Here's Why the BMW 850CSi Was the Best BMW of the 1990s

[@enemdisk6628]

The dad of my best friend during elementary school in Germany had this car and I have a vivid memory that he picked me up at home and rushed through the city to the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction. We picked up Pizza, went to my friends house, we all had dinner and then I played GoldenEye 007 on the N64 with my friend and his sister until late at night…

[@Theegoaat]

The hold old days!

[@trooperodst6880]

Thats awesome mate! This car is still futuristic waaay ahead of its time. Thing is new M8/850i is nowhere a true 8

[@supershifter4836]

T... Th... That's the most 90s thing I ever read.

[@raheemdean6657]

bliss

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

Nice! Best game ever.

[@facetiouslyinsolent8313]

This was my dream car when I was in high school in the early 90's. I got a 1991 850i in 1999 and I absolutely loved it. It's so incredibly heavy it feels like a family car even at high speeds. The windows rolled up into the car for a air tight quiet ride. The engine is 2 inline six'. The car has one computer for each bank of cylinders and one battery for each as well. I was so impressed with the batteries in mine. My car left the factory in 1990 and it still had the original batteries until I replaced them in 2001. The car came with a set of cd's with a British man thanking you for purchasing the vehicle. It was a very nice touch. My car got mid 20's gas mileage on the freeway and I took it on many trips around 400-500 miles and it was amazing. The upkeep on one of these cars can be a headache because not just any mechanic will know how to work on it but parts on that hard to find. If you have never driven one of these, it rides as well as it looks and even all these years later it's a stunning car.

[@Caca990SSR]

Mr Debunker Thank for sharing your story! I am planning to get one as my first car. Any tips and things I should keep an eye for when buying one?

[@thebog11]

@@Caca990SSR For the love of God, do not get a BMW 8-series as your first car. Fast enough to get you in trouble, and your parents will need to be rich to afford the maintenance.

[@Canelio5]

Thatskzbin.info/www/bejne/h3uydpmoj5aHY6c

[@instasingingvids3529]

Do you still have it?

[@Canelio5]

@@instasingingvids3529 of corse yes suturday sunday i m goin for a ride to racing and then to some cofee

[@VehicleVirals]

Definitely a much bigger fan of the older BMWs compared to the newer ones.

[@JobForAMaxboy]

I always make sure to have a proper look when a 90s bmw drives past. Modern ones, not so much.

[@mantozosto7934]

What u doing here

[@milesromanus7041]

Definitely. The new 8 series doesn't even come with a manual transmission.

[@AWSum-uf4ri]

They looked sharp

[@henryshu6265]

Me too! They look so much better than newer ones

[@briangoodman5260]

I had a 2000 528i which was a hopeless money pit; a 1985 635csi which is solid and simple but dated; and my 1994 840 ci, which combines the best of all eras, in spite of the middling scores it deserves. It looks and feels like a million bucks, like something that hasn't even been built yet. Timeless, elegant, and unfailingly satisfying.

[@bag2963]

What do you mean money pit? Because of auto gearbox? Poor maintenance? They are reliable cars.

[@typicalmountainbiker]

@@bag2963 They run for a long time but they generally develop a lot of leaks so if he's not working on his own car a dealer or specialist will charge out the wazoo to fix those

[@bag2963]

@@typicalmountainbiker Yeah, the key is just to look after this small stuff so they won't grow into something big, then people complain about E39 poor reliability.

[@briangoodman5260]

@@bag2963 I sold it 10 years ago, but I remember problems with the throttle body getting clogged with dirt, numerous oil leaks, and trouble with the ABS. Lights were always flashing on the dashboard. But a beautiful car and fun to drive.

[@BGD.2980]

This car is nearly 25 years old and still holds today. That is a sharp car!

[@A_Pt_9298]

It's classed really as an acquired taste amongst most car enthusiasts but when I first saw it, in the early nineties at Uni, I instantly knew there was something special about this car, but nobody else, except Clarkson on Top Gear, thought the same, 25 years on and everyone's seeing hearts in their eyes, funny! This was a financial flop for BMW too at the time by the way, because times were tough and mainstream people weren't spending that sort of money on vehicles, and it drank fuel like it was going out of fashion and they lost big,

[@Floris_VI]

German quality

[@Batman-wv5ng]

Bill DeSha Well It’s German engineering nobody can’t beat

[@brian_jake]

@@Batman-wv5ng have you seen today's BMW's lol they are crap

[@WarriorsPhoto]

That's what great design will do. Last a lifetime.

[@modelllichtsysteme]

Finally you reviewed the 8-series BMW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this review! :)

[@modelllichtsysteme]

@what do you know about cars : thanks, hope you enjoyed the videos you've seen.

[@MiloGotcha]

modelllichtsysteme L

[@szponiasty]

light switches are straight from bmw 5 series E34 and 7 series E32. phone is the exact same I have in my BMW E38, and its bullshit that it doesnt work. it works perfectly even today when u place even modern SIM card (you can google how to do it, and you have 2 places to place simcard: under a phone or in the trunk in the GSM module - ofc it doesnt accept microSIM). The exact white flahlight I had in my low end BMW E34 520i, also in glovebox, meh. 850cis is my dream, right after E24 M6 (M635csi), but really? Most of the quorks and features you're bragging about like they're unique, every beemer owner knows from their low ends, earlier models... Every older BMW strucks hood with windshield wipers. At least all I owned. Like E34 and E38. It might be due to the little electrical engine, that over time fails, that is supposed to stick the wipers little more to the windshield, once car drives at certain higher speeds. Yep you didn't mentioned that BMWs had that mechanism, didn't you? Anyway I'm only half of the video. And don't wanna even talk about what's gonna be next :P Oh and also: E31 850csi had rear wheels control. They were turning a little, on the corners. Why not mention that? This car is awesome, your channel is awesome. But you, failing to even mention that 850csi had rear wheel geometry changing with steering movement, to improve that little shorter 7 series BMW? BUUUUU! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZy3fGlte698r5Y

[@brianaust8897]

@@szponiasty That rear wheel steering was only in Euro models

[@JunkyDIYguy]

That’s a properly maintained piece of engineering.

