A Wild Custom BMW 850i With a Manual V-12

A Babied BMW 850i

With only two owners since new, this 1992 BMW 850i shows evidence of impeccable care, with just 98,000 miles showing on the odometer. The body, paint, interior, and engine compartment look virtually new. It’s hard to believe this car has been on the road for more than 30 years.

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Innovations in the BMW 850i included the first availability of a V-12 engine with a six-speed manual transmission in a production car. This coupe is one of the few so equipped from the factory instead of the standard V-8.

With 296 horsepower on tap, period road tests timed this potent powerplant at zero-to-60 mph times in the low six-second range and a top speed of 155 mph. And that noteworthy powertrain is only part of what makes this rare 850i so special.

Kitted Out

Since taking possession of the car in 2021, the seller has completely gone through it, addressing any maintenance needs while adding several upgrades. The most obvious is a Pandem wide-body kit, giving this 850i a unique and aggressive appearance. Professionally installed and painted to match the original red, the result is a factory look complementing the BMW’s lines.

• Period-correct 18-inch Hammann PG1 wheels shod with wide Nitto tires complete the BMW 850i’s look.
• The original tires and wheels also come with the car.
• A custom coilover suspension lends a lower stance without sacrificing ride comfort.
• Air cups let you raise the ride height from the cabin to avoid scraping on steep driveways.

Other updates include a new clutch and rebuilt transmission, fog lights built into the front spoiler, a higher numeric gear ratio for quicker acceleration and response, and an Eisenmann cat-back exhaust for a more aggressive sound.

A Throwback Phone

The pristine interior is largely stock, right down to an original BMW-branded mobile phone. It’s interesting (albeit possibly useless) period communication device that is considerably larger than a modern smartphone. The only apparent cabin modifications are an aftermarket head unit with a built-in CD player and an updated BMW steering wheel with carbon fiber trim.

With a Buy-It-Now price of $110,000, this BMW 850i is not an impulse buy. But with fewer than 7,000 built for the US throughout a nine-year run, finding any decent 8-Series BMW is a challenge.

To find one with the  rare V-12 paired with a six-speed manual transmission and an assortment of cosmetic and performance upgrades is nearly impossible.