Beneath the Pacific breeze at Pebble Seashore, BMW quietly rolled out a bit 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 Crimson (generally known as Hellrot Uni in Germany). However this wasn’t simply any 850CSi — it was one in all solely seven examples ever constructed for the Japanese market on this configuration. To most passersby, it appeared 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 Automotive in All However Title
The BMW 8 Sequence (E31) was at all times meant to be greater than a successor to the unique 6 Sequence. It was a technological leap, aimed on the grand touring elite, providing a alternative between V8 and V12 engines, cutting-edge aerodynamics, and a futuristic driver interface. But it surely was the 850CSi, launched within the early Nineteen 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 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 completely with a 6-speed handbook, stiffened suspension, faster steering, and four-wheel steering. Its VINs even started with “WBS,” the signature of each actual M automobile.
A Totally different Type of Uncommon: Japan’s M70-Powered RHD 850CSi
However the automobile 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 tiny handful of early-production right-hand drive 850CSis — simply seven items — constructed particularly for the Japanese 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 computerized 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 had been right-hand drive, and solely seven had been formally allotted for Japan with this configuration. It’s no exaggeration to name this one of many rarest BMWs ever constructed.
Manufacturing facility Luxurious, Nineteen Nineties Model
Like all high-end 8 Sequence fashions, the Japanese-market 850CSi got here effectively geared up. It featured pop-up headlights, an influence sunroof, computerized 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 Crimson
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 Sequence. It’s provided in 5 historic colours, together with the exact same Vibrant Crimson 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 Sequence is unmistakable. Seeing each vehicles 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 Seashore Might Supply
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 singular drivetrain story, and paint that linked two generations throughout many years.