[@dparag14]

Junky DIY guy & a very costly one too

[@denisep1026]

ピーター Learn to spell.

[@martinsliepins6225]

xHarux3 Why would anyone do that to a 100k+ car? It isnt a 1995 civic

[@martinsliepins6225]

xHarux3 If you own a 100k car you most likely wouldnt mind buying a new hood

[@martinsliepins6225]

xHarux3 K, like 2 ten yearolds can replace a hood in an hour. And once you are so rich, you probably can get a private mechanic. Gosh, i cant believe we are arguing about a rust spot on a car, that we most likely wont even see.

[@rfplanner]

I had one in Spain for a year when I worked there. It had some other things you don’t mention, four wheel steering, the windows dropped about half a centimeter when you touched the door handle. The windows and the sunroof shut automatically at 100mph. And the engine at high revs sounded like a formula one engine. I drove on the dual highway from Madrid to Barcelona with an engine that was delimited at 285km an hour with power to spare, and it handled a lot better than you say it does.

[@paulmcniff6636]

It sounds like you thoroughly enjoyed the car. Thumbs up

[@oni5909]

i wonder if the one you drove had stuff added to it like better sway bars? yk for body roll so it can drive thru corners

[@Felix21798]

@@oni5909 yh or over time the car becomes looser?

[@oni5909]

@@Felix21798 hmm maybe i think it’s only happening like that if you drove it hard before

[@deputyvillageidiot]

The W140 had far worse cupholders. Far far worse, very flimsy too. Actually, cupholder. There was only one, and it was in the glovebox as well. The Germans never understood that Americans demanded cupholders.

[@anthonycolon9012]

Review my dads jeep patriot it has a lot of quirks and features like the steering wheel shake that occurs above 50 mph to massage your hands during long drives

[@Dizzy206]

Lmao! 😂

[@Bubbles99718]

Its nice to be relaxed when traveling over 50. At 80 it's probably in super high relax mode. Jealous.

[@blindabinda1234]

Check out the new tahoes. If your about to switch lanes and there is a car in your blind spot the seat will vibrate on that side. There's all kinds of cool quirks in the new high end Tahoe.

[@unbiasedcritique4429]

Anthony Colon 😀😄🤣😂😂

[@jash6105]

Ever heard of an alignment?

[@midnightspecial2990]

A V12 six speed car, that truly is the most exotic bmw ever built.

[@truuston3r220]

MidnightSpecial Not gonna lie the e60 m5 & e63 M6 with their v10 & 6 speed, not far off from exotic BMWs. Obviously their more common but exotic nonetheless!

[@WarriorsPhoto]

So exotic I didn't know that it existed. But this makes it more desirable to me. (:

[@jayy.cls6]

ricky v I remember the first time I saw one of these in a 1990 movie with the actor Bruce Willis. I thought this was the coolest looking bmw I had ever seen and the fact that it was a coupe made it even sexier.

[@WarriorsPhoto]

Dankz That was my thinking as well. I prefer BMW coupes over their sedans.

[@vest1az]

M1 is rarest, i believe

[@Glock_Nico]

Pop-up lights and a 6-speed manual ... 20 out of 10.

[@somanymods]

ian thomas I mean, you can get a c5 Corvette for like $162.45 if you want a 6 speed manual and pop up headlights. I'm not sure if the C4 had a 6 speed but someone would probably pay you to take away one of those turds.

[@Glock_Nico]

ok..........V12 with a 6-Speed

[@schwarznigga2820]

somanymods no v12 though so....

[@somanymods]

Schwarznigga so....it may actually run instead of being a pretty paperweight?

[@joebarbaro4495]

somanymods but old Corvettes are plastic shit built on a tractor ? New ones are nice tho

[@lv2surf]

When the Import Mechanic sees this pull in his Garage, He calls his wife and says Honey Yes we can afford that Cruise afterall....

[@theagbaman]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@BobSaint]

In Belgrade, it was known as "the shooter's ride". The people that drove them: 90% mafia hitmen, 10% turbo-folk celebrities. Ah, the 90s in west Balkans...

[@milfhunter6329]

slazem se skroz prvi ga je goran vukovic majmun imao :)

[@BobSaint]

@@milfhunter6329 Pa to, pucački auto.

[@zakky4498]

slazem se niko posten ga nije mogao priustiti , prosjecna plata 200 njemackih maraka , za njega ksenon 300 ahhaha

[@nikosmouras1201]

Kosovo is Albania !

[@Namburiadityasairam2605]

@@nikosmouras1201 Kosovo is Serbian

[@bimmerjim9210]

Doug, the reason the car is badged, marked and noted with all M emblems, is the CSI was actually going to be the M8. It was built and prototyped(at the BMW factory museum) However the engine(which went into the F1 McClaren) could not pass emissions in 1993-95. So they ended up taking the standard M70 version engine and modified it best they could to 385hp (S70B56)compared to the McClaren 550Hp version(S70B56/2). But because the car, badging marking and name were suppose to be the Motorsport M8 and all the stickers and emblems were already made they decided to go with a more subtle name CSI but had all the "M" badging.. (like the 635csi was before they made the M6) So it was still fast, still better than the regular 850I or CI they figured CSI was a better model. The M8 is only one of one ever made and its Red and is in BMW's Germany museum. They also made a prottype convertible which never was made either. Alpina also made a version of the 850 which had slightly more Hp and cool looks. Hope that helps the history!

[@neilgibbons2532]

Bimmer Jim the cockpit to small

[@Eatinbritches]

Thanks for the review, Neil

[@gendaminoru3195]

another issue with engines is that M70 / S70 were OBDI and thus 1980s tech. I preferred my M73 powered car which had a much happier valve train [roller drag levers, etc] and was smoother running. I did put a Schrick cam in the S70 engine with the updated injectors so I got a little more efficiency and power with the Dinan software. But it still wasn't enough to make that heavy car move like I wanted. M73 engine, not much you could do to that one though.

[@cosmiqueorg]

Finally somebody with a clue....thanks man !

