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 Crimson (often known as Hellrot Uni in Germany). However this wasn’t simply any 850CSi — it was considered one of solely 153 models which have been allotted to the UK market. It’s additionally one of many seven 850CSi fashions painted in Vibrant Crimson. 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 Identify
The BMW 8 Sequence (E31) was all the time 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 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 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: M70-Powered RHD 850CSi
However the automobile at Pebble Seaside tells a barely totally 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 computerized transmission. That setup makes this automobile 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 unit Luxurious, Nineties Type
Like all high-end 8 Sequence fashions, this 850CSi got here properly outfitted. 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 capabilities — 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 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 Vibrant Crimson 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 Seaside Might Provide
Many guests that day could 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 a long time.
