{{short description|BMW luxury grand tourer}} {{Use British English|date=January 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{about|the first-generation BMW 8 Series|general BMW 8 Series information|BMW 8 Series}} {{Infobox automobile | name = BMW 8 Series (E31) | image = BMW 850i E31 - Flickr - Alexandre Prévot Crop.jpg | manufacturer = BMW | aka = | production = February 1990<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.e31.net/development.html|title=www.e31.net}}</ref> – May 1999<ref name=BMWE31net>{{cite web|url=http://www.e31.net/models.html |title=Models overview |publisher=E31.net |access-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> | successor = BMW 8 Series (G15) | assembly = {{ubl | Germany: Dingolfing<ref>{{cite web|title=Dingolfing Plant History|url=https://www.bmwgroup-plants.com/dingolfing/en/our-plant/history.html|website=www.bmwgroup-plants.com|publisher=BMW AG|access-date=24 December 2017|language=en}}</ref> | South Africa: Rosslyn, Pretoria<ref>{{cite web|title=Ten reasons why BMW's old 8 Series is cool|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/classic/here-are-some-reasons-why-we-love-the-old-bmw-8-series-e31|publisher= BBC Topgear Magazine (website)|access-date=19 April 2025|language=en}}</ref> (BMW South Africa)}} | designer = Klaus Kapitza (1986)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Caspers |first1=Markus |title=Designing Motion: Automotive Designers 1989to 1990 |date=2017 |publisher=Birkhäuser |isbn=9783035607840 |page=122 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B9UXDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 |access-date=18 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref> | class = Grand tourer (S) | body_style = 2-door coupé | platform = | related = | layout = Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive | engine = {{ubl |'''Petrol''': |4.0 L ''M60B40'' V8 |4.4 L ''M62B44'' V8 |5.0 L ''M70B50'' V12 |5.4 L ''M73B54'' V12 |5.6 L ''S70B56'' V12 }} | transmission = {{ubl |5-speed Auto Getrag ZF 5HP24 V8 |4-speed Auto Getrag ZF 4HP24 V12 |5-speed Auto Getrag ZF 5HP30 V12 |6-speed Manual Getrag 420G V8 |6-speed Manual Getrag 560G V12 }} | wheelbase = {{convert|2685|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=13915 |title=BMW 840 |website=www.carfolio.com |date=2008-08-22 |access-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> | length = {{convert|4780|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|1854|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} | height = {{convert|1330|-|1341|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|1855|-|1975|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/others4/96_8/bilder/19.jpg|title=Specifications|publisher=BMW|website=www.lov2xlr8.no|language=en|date=1996|access-date=2019-02-20}}</ref> | predecessor = BMW 6 Series (E24) }}
The '''BMW E31''' is the first generation of the BMW 8 Series. It is a grand tourer built by BMW from 1990 to 1999 as a 2-door coupé, powered by either a V8 or V12 engine. Whilst it did supplant the original E24 based 6 Series in 1990, it was not a direct successor, but a new model class with a substantially higher price and performance than the 6 Series.
==Development==
Development of the 8 Series began in July 1981, with the design phase reaching completion in 1986, although the launch was delayed due to still-strong 6 Series sales.<ref name="classicandsportscar.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/buyers-guide-bmw-8-series-e31 | title=BMW 8 Series (E31) buyer's guide: What to pay and what to look for | Classic & Sports Car }}</ref> The 8 Series debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in early September 1989. The 8 Series was designed to move beyond the market of the original 6 Series. The 8 Series had substantially improved performance, as well as higher price than its predecessor.
Over 1.5 billion Deutsche Marks were spent on total development ($1.13 billion USD or €990 million in 2025).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://coinmill.com/DEM_USD.html#DEM=15000000000|title = Convert German Marks (DEM) and United States Dollars (USD): Currency Exchange Rate Conversion Calculator}}</ref> BMW used CAD tools, still unusual at the time, to design the car's all-new body. Combined with wind tunnel testing, the resulting car had a drag coefficient of {{cd|0.29}}, a major improvement from the previous BMW M6/635CSi's 0.39.<ref name="roadandtrack.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/a33810482/e31-bmw-8-series-buyers-guide/ | title=Everything You Need to Know Before Buying an Original BMW 8-Series | date=September 2020 }}</ref>
Eighteen prototypes for an 830i were built, but the trim level was not put into full-scale production. Instead, the V8-powered 840i was chosen as the entry-level model.<ref>{{cite web |last1=VanDerHorst |first1=Cam |title=Low-Class Yuppie: What If There Had Been An E31 830i? |url=https://bimmerlife.com/2018/08/07/what-if-e31-830i/ |website=BimmerLife |access-date=1 June 2026 |date=7 August 2018}}</ref> The 850i offered the first V12 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission on a road car. It was one of the first vehicles to be fitted with an electronic drive-by-wire throttle. Together with the Z1, the 8 series was one of BMW's first cars to use a multi-link rear axle.<ref name="classicandsportscar.com"/><ref name="roadandtrack.com"/>
CAD modelling allowed the 8 Series unibody to be {{convert|3|kg|lb|abbr=on}} lighter than that of the preceding 6 Series (E24). However the production 8 Series was significantly heavier when completed due to the large engine and added luxury items—a source of criticism from those who wanted BMW to concentrate on the driving experience. Some of the car's weight may have been due to its pillar-less "hardtop" body style which lacked a "B" pillar.