[@gendaminoru3195]

OBDII brought the M73 into compliance with pre & post cat lambda sensors, new MAF and 80 tooth flywheel and updated DME. This was developed in 1994 and my car was delivered in Dec as a 1995 model, the first ever M73 off the line.

[@troyfox3486]

This car is STILL beautiful in 2018

[@vlashante]

And in 2019

[@Jopy4U]

I am here from the future and it is still is in 2020

[@stevem2323]

@ZionHillCalling Bullshit, new 3, 5 and 8 series are gorgeous.

[@Anirossa]

Troy Fox Dosen't say much with how ugly cars are becoming...

[@Lawa70329]

The Best Car in the World :)

[@SeaDadLife]

The complex hinge mechanism on the hood is needed for the pop up headlights. In order to encircle the headlights the hood has to translate vertically the last inches of closure. A simple rotation on one pivot point won’t work. (This is 1960s ponycar technology.)

[@maxxjettfilms6322]

You had me at v12 6speed manual😍

[@BGoodsJohnny]

maxxjett films YESSS.

[@jeffk464]

WEll you better know a private repair shop that specializes in BMW's and that you trust.

[@DanielStancex]

Jeff K the old V12s arent really that bad tho. A big negative is of course the fact that they have 2 of several expensive parts.

[@lacking_garage]

Would twin straight sixes tided together count? After all this V12 is basicly two straigh sixes tided together at the crank with two of everything from a bmw of that year like mass airflow senors.

[@austina4189]

maxxjett films then lost me at $100,000 lmao

[@DZdiode]

The OBC pixels aren't dead, it's the connector between the screen and the board. You change the connector for a new one and you have all your pixels :)

[@TidalSnow1]

Ding ding ding ding this. All my pixels are mint

[@solomonmarcus5496]

They do fade unfortunately.

[@moogle68]

I have an 06 Mazda 3 with this exact same type of head unit display, same font and everything, and it has what looks like "bubbling" where some kind of film over the screen is getting loose, causing some parts of the screen to be darker than others. The 850 in the video has the same issue in one area over the spot that the pixels are dead on the right side. Will changing the connector fix that issue too, or is that a different issue? And where can I get the connector part that yo replace? I will probably need it eventually so I might as well be prepared even though the display in my car still has all it's pixels working.

[@IWillSmurfYou]

@PatriotPigeon bro its a mazda just crush it and yet an actual cool fun car lmao

[@JeffBoski]

Doug is the type of guy to give his Tinder date a Doug Score

[@maverickmason4946]

Jeff Boski dang, good one.

[@mikixP]

Those jokes are getting old , get a life .

[@SirWarzecha]

And were out

[@anjopag31]

Weekend Value: 2

[@airhorn2111]

Unfortunately, this one has essentially been done before. I believe there is still potential for the type-of-guy jokes, but they've got to be completely unique.

[@akanishta99]

I almost bought an 850CSi back in 2003. You could pick one up back then for $30k. I had an M3 at the time and the dealership actually talked me out of buying the 850CSi because of the cost to maintain one and they broke down the costs. It would have been a fortune to keep running, but I kinda wish I bought it looking back.

[@SwissMarksman]

Good ones with not too many miles are 80k if not more.

[@andrewdimonda10]

@@SwissMarksman95k+ now

[@Inferiis]

E46 M3-s are going up as well, so on the long run you probably saved money (although the 850CSI is a lot cooler)

[@martsteegh4122]

I think you made the right decision, see my story of an encounter with a guy in my neighborhood who drove one and wanted to sell it, when he (quite honestly I think) told me how much it costed him to run it (without any major or even small repairs), it suddenly didn't look that cool anymore.

[@TheEpicHitmarker]

The most underrated bmw ever made.

[@SwissMarksman]

It really is. Just saw recently an Alpina version of this. Now I am kinda pissed off that I haven't taken pictures from it, because it's so rare. Even the normal 850 is so rare (rarer than any Supercar that you can name).

[@SavedbyHim]

It's like the E60 M5. Stunning cars but very unreliable... That's why they get forgotten...

[@masonkilgore4112]

Let’s hope it stays that way

[@kristians2704]

@@SavedbyHim the E60 M5 is def not forgotten

[@damilolaakanni]

@@SavedbyHim not quite. The E60 is well known because of its unreliability...and the glorious V10 sound.

[@JustinY.]

That car was truly ahead of its time.

[@GewelReal]

Justin my -nigga- ninja

[@Noname-ki9mu]

Justin Y. Nah I think it was behind its time because guess what? It’s a piece of CRAP

[@YPO6]

Benz Patent-Motorwagen Nummer 1 was way aheader

[@zanfingust]

Still looks great for its age

[@STG44VOLVO]

It was exactly in its time. Everything about the car says it.

[@syd_jzx100]

The shape of this car is amazing.

[@jgpenniesworth442]

Charisma i think its incredible how it looks as good in this video as it did 20 years ago. You dont see that very often anymore.

[@mclovin9208]

It‘s 2am. I have to get up at 6am. „Here‘s Why The BMW...“

[@tylerf4223]

lol rip

[@knarfotalaf]

Hey Doug, I worked on the last 850-csi which was a Dinan 850. So much fun but a long story to it. 600+hp with an auto was so much fun. I reprogrammed both ECU's to accept more boost. Total CEO ride. Best, Frank

[@Kxvito]

What do you think of the new 8 series and M8?

[@phach4846]

actually, they did build an M8... but only a single unit was produced. it’s in BMW’s museum

[@joey_-__-_88t90]

Yes and that one actually had a McLaren engine

[@impeter245]

And its red

[@jorge8596]

@@joey_-__-_88t90 I guess you mean the V12 from the Mclaren F1, that is a BMW engine. McLaren didn't build engines until the 12c

[@TheChill001]

2 actually, one was a full build and that is indeed currently within the BMW main museum, but there has been a second reproduction with original parts and original bodykit.

[@betoromanowski1308]

You sure know our shit better than demuro lol Yes they made it

[@greebj]

I love the hidden ///M-ness of this model. Contrast to these days where they can't stick enough ///M badges on a 320d if you pay for the ///M valueadds

[@bazzie85]

Ben Greening I think it's really tacky and akin to prostitution that BMW allows customers to just add the M badges and superficial non performance looks to non M cars.

