Beneath the Pacific breeze at Pebble Seashore, 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 Shiny Purple (often known as Hellrot Uni in Germany). However this wasn’t simply any 850CSi — it was one in all solely 153 models which have been allotted to the UK market. It’s additionally one of many seven 850CSi fashions painted in Shiny Purple. To most passersby, it seemed 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 Sequence (E31) was all the time supposed to be greater than a successor to the unique 6 Sequence. 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. But it surely was the 850CSi, launched within the early Nineties, that pushed the 8 Sequence into actually rarefied air.
Formally, BMW by no means gave it an “M” badge — however beneath, the 850CSi was a Motorsport product. The total 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 completely 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 automotive.
A Totally different Form of Uncommon: M70-Powered RHD 850CSi
However the automotive at Pebble Seashore tells a barely totally different story. Whereas it wore 850CSi badging and lots of the similar Motorsport tweaks, it was one in all a handful of early-production right-hand drive 850CSis constructed particularly for the UK market. And beneath 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 automotive one of the crucial 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, Nineties Fashion
Like all high-end 8 Sequence fashions, this 850CSi got here nicely outfitted. 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 capabilities — state-of-the-art consolation for its period. It additionally sat on the basic 16-inch alloy wheels of the time, tucked into an extended, low, and unmistakably ’90s coupe silhouette.
Echoes of Heritage in Shiny 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 automotive, restricted to only 500 models globally, serves as a modern-day tribute to the unique 8 Sequence. It’s provided in 5 historic colours, together with the exact same Shiny Purple worn by the E31 at Pebble.
Whereas the M850i M Heritage Version is filled with up to date luxuries — from its twin-turbo V8 to iDrive 7 and carbon roof — the design callback to the unique 8 Sequence is unmistakable. Seeing each vehicles collectively provided a robust visible throughline: BMW honoring not simply its previous, however a really particular, and really uncommon, chapter of it.
A Second Solely Pebble Seashore 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 automotive with Motorsport heritage, a novel drivetrain story, and paint that linked two generations throughout many years.
