Description

1996 BMW 840Ci Coupe

Only 94,800 miles from new; current owner 22 years; regularly maintained; a smart example of this super-cool coupe with pop-up headlights!

One of the best-looking BMWs of the modern era, the dramatic E31 8 Series Coupe borrowed many of its styling cues from the super-rare E26 M1 of 1978. The shark-like front end had pop-up headlights and beautifully slim air intakes that make the current generation of BMWs look crass and bloated.

Launched at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, the E31 featured several road car firsts such as the first electronic 'fly-by-wire' throttle, the first to use a 'CAN bus' system to cut down the complexity and weight of the electrical system and the first BMW to use a multi-link rear axle. It also had pillarless side windows that not only look great when down but are also perfectly sealed when closed so the cabin remains impressively free from wind noise. In fact the whole car is a paragon of silence at speed thanks to the remarkably low drag coefficient of 0.29 – the current 8 Series can only manage 0.33. So much for progress…

Initially powered by a 4.0 V8 engine producing 286bhp, the 840Ci could sprint to 60 in 6.9 seconds on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. In mid-1995 this unit was replaced by a larger 4.4 V8 which produced the same power but more torque (310lb/ft against 295lb/ft). It also did not suffer from the Nikasil bore wear that could afflict the 4.0 engine. Mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox with manual Sport mode, the 4.4 shaved three-tenths off the 0-60 dash and gave better fuel economy to boot.

Costing well over £50k new, it was always an exclusive machine and just 3,075 of the 4.4-litre models were sold worldwide before production ceased in 1999. Rare, fast, beautifully styled and built, this is a sure-fire classic of the future.

Supplied new by Milcars BMW of London in August 1996, this 4.4 Coupe is finished in Oxford Green with Silver Grey leather trim and cost its first owner £57,925. The current (fifth) owner acquired the car from Sytner of Nottingham in August 2000 at which point it had done 39,000 miles and cost £24,850.

It has now covered 94,870 miles and although the handbooks are no longer present, it comes with a good sheaf of bills to show regular upkeep over the years. Eleven old MOTs and various SORN notifications show that it was in storage from 2011 – 2017, hence the relatively low mileage. The last major service was at 91,937 miles in December 2017 when it came out of storage and included two new batteries, new alternator, new rear trailing arm bushes, new rocker cover gaskets, new exhaust cats and an engine flush at a cost of £2,370.

Prior to that, invoices show new front brake discs and pads, a new starter motor and a new water pump at 85,616 miles; new a/c compressor at 79,618 miles; new rear exhaust silencers at 78,364 miles; a new windscreen at 64,951 miles; new rear coil springs at 64,155 miles plus much other routine maintenance.

Driven over 100 miles to the sale, it has been starting promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site with an MOT until March 2023. Looking very smart for its age with all the windows and the sunroof working as they should, it looks mighty tempting at the sensible guide price suggested and we love those pop-up headlights!

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com