mounted in the bumper.
All of the panel gaps up front appear to be of factory fitment which is a great sign, too.
The bumper features small kidney grills - yep, we said small, can you believe it? - and just above the sleek pop-up headlights reside with their own individual bonnet cut outs.
The headlights function as they should and the lenses retain no unwelcome cracks or damage, the same can be said for the indicator lights and the fog’s mounted in the bumper.
All of the panel gaps up front appear to be of factory fitment which is a great sign, too.
Moving around to the side of the vehicle, we get a first glimpse at those extremely rare and sought after 17” Throwing Star wheels which have recently been refurbished and appear to be in fantastic condition on all four corners.
The bodywork around the side appears to be in great shape too, the boxy flared arches give the car a wide and aggressive stance, the M Sport wing mirrors accentuate the sleekness of the body lines.
All of the body panels here are straight and true with no apparent blemishes, and the panel gaps are as they should be.
The bodywork around the side appears to be in great shape too, the boxy flared arches give the car a wide and aggressive stance, the M Sport wing mirrors accentuate the sleekness of the body lines.
All of the body panels here are straight and true with no apparent blemishes, and the panel gaps are as they should be.
To the rear of the lovely E31, the quad exhaust tips remind us that we’re in the presence of something rather special. The bodywork here is all original, and the paintwork does appear to be in great form for its age.
The tail lights are free from any cracks or damage and remain completely functional, and the badges remain in place with great brightwork on the 840 designation.
The tail lights are free from any cracks or damage and remain completely functional, and the badges remain in place with great brightwork on the 840 designation.
Overall, this is a stunning example of an OEM 840Ci, in beautiful specification. You’ll be hard pressed to find one as well sorted as this thanks to being owned by a proper BMW enthusiast.
The Mechanics
- 4.4L V8 M62 Engine
- Automatic transmission
- 282bhp and 420 Nm of torque
- 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds
- Maintained with a no-expense-spared attitude
- Always taken to a highly renowned German specialist in current ownership
- Passed its previous MOT with flying colours
- Next MOT due on the 25th of January 2023
Thanks to this example being one of the last, it’s fitted with the far superior 4.4L M62 rather than the older and weaker 4.0L M60, and also has the better automatic transmission variant.
The owner tells us that this vehicle wants for nothing, and is very well sorted.
These 8 series are renowned for being an absolute dream to drive, the automatic gearbox is smooth and precise with no unwanted or unwelcome knocks and bangs, the engine produces its power as you’d expect it to, sinking you into the seat the further down you push the accelerator pedal, and the suspension is an absolute breeze on long runs - a seriously comfortable and impressive piece of engineering.
These 8 series are renowned for being an absolute dream to drive, the automatic gearbox is smooth and precise with no unwanted or unwelcome knocks and bangs, the engine produces its power as you’d expect it to, sinking you into the seat the further down you push the accelerator pedal, and the suspension is an absolute breeze on long runs - a seriously comfortable and impressive piece of engineering.
Sure, it may not have the daddy V12 that featured in the 850, but in all honesty that may actually play in the custodians favour, as the V12 variants were notoriously difficult and eye wateringly expensive to service and maintain.
The V8 is a much, much nicer engine to live with, and still produces more than enough power to remain dominant from a set of lights from the majority that pull up beside it.
The V8 is a much, much nicer engine to live with, and still produces more than enough power to remain dominant from a set of lights from the majority that pull up beside it.
Summary
Probably the most un-German German car you can get your hands on.
Ludicrously iconic and undeniably beautiful inside and out - they really don’t make ‘em like they used to.
These E31’s have been on the rise in recent years and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon.
Ludicrously iconic and undeniably beautiful inside and out - they really don’t make ‘em like they used to.
These E31’s have been on the rise in recent years and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon.
Who cares if you don’t have the V12, you don’t buy a 90’s performance hero because you want to beat Tesla’s from the lights, you buy it because it looks cool on an unparalleled level.
And this, you can’t get much cooler.
BEFORE YOU BUY
And this, you can’t get much cooler.
BEFORE YOU BUY
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✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is, Where Is’ basis and without warranty. A full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase and bidding is highly recommended. Photos and descriptions are for guidance purposes only.
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