[@13leadfoot]

The other exception from VIN rule is that some of the first e30 M3's had a vin starting with WBA.

[@TheEmmetdocbrown]

Thx for the Video! In 1992, i was around 12 years old, my Dad had a 850i. Indeed it is a Gran Tourismo not a Sports Car. So this BMW was very misunderstood at his time when he came out. Also the BMW-Marketing make big mistakes to say that it is a sports car. But it is a Gran Tourismo where you can also drive 300km/h on the Autobahn. As a twelve year old boy i was sitting very comfortible in the rear Seats. Thats what they made for. @9:55 : Yes Doug thats exactly for what the Telephone was made for. :-) I remember one day (it was a Saturday i believe) our Phone rings at Home. My Dad was on the other side. "Son. I'm now at Dresden on the Autobahn. (Dresden is about 140km away from us) I will be at home in 30 Minutes. Tell Mom she can start to cook lunch." 28 Minutes later he was at Home. When you take a look to all the other modern cars in the early 90's, which of them where also able to have a top-speed of 300km/h and ride so smooth and comfortible?

[@zf4hp24]

Yup. And the phone was voice activated with a cabin microphone right there next to the OBC. You could push a button and then say "Call Home" and it would dial the stored number. Up to 25 numbers IIRC. At least in the States, a Motorola rig with 5 watts of transmit power! Took up some room in the trunk. Amazing how far we've come with cell phone technology, but this, at the time, was indeed cutting edge.

[@angelofang1312]

Ur dad rich

[@JAKESMMATAKES]

How do you know he arrived exactly 28 minutes later?

[@TheChill001]

just a reminder, NO BMW except for certain full M (the Csi had some M in it, but wasn't a full M, unlike the sadly never produced M8 of which only two prototypes exist) models drove faster than 250km/h... well, margines included 260 km/h

[@vladandrei51]

@@JAKESMMATAKES he was talking out of his ass, lol... He expects us to believe a person could maintain roughly 300 kms/h for 25+ minutes on a Saturday pre-lunch time. Besides the fact that you can't do that due to traffic it's biologically impossible to have that level of focus for such a long time and not die. Or just lucky

[@ristube3319]

This was my dream car as a teenager. I knew every inch of that car. I drooled daily at a local zillionaire that had an 850csi and an 840ci (when he was bumming around 😒) I was a valet at a large casino and was able to drive them finally. I loved the 7 series re do in 2002. I had to rescue my boss, he couldn’t get it to move. The key fob is inserted into the column then a start button (they were rare then) the shifter was confusing if you had no idea how they work. Because of the complexity and my teen car lust, I was able to drive all the complicated new expensive cars. Poor me.

[@NAT-turners-Revenge]

Ristube cool story man. I was obsessed with cars to as a kid/young man, still shocked im not a mechanic or somethin car related

[@cucumber42]

Pull in then down for drive. In and up for reverse. Push in for park. Like an odd version of the new Mercedes shifter. One of the regulars at my job is still pushing an early 00s 750, valeting can be fun

[@WolfgangMahringer]

Boy, this 850CSi is just gorgeous :-) Its owner really took care of it. As for the naming convention of the navigation/media systems in BMWs: Radio or Navigation "Business" means a "eco" version, smaller screen/display, less features, 1 CD slot. The big one are "Professional", larger Screen, more features, CD changer fittable, TV/DVD fittable, higher cost. (There are other systems like "High" too, but not that prominently used.) My X4 has also just the business navigation, since it does everything I need, and the head up display mostly eliminates the need of a big nav display :-)

[@yohithreddivari7629]

wow, about to graduate college and watching this video because im thinking of buying an 850ci, and then I notice this was filmed at my middle school! I remember watching this video 5 years ago, and 5 years later looking into buying the little brother of this car!

[@janyvanlul8287]

Doug the type of guy who uses indicators in a BMW

[@mkkrinkov]

Jany Van Lul 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Anvilshock]

Good man. There are still BMW drivers who aren't inconsiderate egocentric dickheads. Oh wait, that was the Audi drivers. I meant, inconsiderate egocentric dickheads with more money than Audi drivers.

[@samgriengl-schott6879]

^

[@willgoodyear2453]

Anvilshock why do they have more money than Audi drivers??

[@nastyrex4302]

Hey, I try to use my blinkers whenever possible in my BMW. Usually I'm just too busy making important calls and texting

[@nickzarnetske9994]

Additional fun facts. M logo on the engine, windows rolled up at 100mph automatically, and the wheels weighed under 20 pounds and being 18 inches.

[@r129r16pfl]

23.6 / 23.9 (f/r) pounds bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E31/Europe/850CSi-S70/L-M/may1996/browse/wheels/bmw_light_alloy_whl_m_parallel_spoke_37/

[@Njstench609]

Nick Zarnetske i knew about the windows but the the weight of the wheels

[@redrum2204]

Heated windshield. Heated wiper rest. First car with seat belts in the seat. Headrests moved with the seats. The most comfortable car ever!

[@ginescostaa]

It is still one of the coolest BMW’s

[@dparag14]

byGiNeSiToX Bananas the best ever.

[@evanpimental]

22:19 Apparently, the "rev-match downshifts" are so amazing on the 850csi, Doug felt the need to slap himself in the face. Did anyone else notice this?

[@arhamsaleem46]

*bring* *back* *the* *popup* *headlights*

[@DamianDeEu]

​@Bryan Charles Sounds like you're the man to fight NHTSA and stop the discrimination against the pop-up headlights cars. Good luck!

[@alexcintas8792]

They're heavy and wouldn't pass today.

[@AP-bo1if]

popup headlights on springs would be cool

[@leanmeangreenbeanmachine3347]

They have been phased out due to regulations

[@Zimmy_1981]

@@alexcintas8792 the kinda crazy laws passing these days I don't c why the can't & won't reintroduce em

[@3DVRraw]

Hey Doug, try to pull back the Passenger Seat if you want to sit in the Backseats. The Easy Entry Function is only there in 99% of all 2 Door Cars. The Driver Seat isn't meant to let Backpassengers step in at any Coupe I have ever seen. For Reasons...like Road Side Safety etc.

