While the BMW 8-Series wasn’t a big commercial success, it was one of those interesting cars which was bound to gather a following in future years, simply because it represents an odd car from a very serious, traditional manufacturer that never strays too far from its core design philosophy of the era.
Dubbed the “Great Eight” by some, the GT coupe was a very sleek-looking BMW, and for many, the looks and the rarity factor alone are/were what drew them to the car in the first place.
When it was new, it was a very expensive V12- (or V8-) powered coupe, with lots of modern features that were well ahead of their time in 1989, when it was launched. However, as prices have come down in recent years, you just have to want one today, because they are by no means an expensive classic.
You will have to pay for fuel, which probably won’t be cheap, and the 8 is known for not being the most reliable of BMWs, especially the V12s. Still, if you’re even half as passionate as Niels Hamann (no relation to the tuner) from the official video linked below, then these reliability niggles won’t bother you too much.
Hamann is also the author of “BMW 8er: Power & Hightech,” an illustrated book which goes into great detail as to how the 8 came to be, why it ended up being the way it is, and why it stirs up this much passion among car guys, and not necessarily ones who are usually into BMWs – it is a special car, and if it’s not already, it’s definitely going to become a future classic.
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO