Description
1996 BMW 840Ci Coupe
Only 95, 750 miles from new; current owner 2 years and previous owner for 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 Ml 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 (3101b/ ft against 2951b/ 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 previous owner purchased the car as a used approved BMW from Sytner of Nottingham in August 2000 at which point it had done 39, 000 miles and cost £24, 850.
The current (sixth) owner acquired the car from Brightwell Auction with 94, 800 miles and has spent a few thousand pounds over the last two years improving, repairing & maintaining this beautiful classic. At the time of purchase it had a cracked nose cone, some bubbling on one of the front wings, the Sunroof and rear sun visor were faulty and the underside had some light surface corrosion. Over the past two years of ownership, all these issues have been repaired and remedied including repair and renovation of the nose cone and a new wing professionally fitted and resprayed, a new sunroof and a resent clean up and Wax Oil rust protection of the all the underside and wheelarches even replacing screws and clips with stainless steel ones.
It now has 95, 750 miles and although the service book was lost by the previous owner, it comes with a good sheaf of bills to show regular upkeep over the years. Twelve old MOTs and various SORN notifications show that it was in storage from 2011 - 2017, hence the relatively low mileage. The last full service was at 95, 644 miles in October 2023 and a major service was carried out in December 2017 when it came out of storage which 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 just over 1, 000 miles by it’s current owner, The car always starts promptly and runs beautifully with no mechanical faults, It is only driven occasionally on dry weekends mainly to classic car meets and looks very smart for its age with everything working as they should.
A reluctant sale by the owner due to moving abroad and therefore sensibley priced and recently reduced to a change in circumstance so looking to sell fairly quickly. SENSIBLE OFFERS ARE WELCOME. Contact Andy to discuss. Although the service book has been lost, only the early history is not documented, however all the invoices from 2001 at 45367 miles are supplied with the vehicle, many main dealer invoices as well full MOT records etc. Original hand book and even sales brochure are present. I am certain much of the early servicing was also carried out by Synter BMW. A list of all the service records is also supplied (see images).