[@erich3570]

Good comment!! Makes sense!!

[@xenonram]

You must not have been in any 2 door cars as most are exactly the same ease of entry on both the passenger and driver sides.

[@3DVRraw]

So there is only one Solution. Doug has to test this in every car, and we talk again in one year

[@yuvalboom1]

Doug is the type of guy to rent his clothes from Turo, where you can rent other people interesting clothes instead of boring regular clothes.

[@treyquattro]

they only gave him a $10 allowance...

[@ashbeck7676]

Loved mine, It would cruise easily at 155mph absolutely fantastic. With all of the windows down it definitely felt like a convertible. Absolutely a great piece of engineering.

[@averagemonke4428]

The first time i saw it i fell in love

[@ryanrylander2264]

I can remember the first time I saw one. I was in absolute awe! This car was the most gorgeous BMW I had ever seen! What an amazing piece of German Engineering!

[@irineusantos6298]

The most beautiful BMW ever. Period.

[@TheThunderwars]

It looks good yeah, but man the 507 is on another level to me.

[@Gpimp2000]

The M1?

[@Batman-wv5ng]

Irineu Santos Just beautiful .

[@anthonygalon8981]

@@Gpimp2000 80s but a great car

[@2023awakening]

@@TheThunderwarsglad it's just you, to me the 507 looks like shit

[@packardcaribien]

It wasn't called the M8 because nobody wanted to have people calling their $175,000 car "mate" in an Australian accent.

[@Frostbait]

"what are you driving?" "a mate"

[@Arman-nl6mg]

Daniel McLean The M8's coming out next year

[@markalmelo]

They made 1 prototype of the M8, but with Sporty bumpers and such. There is a video on youtube, BMW had it in a warehouse until 3 years ago or such

[@cradle2resurrection]

Frostbait u wot m8

[@mr.gilbert2790]

“I’m just riding my mate”

[@thecaptain5026]

This car has the perfect styling for me. Sleek, not too shouty. Clean nice lines going from the front to the back. The cockpit is amazing.

[@JonnyWisdom]

That is the most beautiful interior I have seen in a long time.

[@timjohnson7034]

You only gave the BMW 850csi a 7 out of 10 for styling?..it's clearly a 10...no other BMW looks better than the 8.

[@areeskinwar7274]

most of his 7 is really an 8 or 9 and for styling, id say 10 also

[@e90baby]

Tim Johnson he gave it an 8

[@edwardbalboa5528]

The reviewer is a child

[@clockhanded]

I would give it a 9/10, the 635 CSI of the 80s is the only BMW I would give a 10/10.

[@zaid9988]

Tim Johnson except the m8 looks much better

[@scatty7995]

At this point the Doug Score is more important than my Credit Score...

[@moesgymmom]

At this point I've seen so many stolen comments...

[@Tcflohr]

At this point, it's higher than my credit score too.

[@austina4189]

Umberto Farias probably higher too

[@austina4189]

Tim Flohr funny guy

[@sethmontojo929]

Umberto Farias 8

[@markbrisec3972]

I remember when this car came out in the 90s.. I thought that it was the pinnacle of the car engineering and design and I actually thought that the car industry can't go any further. I really couldn't see what else could there be to improve the styling, performance or additional equipment above the BMW 850.. Now that I think of it I thought the same when the iPhone 5 came out. I said to myself, "This is it, there couldn't be anything that anybody could do to improve on this mobile phone"... Now I don't say that for anything anymore. Obviously the history has showed me being completely wrong about everything.

[@enforcement2]

If you consider that this vehicle is wonderful still, and that the mentioned phone, although I prefer its internally upgraded and externally seemingly identical successor, possesses a rather practical size to hold and to carry around, in my view you were not or at the very least not that wrong!

[@Chris-cy3uq]

This thing is such a timeless piece of machinery... And the S70 engine is glorious...

[@Arman-nl6mg]

ChrisShiss 55 The F1 used the same engine from the 850csi

[@Chris-cy3uq]

ArmanE46 Oh okay

[@Exekutioncro]

No, the F1 had two E36 M3 engines mounted together to 6.1 litres.

[@michu6777]

ExeKuTioN Cro Not true at all, both the F1 and 850CSi share the S70 engine which is based off of the M70, whose block is basically two M20 6-cylinder blocks sharing a crank but with high performance heads.

[@m_smart]

you had me at v12 with a stick shift

[@tlam1388]

Doug, you did not mention few other quirks. When you pull the door handle slightly while windows fully up it drops about quarter inch or so just before door open. With windows down, the windows would automatically rolls up as you accelerating pass 95+ mph mark. Many more other things such as 2 each of following - fuel pumps, air & oil filter, engine management, catalytic converter, mufflers, batteries, etc. Should one side of the V12 fail, you can still drive upto 80 mph with the remainder 6 cylinders. And Steve Dinan's team tuned with turbocharged V12 upto 600hp and move this beast (aka Dinan 8) 0-60mph 2.9sec!

[@inquisitor4635]

I always wondered if the windows lowered slightly like that so that it prevented the glass from breaking should you slam the door very hard. You can check out my other lengthy post to get more details about the car.

[@Glock_Nico]

This

[@Glock_Nico]

I drove from PA to TN with only "half the V12" in my '91 850i. As much shit as the 8's get about reliability, mine has never left me stranded.

[@ReiniervdLeer]

He also didn't mention that "in Europe, all 850CSi's came with four-wheel steering, 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 that special "BMW Motorsport" writing on the doorhandles."

[@energymc22]

True about the "two of everything" - but not two oil filters!

[@derdrucker5316]

Love this car!!! Remember the 1990s when my dad was working at the BMW Dingolfing Plant at the rework department, he loved this car too, but complained about the way too big steering wheel, that doesn't match the characteristic of this car. Once returned from work, he brought me a silver Series 8 model car from the factory shop. Memories...

[@SoteloAldo94]

Doug the type of guy to rock a Speedo at a pool party

[@tororojoh8439]

Aldo S or those shorts

[@bsg549]

A speedo and also 2 shirts

[@SoteloAldo94]

And goggles too

[@bsg549]

2 goggles which got a DougScore of 100

[@sidebazooka6900]

Speedos r cool

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

Definitely a bucket list car. Never seen a V12 one in the flesh. But still quite a few 840 V8's on the road in the UK.

[@ronsense4098]

This car is the most beautiful car ever made....whether the 850 or 840...I have had both. Got my third one coming this week. Took me 6 months to find one...I was 0 for 5 after $3000 in “pre-sale” inspections....wow

[@garage779]

Love watching this again after all these years. All original Doug.

[@pedroantoniodacruzferreira1487]

Wonderful memories with this car! The first time in my Life to drive 250 Km/h at the Autobahn (the version I drove was electronically controlled). I was only 19 and driving this car felt like something out of another dimension. At the time I was an apprentice at Mercedes-Benz. The department I was working with had a nice collection of other Brands (all car manufacturers do this, to study the competition). One day my Boss asks me and the other apprentice to go to the local BMW dealer and pick up a car. We arrived there and see which car it was. I don't don't what this car does to you, but we decided that we would take it for a "short spin"...we take the car to the Autobahn and only noticed that this trip would get us in trouble, way after Frankfurt (fuel tank!). Time just passed, driving it at high speeds, leaving and reentering the Autobahn...it was too much fun. When we arrived back at the office in Stuttgart, our Boss was FUMING...he screamed at us and I thought "This is it"....I will lose a nice opportunity to work at MB (my dream at the time). He gave us both a second chance. Always dreamed of having this car. My only two Favorite cars: BMW 8 Series and Lotus Esprit Turbo.

[@claudyfocan731]

Off course he was fuming. You used someone else’s 150.000€ car. And could have wrecked it. If it were mine and I would find out I would f*ck you over big time.

[@asrieldreemur1764]

*_Doug is the type of guy to say "This" to everyone in his family when he introduces his partner_*

[@mahermosally6691]

😂

[@Eeter26]

•Undyne• THIS is my wife... let me show you her quirks and features.

[@elcapitanyandel]

I want to Die would like to see that 😂😂

[@admonix2]

Doug the type of guy to use *Yahoo* instead of Google

[@Dankman9]

Solid move tho

[@SilkCutJaguarXJR-]

bing*

[@fauberkaupfmann982]

because it has a lot od cool quirks and features.

[@mihai0377]

A K I still use Yahoo, what's wrong with that ? You follow a trend ? I bet you're a sheep.... otherwise i can't explain your level of low IQ...

[@mihai0377]

A K Nevermind bro, i just see your a kid, a keyboard warrior who drive a 3 milion dollars car in a PC Game :))) That say it all. Cheers

[@pinkace]

I remember being a kid and salivating over this car. So beautiful.

[@alexgelb9287]

My Stepdad went through two of these things in my childhood. Such a great car, I'll never forget him hitting the S/K switch and gunning it.

[@MrGodOfBeer]

I can't believe you did not mention the "floating" front seat head rests, they look cool.

[@rars0n]

That is such a great looking car. A friend of mine had an 850Ci with an automatic transmission, and despite the handicap, it was a ton of fun to drive. I'll always love the 8-series.

[@jasonwarner8774]

Hey Doug, first time on your page. Your in-depth coverage of every feature that truly gives your audience the feeling of experiencing the car ourselves is greatly appreciated. The 850csi has long been my dream car since high school when I was driving and building my e39 540i and fully immersed into the world of BMW. Cheers!

[@MattClare1]

I assume it's not the M8 so that people don't call it "the mate".

[@22mikelwho]

Matt Clare i vote from now on, we all call it the "mate".. mate...

[@wolgarang6366]

Bet this guy is an aussie

[@evanlops5175]

Girl: Doug do you like me? Doug: For more of my thoughts visit www.autotrader.com/oversteer

[@Jean_1999]

Lmao xD

[@alexphillips7121]

Ba Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha That is TOO FUNNY!!!!! FACTS THOUGH!!! SOOOOO TRUE!!!! LoL

[@Thornspyre81]

Jesus fucking christ stop reposting this joke!! Its on EVERY Doug video like 30 times. Knock it the fuck off!

[@badlarry172]

@@Thornspyre81 the poster Mr Fantomzz is the type of guy who knows funny when he hears it . aaahhhhhhhhshit

[@gkelly941]

Ah, yes of course dear, Your ratings, 4 out of 10 for styling, 8 out of 10 for riding comfort. Bada-bing!

[@レム-b7l5x]

I remember walking past one of these on a red light in London, my god that thing is beautiful and surprisingly quiet

[@maverick1685]

I've watched this vid multiple times & it never gets old. I L.O.V.E. this car. Thanks Doug!!

[@Omegaman1969]

The Euro CSi was a much higher spec'd car. Actice rear steering, sport seats, sports mirrors, floating front rotors, diff cooler, engine oil cooler to name a few

[@LOGICAL-JAY]

simon hanlon your absolutely right...it had sport M style mirrors, and the front bumper was sportier..

[@vinnyboombatz3650]

Rear steering??

[@Omegaman1969]

Vinny Boombatz yes, google AHK e31

[@Omegaman1969]

“Minimizing the sideslip does not only improve safety in curves. During the development of AHK at BMW, people from BMW Motorsport GmbH (in 1993 renamed to BMW M GmbH) who were developing the 850CSi at that time, were given the opportunity to drive a test vehicle equipped with AHK on the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. The drivers had the feeling the car with AHK did not allow them to exactly hit the brake and acceleration points they were used to and complained they could not hit the proper racing line and apex in curves. Despite that and much to their surprise, the lap times of the test vehicle equipped with AHK were consistently noticeably faster. The reason is again with the sideslip angle: The car without AHK develops sideslip in a curve which is still present at the exit of the curve. The car with AHK on the other hand minimizes sideslip making it much more stable on the corner exit. This allowed the drivers to apply throttle much sooner and gaining higher speeds at the straights. Because of the performance edge AHK provided, BMW Motorsport GmbH decided to make AHK standard equipment on the 850CSi.”

[@vinnyboombatz3650]

simon hanlon - I never knew that they had the rear wheel steering. I could see how that would improve the car in many respects. Thanks for pointing that out, I am definitely going to find out more about it. BMW was obviously well ahead of the competition

[@gad9230]

Doug the type of guy to wear shorts and sandals to a business meeting.

[@laowhy86]

Don't be mean to me this time Papa Doug :( I have had my eye on a forest greeenn 850CSi for a few months now, and i am having a really hard time not buying it.

[@Prozzie]

At least the mafia won't take it

[@tomroberts5805]

I don't think Serpentza's bike will be able to keep up during your co-blogs... He could always ride shotgun!

[@endermanPlaysMC]

There is a 850csi near my town for just 6500euro! I bet there will be problems but I want to buy it so hard!

[@tristan8243]

What?! C-milk watches daddy doug lmao

[@xenonram]

C-Milk?!? Didn't think I'd see you here. (Actually come to think about it, it sound about right.) An 850 in China? Or in America!?!

[@Oetti]

This review really left its impression on me…I watched it when it was released in the winter of early 2018 when I was living in Britain; hard to believe this was nearly four years ago. I was just thinking about it the other day because this car is so unique and so different from today’s BMWs - understated, NA engine, twelve cylinders, shifting your own gears. Then after watching (what is at the moment I’m writing this) Doug’s brand-new video on the somewhat similar Jaguar XJ Super V8, this video was suggested and auto-played right afterwards and I’m glad it did! It was fairly lengthy for Doug’s pre-San Diego work and honestly pretty much identical to what he releases today (except for “Importance” being nixed from the Doug Score), plus the car was already old at the time, so today it’s still old, i.e. it wasn’t a new car when the video was released and has since become out-of-date. Probably my favourite Doug video of them all!

[@damon2692]

Doug....Why didn't you open the coin holder Doug. I don't like that Doug.

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

Cause he would tear the door panel off, just to get a stray Tic-Tac out of it.

[@Floris_VI]

Ikr

[@Mantwawn]

i didnt know i didnt like that till now

[@cebedeuz]

Maybe because thats the type of guy Doug is.

[@jflow08]

I strangely understand your ire.

[@justinthematrix]

Doug the type of guy to say thank you to Siri.

[@koalafan1455]

Justin Shaw better be on the robots good side when they rebel against humans 🤣

[@airhorn2111]

This was a good one.

[@VictorMartinez-eu3zl]

Your profile picture is evil.

[@trane5233]

this hair gets me every time...

[@7volcast]

I say thank you....

[@venom5809]

My dad's colleague had a green 850CSi back in the day, god that was a gorgeous car, to this day it's still one of my all time favorite cars that I have ever seen. It's as beautiful as those godawful 6 series they make now are ugly. It's too bad you can't get modern cars now with the bodies of older cars somehow, that would be amazing.

[@SpenserRoger]

venom5809 You can, you just cut off the body of the old and the body of the new and drop the old down. If you google foo there's a 190e dropped on a modern AMG, and a 1960's panel van dropped on a modern van. The van one is especially interesting because buddy did it himself in a short amount of time in his driveway.

[@Hurricane2k8]

Just compare the gorgeous E24 6-series from the 70's/80's to modern ones. Ugh. The E63 is especially hideous.

[@johnmcdonough955]

It is a shame that these beautiful shapes were sacrificed, however it was and is to protect the pedestrian and bring down the likelihood of critical injury to pedestrians in the event of an accident. Fair reason imho.

[@SpenserRoger]

john mcdonough Ya, car design is mostly driven by changes in headlight regulations.

[@eastside313yahdig.2]

6 series are not ugly, my friend have a 07 with the deep dish rims. Nasty

[@Abelitovalle]

In 2017 I was a service porter for BMW and I saw this car in the car wash line but it was almost time for me to clock out... I stayed late just to wash that car. It was 94 degrees, the car didnt have working AC and I didn't care one bit. I just wanted to ride it and appreciate it. Such an awesome car. I made it look beautiful after 😍

[@joshcantrell4720]

One of the best looking BMWs ever made. I would love to see a new version of this car that somewhat follows the styling of this piece of rolling art

[@BMWiE-lz3nu]

Nah...today's styling would ruin it. Have huge kidneys and look like every other car on the road

[@felid.769]

Never clicked so fast

[@iTzKomplett]

ok

[@ivane_1429]

TARIK thats like saying "eat my ass and I'll eat yours".. but yeah I'll do it

[@raptor7048]

Ender King19 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@raptor7048]

Ender King19 I'll sub

[@WatchJRGo]

I think you found one of the only clean ones left in the US! Every one I go to look at leaks oil, runs rough, or was stored outside it's whole life.

[@WeirdBrick]

Do not buy one! Truly horrific car to run and own!

[@DaveDarin]

There was one other clean one, mine located in Phoenix, AZ and never left outside and a 2 owner car. BUT to keep it like it was it was a nightmare of constant cost. Just sold it 2 weeks ago in May 2021. I cried many tears of joy to see it gone from the constant drain on my wallet. I will never EVER own another BMW. I owned it for 14 years of misery.

[@jeffreyrose7788]

not mine, I bought it new and have loved it for 31 years

[@adamossowicz2611]

This has been my favorite BMW since I was a young lad, great video, thank you for sharing! Also, the phone call joke made my day xD

[@maxxjettfilms6322]

The main reason the m division did not want to make this an official M car was purely down to the weight of the car. They could not put in the proper driving dynamics deserving an M car of the era.

[@PetersPianoShoppe]

And then Alpina said: "Griff mein Bier."

[@juliusconstantin8097]

Peter Zachos Halt mein Bier

[@MidNightFreakOZ]

Rahahaha "And then ///Alpine said" your comment made my day

[@carlosjaros2486]

They didn't call it M8 because they build the M8 prototype which sadly never made production.

[@robertpolkamp]

Bitte ein Bitt...

[@ryanrylander2264]

I absolutely love this car!! The pillar-less windows are extremely cool! I love that look!! Using cad to design a car was really forward thinking in the early 90's!

