1994 BMW 850 CSi

One of just 160 right-hand-drive models ever built, this wonderfully original and exquisitely maintained 850CSi is one of the rarest and most sought-after BMWs in existence. How exquisitely maintained is it? Well, the car’s previous owner spent over £30,000 on its mechanical components and its cosmetics, including a full repaint in the last five years of ownership.

To say that the current owner, who has now owned the car for the past five-and-a-half years, has continued this unparalleled level of care is an understatement. Having lusted after one for many years after seeing Jeremy Clarkson drive one on Top Gear, he finally made his dream come true by tracking down and buying the best example he could find.

So well-sorted that it is well known in motoring and press circles for being one of, if not the, best BMW 850CSi in the UK, recent accolades include being featured on the front cover of Classic & Sports Car in July 2016.

It was also placed 2nd in class at the BMW Southern Concours in April 2019 and April 2016, named Class Winner in the Brighton & Hove Motor Club Concours in July 2017 and 2016 (it wasn’t entered in 2018…), and named Bimmerflex Best in Show in July 2016.

It was also invited to display at the 2018 and the 2019 Goodwood Breakfast Club ‘Super Car Sunday’. Readers of the BMW Car Club’s Straight Six magazine will also recognise the car from the March 2019 cover.

But it is very far from being the usual undriveable trailer queen as it benefits from a full pre-sale mechanical overhaul having been lavished with more time, money and attention than is probably healthy.

As a result, the vendor tells us that it is in perfect condition and in need of nothing other than a new owner who will continue to love it and treat it in the manner to which it has become accustomed.

This is going to be a very boring section to read (and to write, come to that; no-one ever thinks of the poor sod behind the keyboard trying to plait fog…) because the Oxford Green coachwork is virtually perfect. The respray, in its original colour match, was clearly done to a very high standard because the car looks stunning.

The panel gaps are millimetre perfect, and so even and straight that they might be laser etched. The sunroof opens and closes easily, as do the pillarless doors, the boot lid and the bonnet all work with the same precision as they did when the car was new.

Even the door shuts and hard-to-reach places shine as brightly as the body panels, as do the tips of the handbuilt Magnum by Supersprint stainless steel performance quad-exhaust (“gives the car a lovely burble at idle”).

The three-piece, BBS-style 17-inch alloy wheels, which are the originals being available when the car was new as an optional extra, are in a fantastic condition with nary a mark on them having been professionally rebuilt five years ago; there is certainly nothing so vulgar as a scuff or kerbing. Even the centre caps are new, and the owner wryly remarked that “at £11 each, they’re the cheapest things I’ve ever bought for it!”

They’re shod with matching high-performance Falken tyres, and, as we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The whole car is a stunning tribute to both the original design and execution and the determination of its owners to keep it this way. It was, as the owner so accurately puts it, a car that was built during a time when BMW still built cars properly.

The silver and grey, two-tone Nappa leather interior is in incredible condition for a car of this age, showing almost no signs of wear at all bar a little gentle creasing to the outer edge of the driver’s seat. And we do mean very gentle; if we were to tell you that this is a five-year-old car rather than one celebrating its quarter century you’d believe us.

The four-spoke BMW leather steering wheel, complete with blue and red contrasting stitching, is in fine condition too, as is the headlining which has been replaced recently. The carpets, door cards, and other pieces of trim are in nigh-on new condition thanks to the car’s bulletproof construction and careful curation over the years.

Even the original BMW Bavaria headunit, complete with a cassette deck that boasts of having both Dolby B and C noise reduction, is in place and working flawlessly. A CD multichanger sits inside the immaculate boot, sharing space with a full-size BBS alloy wheel and the original toolkit.

In fact, the closer you look the more you see and all the little details that turn a very good car into a reference quality, concours winner are all there including the (correct) blue cloth inside the car’s OE tool kit, the ski bag, and the (unused and still wrapped) first aid kit in the rear centre armrest, all of which are present and correct.

The owner tells us that it all works too, which is a relief given the car’s complexity and the tendency for lesser owners to turn a blind eye to the odd little (and invariably expensive to put right) niggle.

As just one example of his determination to get all the electrical systems working properly, it took him and his garage two-and-a-half years to identify a niggling misfire, a minor fault that was eventually traced to two HT leads that, while they tested as being in good condition, had enough internal corrosion to confuse the car’s ECU. Almost everyone else would have ignored the problem as it was so minor, and the fact that he didn’t should lay to rest any concerns as to the car’s condition, which is as mechanically and electrically robust as it is good looking. As the owner himself puts it: “I spend a lot of time keeping it in concours condition – and just as much time driving it properly. My cars have to go as well as they look.” Quite.

The engine ignition and fuel systems have been replaced and upgraded, and the car has been looked after properly; recent work includes a service in March 2019 by marque specialists Munich Legends, which included a new auxiliary drive belt and tensioner.

The owner tells us that it drives as it should, saying, with typical understatement “it is quite poky.” When pushed he admits that it is very comfortable too and has no problem in keeping up with a friend’s modern M car. He says that it also draws more positive attention than anything else he has ever driven. He also commented that, despite having been lucky enough to have driven and owned some very fast cars in his time, the BMW is the only one that starts to feel normal at three-figure speeds.

The underside has been transformed during the owner’s time with the car and it is now very nearly as clean as the coachwork. The engine bay has also been treated to his same rigorous standards with both new/old stock and refurbished ancillaries and engine cover being fitted to bring it to the wonderful condition you see today.

The only modification to the car’s original, factory specification is the hand-built stainless steel exhaust. But, the vendor still has the car’s original exhaust, which is available by separate negotiation.

His curation aside, the previous work that has been done to it is too extensive to list here but why not set aside and hour or so and browse through it online? It really is in incredible condition and you should try and make the time to take a trip down to the Market HQ to view it in the flesh.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The MOT certificate itself expires in June 2020, and the car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates and road tax discs.

Nice though those all are, it is the rest of the history, paperwork and provenance that make this car stand out from its rivals. The current owner has obsessively curated its history, documenting the car’s life in forensic detail with every penny spent, every important journey driven, and every competition entered faithfully recorded. The paperwork is extensive and includes a fully stamped service history booklet. It is retained in a beautiful box file.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the contact seller button to arrange an appointment with us.

With prices of the iconic E24 6-Series coupes having soared beyond the reach of mere mortals, the E31 8-Series has taken its place as the Go To coupe for lovers of Bavarian heavy metal.

This means that prices have started to creep up over the past few years, especially for low-mileage, potential museum-quality examples like this; the mean price for 850CSis sold in the last couple of years is over £70,000, with the most expensive going for more almost £90,000.

But, the owner is not a greedy man and has agreed a reserve value well below this figure. Our estimate of £49,000 to £69,000, at which price point this listing represents a rare opportunity for someone to get behind the wheel of the very best example of the ultimate incarnation of BMW’s classic super coupe.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen at the Market HQ; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings of any auction, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles we have for sale. While we use our trade experience to assess every car that comes through our hands (and between us we have bought hundreds of classic cars over the years for our personal use…) we are fallible, and our assessment of a car may contrast with that you might form yourself.

This is why we offer a far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange a professional inspection on their behalf of, each vehicle prior to bidding than any traditional car auction, and we will never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this by coming to see it in person.

That said, we do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or those formed as a result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.