A rare sight on British roads, the Klaus Kapitza-penned 8 Series BMW (chassis code E31) was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show of 1989. Though it effectively supplanted the venerable 6 Series (E24), it was in fact conceived as an additional model line and, with more performance and a higher price tag, was aimed further upmarket. During its 10-year reign, the four-seater 8 Series was available in 830i, 840i and 850i form, though by far the biggest seller was the 4998cc, 296bhp 850i that was manufactured from 1989-94, of which over 20,000 were produced. The V12 engine was mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic unit. The fully independent suspension featured struts at the front and coil springs on the rear. Steering was by ball and nut and braking was by discs all round - vented at the front; solid at the rear. Despite a considerable unladen weight of 1790kg, the performance of the 850i was brisk, with the top speed electronically limited to 155mph and the 0-62mph dash accomplished in 6.8 seconds. As befits a top of the range BMW, the 8 Series featured a number of technical innovations, such as its six-speed gearbox, front seatbelt system integrated with the seats and ellipsoidal pop-up headlamps.

The 1992 RHD 850i on offer sports black bodywork and is one of the rare examples equipped with the six-speed manual transmission. The BMW's typically high specification includes electric windows, climate control, heated seats, and a rear screen blind. The vendor considers the bodywork, paintwork, leather interior trim, V12 engine and gearbox to be in "very good" order, and believes the total mileage covered to date to be around 120,000. 'K308 PDY' comes complete with over £6,000 worth of invoices, old tax discs, a BMW Certificate of Compliance for the alarm dated 19/1/96, original owner's manuals and an MOT valid into April this year. Considering their cost when new, these big BMW Coupes are astonishing value in today's market. Built to typically high standards and endowed with excellent performance and high levels of comfort they are now being snapped up by enthusiasts looking for a Grand Tourer with a difference.