RE: The Brave Pill: BMW 840Ci
Discussion
sr.guiri said:
I think you miss the point.....an engine of certain capacity will always make a certain amount of power, within reason. The ICE hasn't moved on. It is more efficient yes, but that is down to many other factors - smaller capacity with forced induction, less inertia, clever tech that reduces the fuel needed for a given scenario, improved aero etc etc.
300hp from 5L means stacks of effortless low down grunt, delivered without drama. BMW could have easily got 400/450hp from this, even more, but that would change the character of the car. This was a grand tourer, not a racer. 300hp from this is very different to 300hp in a Golf GTWHATEVER or Honda Civic Type UGLY.
Manufacturers nowadays have to quote high BHP figures to sell their performance cars. The BHP war was only really just starting out back then. Unless you were in the USA where people were buying 500HP motors in the 60s.
5L V12 is what's important here. And the body that is has been wrapped in.
Worthwhile addition to any collection, IMO. Money better in this than the bank.
Read this after my post - I BOW TO YOU, what we english would calll 100%%300hp from 5L means stacks of effortless low down grunt, delivered without drama. BMW could have easily got 400/450hp from this, even more, but that would change the character of the car. This was a grand tourer, not a racer. 300hp from this is very different to 300hp in a Golf GTWHATEVER or Honda Civic Type UGLY.
Manufacturers nowadays have to quote high BHP figures to sell their performance cars. The BHP war was only really just starting out back then. Unless you were in the USA where people were buying 500HP motors in the 60s.
5L V12 is what's important here. And the body that is has been wrapped in.
Worthwhile addition to any collection, IMO. Money better in this than the bank.
BeirutTaxi said:
Wow. The scenery really does start moving above 180 
I just drove my 850csi back from Germany 2weeks ago, and although it literally drinks super unleaded like an alcoholic drinks Carlsberg specials, it really is a joy to drive!! From the front end and the rear, in my opinion, there’s hardly any car looks better, side view to me, some reason not as nice, but again, a joy to drive!!
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Wonder if the yellow one mentioned is CRA1G’s off here? Can’t be many Dakar Yellow ones about.
mines a 98 840 Sport factory "Dakar individual " one of 32 but they are other standard dakar's around ,had mine a good while now and it's done 67k with FSH.. if anyone has a genuine interest in buying mine I may reluctantly let it go so ph me as we've down sized to an apartment by the river and spending far more time abroad now so space is limited and it's just not getting the enjoyment that it deserves....mrclav said:
Just under 300bhp from 5 litres of V12!? Man, the game has come a long way...
Not really - it's a cruiser and it was made before the obsession with "every car must be able to lap the Nordschliefe" was a thing...They're really not a bad steer but there's quite a lot of bits which are very very hard to find at this point - even the bits shared with other BMWs are now quite rare in some cases...
BeirutTaxi said:
Thanks for posting that - brilliant video. 
5 or more years ago I went to a PHSS at Brooklands and got chatting to someone who had gone there in a manual 850 CSi, but at the time I didn't quite realise how special it was! So my apologies if I wasn't as enthusiastic as I now realise I should have been.
The Brave Pill seems to be going from strength to strength, but I just couldn't buy an 840 knowing there was an 850 alternative!
Dad had one of these until 2007. An auto with switchable modes. In sport it did 18.3 mpg, in economy 18.7. guess which mode he left it in.
And used it everyday which the electrics seemed to like.
We sold it via a local independent service guy and saw it there quite often, often with dashboard out as it then developed a load of electrical gremlins. Not sure if it was the new stereo the buyer fitted or it not being used as an everyday car.
Not sure if they all had sunroofs but it always felt a bit cramped to me as I'm 6'4 so mum's E36 convertible was my preference.
And used it everyday which the electrics seemed to like.
We sold it via a local independent service guy and saw it there quite often, often with dashboard out as it then developed a load of electrical gremlins. Not sure if it was the new stereo the buyer fitted or it not being used as an everyday car.
Not sure if they all had sunroofs but it always felt a bit cramped to me as I'm 6'4 so mum's E36 convertible was my preference.
My old housemate had an 850i which he bought when prices were rock bottom. Low mileage, very tidy and I think he paid 5k for it. Lovely thing to drive on a fast A road or motorway cruise in. Spent rather a lot of time broken though. If I remember correctly the 12 was essentially two 6 cylinders stuck together with a pair of separate ECUs and everything like sensors etc duplicated between the two banks?
Turbobanana said:
mrclav said:
Just under 300bhp from 5 litres of V12!? Man, the game has come a long way...