[@ryanrylander2264]

I can look up wiki too!

[@gkelly941]

1980s Mercedes SEC (380, the 500, then 560) had a similar pillerless window design starting in 1983. Another lovely car to drive, but not quite as fast or as beautiful as the 1990s 8-series BMWs.

[@hallquiche]

THIS IS the ultimate driving machine.

[@flyingmonkey3315]

Timeless styling, V12 and a manual transmission. It's 2020 and I love this as much as the first time I ever saw an 8 series. God I miss BMW so much....

[@d.c.rhodes66]

Doug is great, he makes you just want to keep watching. This is a great car and Doug tells us all about it. Great job Doug.

[@BrooklynBeTheBoro]

I was a parking attendant at Sloane-Kettering Hospital in Manhattan back in '97. One of the surgeons there had a jet-black 850 Csi with a license plate that said 'CALIENTE'. One afternoon that winter my coworker who was in charge of answering the phone and letting us know which car was going out decided that he wanted to drive the BMW, for no apparent reason. The garage itself was under the hospital and stretched literally 3 city blocks along the FDR. It was a straight line from front to back, and we parked the cars along opposite sides with space for 6 cars in a section. We'd occasionally drive some of the faster cars all the way to the back and see how fast we could go heading back to the main entrance. Since the garage was so busy around visiting hours we needed someone to stay in the office and answer the phone at all times. That was my co-workers job and he was always jealous that the rest of us got to fuck around with these expensive cars. So he waited until the garage wasn't busy and told one of the new guys to wait in the office while he moved the 850 to the back. Thing is there was no reason to put it in the back because the owner paid for a spot up front, but the new guy didn't know that. My coworker gets in the car and floors it to the back of the garage. It was sleeting that day and the front of the garage was wet. Instead of turning the car around and driving forward like the rest of us, this jackass put it in reverse. And FLOORED it again. He was halfway to the front when he fried the clutch, lost control, and wrapped the car around one of the main support pillars. It sounded like a bomb exploded. Even though it was obvious what happened, this dumbass decides to get out and cut the line to the brakes! His uncle was one of the executive officers at the parking company and he thought he'd get away with it. 10 minutes later after the rest of us came running downstairs he got in his car, pulled up to the office, said he quit, and drove away.

[@jayrussell1825]

The surgeon probably needed surgery when he saw that.

[@pedroantoniodacruzferreira1487]

Hahahahaha....now THAT is one Hell of a Story!!!!

[@pauljoe780]

And if you believe this...

[@M3dicayne]

That car actually was ahead of time a quarter of a century... Btw still one of the best looking BMWs next to the 645Ci :)

[@ghuldorgrey]

Not really, the supra a70 was

[@nicolausharvot3825]

I agree. The back end on the 645ci makes me wanna fuck it...

[@sharms888]

Prince bought one and it appeared in one of his music videos.

[@clarencewilliamsperturbed7240]

"Chiquita yellow" I believe.

[@matthewanthony4606]

He seemed to be a car guy, dude owned a prowler, a wildcat and a z3 as well

[@ChrisM777]

Hello Doug! Amazing review. But, you are wrong on the phone. They take regular sim cards and they do work.

[@Fastvoice]

Correct at least for Europe - these had regular D-Net phones with european GSM standard. Still current today.

[@ChrisM777]

Wolfgang Messer yeah, i have one of these in my E39 and it works. Same on my friends e38. Same phone, they work.

[@JazzRadioFfm]

i searched for this. ours works, as well ;)

[@badopinion]

That car is dead sexy and absolutely delicious to look at.

[@Batman-wv5ng]

Jon Meissner I agree.

[@luca_rr4660]

@David Topchiev The E38 is indeed beautiful as well, way nicer than most modern car designs.

[@bryanglaser88]

Your comment and picture creep me out.

[@kyles280]

Hell yeah it is!

[@ericstevenson7696]

Agreed

[@sxmmadx7134]

Doug the kinda guy to call 911 and ask whats the emergency

[@jakubkrcma]

When I saw this car for the first time ever, over 22 years ago, I knew immediately it was beyond special. Now you just confirmed my feelings...

[@bartsch90]

Please Do a Review of the early BMW 6-series (E24)

[@Nick210]

That thing is pretty clean.

[@Exekutioncro]

the engine bay was fantastic

[@Reuben007Ash]

Amazing beautiful car . This Bimmer was truly ultimate driving machine .Will not be forgotten .

[@johncarlofernandez2698]

The new BMW M8 was nothing compared to this

[@darthtrader511]

I think....the oversized mirror dimmer switch is due to the fact that the same mouldings are used for the manual dimming version, so the knob is oversized because it operated the mechanical dimmer and was reused for the electric mechanism.

[@spencexxx]

Teacher?? There is a creepy guy outside our school....

[@kingd3001]

First Name Last Name 😂😂😂

[@bearsubzero4413]

The pixel screen on my 1997 C36 AMG has burnt out pixels as well. Seems like that's common on 90s cars.

[@Exekutioncro]

and its a pain in the ass to fix.

[@NatCurrier]

usually its a delaminating ribbon cable in Mercedes... my E55 had the same issue

[@strangeclouds7]

Vanden Well what do you expect on a car that's 20+ years old?

[@trashrabbit69]

You think your German cars are bad with dead pixels? You haven't seen 90s Saabs. Those things seemed to have a thing for translating itself into Braille.

[@LemonHeisenbergWhite79]

Doug the type of Guy that Makes Videos at Everyones school

[@yese1049]

The M8 was not produced due to lacking wordwide sales of the regular 8 series. This was due to the economic crisis in the 90s (starting with the Gulf War) and higher fuel prices ...even in America..and yes even for the few people able to afford buying an expensive new 8-series. It was a small market of buyers and had to compete with Porsche, Ferrari back then. The 840 (V8) was build as a more economic option around 1994/1995. In the end it is a pity that the M8 was never produced altough there were preparing for it according to BMW. In 1999 the most iconic BMW ever was discontinued. It was the perfect BMW, in the wrong economic era.. LOVE to the 8-series!! 4 ever o:)