Beneath the Pacific breeze at Pebble Seaside, BMW quietly rolled out a chunk of its hidden historical past. Subsequent to the spotlight-grabbing debut of the 2026 BMW M850i M Heritage Version stood a a lot rarer machine: a right-hand drive BMW 850CSi, painted in the identical vibrant Vibrant Purple (often known as Hellrot Uni in Germany). However this wasn’t simply any 850CSi — it was considered one of solely 153 items which have been allotted to the UK market. It’s additionally one of many seven 850CSi fashions painted in Vibrant Purple. To most passersby, it regarded like a BMW basic. However for individuals who know BMW historical past, this was a once-in-a-decade sighting — an icon that quietly bridged the hole between luxurious and Motorsport.
The BMW 850CSi: An M Automobile in All However Title
The BMW 8 Collection (E31) was at all times supposed to be greater than a successor to the unique 6 Collection. It was a technological leap, aimed on the grand touring elite, providing a selection between V8 and V12 engines, cutting-edge aerodynamics, and a futuristic driver interface. Nevertheless it was the 850CSi, launched within the early Nineteen Nineties, that pushed the 8 Collection into really rarefied air.
Formally, BMW by no means gave it an “M” badge — however beneath, the 850CSi was a Motorsport product. The complete manufacturing model used a 5.6-liter S70B56 V12, derived from the M70 however reengineered by BMW M, making 375 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. It got here solely with a 6-speed guide, stiffened suspension, faster steering, and four-wheel steering. Its VINs even started with “WBS,” the signature of each actual M automobile.
A Totally different Form of Uncommon: M70-Powered RHD 850CSi
However the automobile at Pebble Seaside tells a barely completely different story. Whereas it wore 850CSi badging and lots of the identical Motorsport tweaks, it was considered one of a handful of early-production right-hand drive 850CSis constructed particularly for the UK market. And below the hood it additionally had the M70 5.0-liter V12, making 296 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 4-speed automated transmission. That setup makes this automobile one of the vital uncommon members of the E31 household.
From 1992 to 1996, BMW constructed 1,510 850CSi fashions worldwide. Of these, simply 160 have been right-hand drive, 153 have been formally allotted for the UK with this configuration.
Manufacturing facility Luxurious, Nineteen Nineties Fashion
Like all high-end 8 Collection fashions, this 850CSi got here properly geared up. It featured pop-up headlights, an influence sunroof, automated local weather management, and a rear sunshade. The inside was trimmed in leather-based with power-adjustable, heated entrance seats, full with driver reminiscence features — state-of-the-art consolation for its period. It additionally sat on the basic 16-inch alloy wheels of the time, tucked into a protracted, low, and unmistakably ’90s coupe silhouette.
Echoes of Heritage in Vibrant Purple
The choice to place this right-hand drive 850CSi beside the brand new 2026 BMW M850i M Heritage Version was no accident. The brand new automobile, restricted to only 500 items globally, serves as a modern-day tribute to the unique 8 Collection. It’s provided in 5 historic colours, together with the exact same Vibrant Purple worn by the E31 at Pebble.
Whereas the M850i M Heritage Version is filled with modern luxuries — from its twin-turbo V8 to iDrive 7 and carbon roof — the design callback to the unique 8 Collection is unmistakable. Seeing each automobiles collectively provided a strong visible throughline: BMW honoring not simply its previous, however a really particular, and really uncommon, chapter of it.
A Second Solely Pebble Seaside Might Provide
Many guests that day might have walked previous the 850CSi with out realizing its significance. However for BMW purists, it was the true star of the show — a automobile with Motorsport heritage, a novel drivetrain story, and paint that linked two generations throughout many years.