Didn't take long, did it? Brave pill before throwing this into a BMW forum... Mrclav might want to read up on power vs torque curves, not to mention the longevity of a large, understressed power unit
ChemicalChaos said:
Turbobanana said:
mrclav said:
Just under 300bhp from 5 litres of V12!? Man, the game has come a long way...
Didn't take long, did it? Brave pill before throwing this into a BMW forum... Mrclav might want to read up on power vs torque curves, not to mention the longevity of a large, understressed power unit
Only thing I've driven that is similar is a powerful electric car.
hairykrishna said:
My old housemate had an 850i which he bought when prices were rock bottom. Low mileage, very tidy and I think he paid 5k for it. Lovely thing to drive on a fast A road or motorway cruise in. Spent rather a lot of time broken though. If I remember correctly the 12 was essentially two 6 cylinders stuck together with a pair of separate ECUs and everything like sensors etc duplicated between the two banks?
That reminded of of this video, well worth a watch,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1GtNfl7BS0
Sounds like that is the case with the ECU's
BVB said:
Beautiful car. Way mor edesirable than all the other BMW's of the era. How wrong the reviewers were, as is often the case thankfully.
Ah, but is it more desirable than an E24? My memory of most reviews back then baulked at the size, weight and complexity of the E31 in comparison, even though it wasn’t a direct replacement per seLove them - I have two.
A 1997 840ci Sport in Oxford Green and another 1997 840ci in Titan Silver, with Sport options.
Was one of my dream cars when I was a kid. Bought the Sport just under 5 years ago, and I think it has tripled in value in terms of what I paid for it. I still remember walking out of the station and seeing it parked up with the side lights on and pop up lights down, it looked so menacing. That alone sold the car to me!
Purchased the Silver one last year with a full MOT, but needing bodywork. It's only done 75k genuine miles from new. Deciding what to do with it. Might sell as is or get the bodywork done and lock it away.
Personally, I think the darker colour bring the best out of its shape. I'd love a Velvet Blue one with the Champagne Leather.
These really are fantastic machines, and are pure GT cruisers. Not sporty, but feel planted for a big lump. And on a long drive at high speed, they come into their element. That's what they are about.
The build quality on these is on a different level, and similar to the E39. And yes, they are very expensive to run. A second hadn't door handle cost me £200 and a second hand window seal cost £250. Engine-wise, the components are the same as on the the other 4.4 litre M62 V8 engines as used in the E38 / E39. But be aware that a lot of parts are bespoke to the E31.
With these cars it is handy to know someone who is familiar with them. They are complicated bits of kit which were far ahead of their time when released. I use, and highly recommend, Gerry Speechley of Phoenix Motorsport in Camberley (who, amongst his other toys, has a supercharged 850csi!).
I love seeing others on the road and admiring how low and wide they look. Nothing turns heads like these do.
If you want one, grab one now. They are getting scarcer by the day, and soon you will need over £10k just to buy a rotten example that needs lots of work.
A 1997 840ci Sport in Oxford Green and another 1997 840ci in Titan Silver, with Sport options.
Was one of my dream cars when I was a kid. Bought the Sport just under 5 years ago, and I think it has tripled in value in terms of what I paid for it. I still remember walking out of the station and seeing it parked up with the side lights on and pop up lights down, it looked so menacing. That alone sold the car to me!
Purchased the Silver one last year with a full MOT, but needing bodywork. It's only done 75k genuine miles from new. Deciding what to do with it. Might sell as is or get the bodywork done and lock it away.
Personally, I think the darker colour bring the best out of its shape. I'd love a Velvet Blue one with the Champagne Leather.
These really are fantastic machines, and are pure GT cruisers. Not sporty, but feel planted for a big lump. And on a long drive at high speed, they come into their element. That's what they are about.
The build quality on these is on a different level, and similar to the E39. And yes, they are very expensive to run. A second hadn't door handle cost me £200 and a second hand window seal cost £250. Engine-wise, the components are the same as on the the other 4.4 litre M62 V8 engines as used in the E38 / E39. But be aware that a lot of parts are bespoke to the E31.
With these cars it is handy to know someone who is familiar with them. They are complicated bits of kit which were far ahead of their time when released. I use, and highly recommend, Gerry Speechley of Phoenix Motorsport in Camberley (who, amongst his other toys, has a supercharged 850csi!).
I love seeing others on the road and admiring how low and wide they look. Nothing turns heads like these do.
If you want one, grab one now. They are getting scarcer by the day, and soon you will need over £10k just to buy a rotten example that needs lots of work.
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