==Sales==
Sales of the 8 Series were affected by the global recession of the early 1990s, the Persian Gulf War, and energy price spikes. As a result, plans for the high performance M8 variant were dropped in 1991.
BMW pulled the 8 Series from the North American market in 1997, having sold 6,920 cars. BMW continued production for other markets until 1999 having sold 30,609 in all markets.<ref name=BMWE31net /><ref name=BMWE31netship>{{cite web|url=http://www.e31.net/shipments.html |title=Shipments by country|publisher=E31.net |access-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> The base price for an entry-level 8 series in the early 1990s started in the US$70,000 range, which is US${{formatnum:{{inflation|US|70000|1990}}}} in {{inflation-year|US}}.{{inflation-fn|US}}<ref>[http://www.minneapolisfed.org/community_education/teacher/calc/hist1800.cfm Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800-2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822002900/http://www.minneapolisfed.org/community_education/teacher/calc/hist1800.cfm |date=2012-08-22 }}. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved 2012-10-28.</ref> {{clear}}
== Models == thumb|Interior (850i manual)
The production totals for each model are:<ref name="BMWE31net" /> * 840Ci with the M60 engine: 4,728 * 840Ci with the M62 engine: 3,075 * 850i / 850Ci with the M70 engine: 20,072 * 850Ci with the M73 engine: 1,218 * 850CSi with the S70 engine: 1,510 {{clear right}}
===840Ci=== 840Ci- rear|thumb|right 840Ci- front|thumb|left The 840Ci was offered with two different engines. The first used the 4.0-litre M60B40 V8 engine having a power output of {{cvt|210|kW|PS|0}} and was produced from mid-1993 to late 1995. From mid-1995, production phased in the newer 4.4-litre M62B44 V8 engine, which had better fuel economy and more torque, though power output remained unchanged.
The 840Ci was available with a 5-speed automatic transmission, though European cars were given the option of a 6-speed manual transmission. The only external features distinguishing the V8 model from the V12 models were the quad round exhausts, which were square in the V12 models. The 840Ci stayed in production until May 1999. {{clear right}}
===850i/Ci=== thumb|right|850i, rear view (showing square quad exhaust tips) The 850i was the first model of the 8 Series launched in 1990 with the 5.0-litre M70B50 V12 engine having a power output of {{cvt|220|kW|PS|-1}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=BMW M70B50 V12-Zylinder-Ottomotor |url=https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3942614 |website=bmw-grouparchiv.de |access-date=7 February 2021 |archive-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528000956/https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3942614 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was available with either a 4-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Around the time of the introduction of the 840Ci in Autumn 1993, the 850i was renamed the '''850Ci'''. From October 1994, BMW installed the new M73B54 V12 engine in the 850Ci, the new engine being from the newly launched E38 750i. Thus, cars with 850Ci badging used both the M70 and M73 engines, with those built before 10/94 using the older E32-type M70. As the displacement of the M73 increased to 5.4-litres and the compression ratio went up, the power output increased to {{cvt|240|kW|PS|0}}. {{clear right}}
===850CSi=== 850CSi- rear (with revised rear bumper)|thumb |right 850CSi- front (with revised front bumper and wing mirrors)|thumb |left
As a top-of-the-range variant of the 8 Series, the 850CSi took over from the prototype M8 variant. The 850CSi used the same engine as the 850i, which was tuned so significantly that BMW assigned it a new engine code: S70B56. The modifications included Bosch Motronic 1.7 fuel injection, a capacity increase to {{convert|5576|cc|L|1|abbr=on}} and power increase to {{cvt|280|kW|PS|0}} at 5,300 rpm<ref>{{cite web |title=BMW 850CSi (E31) |url=https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=6327930 |website=bmw-grouparchiv.de |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-date=18 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018163345/https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=6327930 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and {{convert|550|Nm|0|abbr=on}} of torque at 4,000 rpm.<ref name="850CSi, 850Ci, 840Ci 1994">{{cite book |title=The BMW 8 series Coupés, 850CSi, 850Ci, 840Ci |date=1994 |publisher=BMW AG |page=35 |url=https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3141937 |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-date=7 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307061031/https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3141937 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Road & Track'' recorded a {{convert|0|-|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} time for the 850CSi of 5.9 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-reviews/first-drives/1994-bmw-850csi-drive-flashback|title=Drive Flashback: 1994 BMW 850CSi|last=Simanaitis|first=Dennis|date=2014-05-23|website=Road & Track|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>
The 850CSi's modified suspension included stiffer springs and dampers that reduced the car's ride height. The recirculating ball steering ratio was dropped 15% over the standard E31 setup. The model also sported staggered throwing star wheels. The front and rear bumpers were reshaped for improved aerodynamic performance. Four round stainless steel exhaust tips replaced the square tips found on other models. The 6-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission option. In Europe, all 850CSi's came with four-wheel steering ([https://e31wiki.org/wiki/Active_Rear_Axle_Kinematics AHK - Aktive Hinterachs-Kinematik], Active rear axle Kinematics), upgraded and ventilated brakes with floating front discs, rear differential oil cooler, engine oil cooler, two-tone interior, sports seats, and reshaped mirrors. In the United States, the cars instead received "BMW Motorsport" writing on the doorhandles.
Production ended in late 1996 because the S70 engine could not be modified to comply with new emission regulations without substantial re-engineering. {{clear}}
== Engines == [[File:Moteur barba.jpg|S70 V12 engine|thumb|right]] {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !Model!!Years<ref name="BMWE31net" />!! Engine !! Power !! Torque !Manual !Automatic |- |'''840Ci'''|| 1992–96 || 4.0 L M60 <br/> V8 engine || {{cvt|210|kW|PS hp|0}} || {{convert|400|Nm|0|abbr=on}} |6-speed Getrag 420G (EU only) |5-speed Getrag ZF 5HP24 |- |'''840Ci'''|| 1995–99 || 4.4 L M62 <br/> V8 engine || {{convert|210|kW|PS hp|0|abbr=on}} || {{convert|420|Nm|0|abbr=on}} |6-speed Getrag 420G |5-speed Getrag ZF 5HP24 |- |'''850i, <br/> 850Ci'''|| 1990–94|| 5.0 L M70 <br/> V12 engine || {{cvt|220.4|kW|kW PS hp|0|adj=ri0|order=out}} || {{convert|450|Nm|0|abbr=on}} |6-speed Manual Getrag 560G V12 |4-speed Getrag ZF 4HP24 |- |'''850Ci'''|| 1992–99|| 5.4 L M73 <br/> V12 engine || {{cvt|240|kW|PS hp|0}} || {{convert|490|Nm|0|abbr=on}} | |5-speed Getrag ZF 5HP30 |- |'''850CSi'''|| 1992–96|| 5.6 L S70 <br/> V12 engine || {{cvt|280|kW|PS hp|0}} || {{convert|550|Nm|0|abbr=on}} |6-speed Manual Getrag 560G V12 | |}
2017 United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates for cars equipped with automatic transmission: *840Ci:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=13318|title=US EPA Ratings for 1997 BMW 840Ci automatic|publisher=Fueleconomy.gov|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> ::Fuel type: Premium ::city: {{convert|14|mpgus}} ::highway: {{convert|19|mpgus}} ::combined: {{convert|15|mpgus}} *850Ci:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=13319|title=US EPA Ratings for 1997 BMW 850Ci automatic|publisher=Fueleconomy.gov|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> ::Fuel type: Premium ::city: {{convert|12|mpgus}} ::highway: {{convert|19|mpgus}} ::combined: {{convert|15|mpgus}} {{clear}}
== Transmissions == The 840Ci (4.0/4.4 L V8) models were equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission. The 850i/850Ci (V12) models each use either a 4-speed automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission, a 5-speed automatic transmission was fitted from mid-1994. The high performance 850CSi model only came with a 6-speed manual transmission. {{clear right}}
==Prototype models== thumb|850i Cabrio Prototype, as seen in the BMW Museum
=== 830i === The 830i was a prototype that did not reach production.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e31.net/models.html |title=www.e31.net |publisher=www.e31.net |access-date=2014-06-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bmwblog.com/2008/10/19/review-bmw-8-series/ |title=Review: BMW 8 Series |publisher=Bmwblog.com |date=2011-12-26 |access-date=2014-06-22 |archive-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214163303/https://www.bmwblog.com/2008/10/19/review-bmw-8-series/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> As the potential entry-level model, the 830i was to use the 3-litre V8 with {{convert|160|kW|0|abbr=on}} from the 530i and 730i, known internally as the M60B30. Eighteen cars were produced, thirteen of which had an automatic gearbox fitted.<ref>{{cite web|title=BMW 8 Series - Vin/Chassis Information|url=http://www.8coupe.com/Production/Chassis.aspx|website=8Coupe.com|access-date=10 March 2017}}</ref> The model was dropped in favour of the 840Ci and almost all of the 18 cars were dismantled; one car is in a BMW museum.
=== 850i Cabrio === The 8 Series had been planned from the start with a convertible version in mind. Although the 850i Cabrio was developed to production readiness, it never went into production. At a relatively late date it was decided that this model was unlikely to recover the cost of putting it into production. A prototype in red resides in the BMW Museum in Munich. Although an official convertible variant never entered production, there have been aftermarket companies who have converted small numbers of 8 Series coupés into convertibles.<ref name="roadandtrack.com" />
=== M8 === thumb|BMW M8 The M8 was originally envisioned as a Ferrari competitor equipped with a special version of the S70 V12 engine, with modifications including a displacement increase to 6064 cc, dual overhead camshafts for each cylinder bank, individual throttle bodies with roller valves, four valves per cylinder, carbon fibre intake manifolds and continuously variable valve timing. As a result, it was estimated the M8 would achieve a top speed of {{cvt|320|km/h|mph|0}}, with a power output of {{cvt|640|PS|kW|order=flip|0}} and {{convert|650|Nm|0|abbr=on}} of torque.<ref>{{cite web|title=The BMW M8 E31 Prototype |url=https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/magazine-article-pool/the-bmw-m8-e31-prototype.html |website=www.bmw-m.com |access-date=12 February 2021 |language=en-PM}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=M8 |url=https://www.e31.net/models.html#M8 |website=www.e31.net |access-date=7 February 2021}}</ref> A common misconception is that this is the same engine that powered the McLaren F1. The S70/2 used in the McLaren F1 was not based on the prototype 48-valve V12 used in the M8, and was a completely new design.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Confusing History of the Greatest V12 BMW Never Built |url=https://jalopnik.com/the-confusing-history-of-the-greatest-v12-bmw-never-bui-1828173674 |website=Jalopnik |date=8 August 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211205013108/https://jalopnik.com/the-confusing-history-of-the-greatest-v12-bmw-never-bui-1828173674 | archive-date=5 December 2021 | first = Raphael | last = Orlove | language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BMW Classic - Recherche-Client|url=https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3943376|website=bmw-grouparchiv.de|access-date=28 February 2018|archive-date=10 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410112507/https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/research/detail/index.xhtml?id=3943376|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The car was given two intakes by its rear arches for engine and differential oil cooling. It was also given a wider track via a wider drive axle as well as uprated front brakes. The interior was completely stripped, with bucket seats and additional gauges for oil pressure, oil temperature, and water temperature. The M8 was given a B-pillar to retain structural rigidity as well as having its pop up headlights deleted from the car.
Other modifications include bodywork modifications such as a new front bumper, new wing mirrors, more flared wheel arches and a vent in the bonnet. The car's kerb weight was reduced to less than {{convert|1450|kg|lb|abbr=on}} by making elements of the car glass reinforced plastic (such as the bonnet, doors and boot lid), using carbon fibre wheels and removing the rear seats from the car. The windows were made of Lexan. The oil reservoir was moved to the trunk of the car; oil pipes went through the roof of the car.
The project was eventually scrapped because BMW decided that there was no market for a high performance variant of the 8 Series primarily because of the on-going economic recession of the 1990s. The only prototype ever produced (one that was reportedly not even safe for normal road usage) was locked away by BMW in the company's ''Giftschrank'' (poison storage).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/09/13/bmwblog-exclusive-unrivaled-and-unveiled-bmw-m8-prototype/|title=BMW M8, Unrivaled and Unveiled|publisher=BMWblog|date= 13 September 2010|access-date=16 June 2018}}</ref> BMW and the M Division had strongly denied that the car was even a possibility since the initial stages of its development. A world exclusive feature in the February 2010 issue of BMW Car Magazine, however, revealed that the M8 prototype still exists in its entirety.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmwcarmagazine.com:80/thismonth.asp|title=Issue 188 Of BMW Car Magazine|access-date=20 August 2017|publisher=Bmwcarmagazine.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213050240/http://www.bmwcarmagazine.com/thismonth.asp|archive-date=2010-02-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> The car was unveiled to journalists for the first time on July 2, 2010, at the BMW Museum in Munich.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/07/02/exclusive-photos-bmw-m8/ |title=Exclusive Photos: BMW M8 |publisher=Bmwblog.com |date=2010-07-03 |access-date=2010-07-07}}</ref> The only public showing of the car happened on August 17, 2012, during 'The Legends of the Autobahn' car show held in Carmel, California.<ref>{{cite web|title=BMW Bringing M8 Prototype and Zagato Coupe Study to The Legends of the Autobahn|date=24 July 2012|url=http://www.carscoops.com/2012/07/bmw-bringing-m8-concept-and-zagato.html|publisher=CarScoops|access-date=5 September 2013}}</ref> The car was specially shipped from Germany for the appearance.
Although the M8 was never produced, the 850CSi was also tuned by BMW's M division. Aside from sporting an M-tuned engine (as identified by the S prefix (which a non-M tuned engine would bear) instead of the M prefix), the car's VIN identifies the car as being built by BMW Motorsport (a ''WBS'' prefix) instead of BMW AG (''WBA'' prefix). Per BMW's own protocol, the 850CSi as marketed was essentially a de-tuned version of the putative M8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e31.net/models.html#850CSi |title=850CSi @ |publisher=E31.net |access-date=2010-12-05}}</ref> {{clear}}
==Alpina models== {{Main|Alpina B12}}
=== B12 5.0 === The B12 5.0 was built from 1990 to 1994 based on the BMW E31 850i with an Alpina-modified BMW M70 V12 (shared with the E32 B12 5.0) producing {{cvt|350|hp-metric|kW|0|order=flip}} and mated to an automatic transmission.
=== B12 5.7 === The B12 5.7 was available from 1992, based on the BMW 850CSi with the BMW S70B56 V12 engine bored out to 5.7 litres along with a modified intake, crankshaft, camshafts and a stainless steel exhaust system as well as a 6-speed manual gearbox. The modified engine produced {{cvt|306|kW|hp-metric|0}}. The carbon-fibre bonnet had cooling vents and a NACA duct for improved engine cooling. Performance figures included a {{cvt|0-60|mph|kph|0|abbr=on}} acceleration time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of {{cvt|300|km/h|mph|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmwblog.com/2017/11/21/extremely-low-mileage-alpina-b12-5-7-extremely-expensive/|title=Extremely Low Mileage Alpina B12 5.7 Is Extremely Expensive|date=21 November 2017|publisher=BMWblog|access-date=16 June 2018}}</ref>
<gallery widths=200 heights=150> BMW Alpina B12 5.0 Coupé (4343952359).jpg|Alpina B12 5.0 Coupé BMW_Alpina_B12_5.7_Coupé_(4637568246).jpg|Alpina B12 5.7 Coupé </gallery> {{clear}}
==Motorsport== The E31 was rarely seen in any form of motorsport, with one of the most successful examples built by Wagenstetter Motorsport. This car raced in the VLN Nürburgring endurance championship and was based on an 840i. Its powertrain was replaced with an E39 M5's 5.0-litre V8, producing {{convert|555|hp|kW|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} and {{convert|472|lbft|Nm|0|abbr=on}} of torque, with a six-speed gearbox also from the M5.<ref name="germancarmagazine.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.germancarmagazine.com/features/motorsports-rare-bmws-m5-6-series-and-8-series/|title=Motorsport's rare BMW's; M5, 6-Series and 8-Series|access-date=2009-02-14|work=germancarmagazine.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216112815/http://www.germancarmagazine.com/features/motorsports-rare-bmws-m5-6-series-and-8-series/|archive-date=2009-02-16|url-status=dead}}</ref>.
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Commons category|BMW E31}}
{{BMW cars}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bmw 8 Series}} E31 8 Series (E31) Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Category:Vehicles with four-wheel steering Category:Coupés Category:Grand tourers Category:2+2 coupés Category:Cars discontinued in 1999 Category:Cars introduced in 1989 Category:Cars introduced in 1990 Category:Cars of South Africa Category:Cars powered by V12 engines