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The classic BMW 850 CSi continues to be an appealing vintage grand tourer, and here's all you should know before you start your search.

The BMW 8-Series made a name for itself with its extreme supercar styling, tire-threshing V10 engine, and excellent performance kit. Designed back in 1981, development of the 8-Series began in the mid-80s until the brand officially unveiled the 850i at the 1989 Frankfurt Auto Show. Entering the Grand tourer segment for the 1991 model year, the 850i E31 was an excellent display of BMW's latest technologies, like the standard electric leather seats, 12-speaker stereo, powerful 5.0-liter V12, and a swift 5-speed manual gearbox.

But despite its good attributes, the BMW 850i received heavy criticism for offering a less fun-to-drive experience than the previous model. However, taking a more luxurious approach, BMW was more interested in building a grand tourer than a performance-oriented Sports Coupe. Then in 1992, BMW released the ultimate iteration of the 8 Series, the BMW 850CSi E31. The brand built 225 models of the BMW 850CSi for the US market for the 1994 and 1995 model years. Retaining the best performance, the 850CSi came with uprated steering and suspensions, an aero kit, E34 M5 wheels, LSD, and Sports seats, among many other features. Today, the BMW 850 CSi continues to be an appealing vintage grand tourer to own.

We've put together a guide to aid you in buying the 1992 BMW 850 CSi.

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The brand’s M8 E31, a prototype vehicle that flaunted a potent 6.0-liter, 640 horsepower version of the first-generation 8-Series, was the car that inspired the 850 CSi. With the M8 never seeing the light of day, the 850 CSi offered users a few insights into just how much charisma the M8 would’ve oozed, had it come into production. Most of the design cues on the M8 and the 850 CSi looked very similar on the outside, with the rounded rectangular (twin-kidney) grille outline and a sleek hood.

But despite taking on so many features, the 850 CSi still lacked some components that would’ve turned made it the real M8 successor, because, if anything, the 850 CSi was like the M8-Lite. Unlike the prototype, the 850 CSi came with a 5.6-liter V12 engine. Tagged S70B56, the engine made 375 horsepower at 5,300 RPM and 406 lb.-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM, which was more than enough output to propel the BMW 850 CSi from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds – not as impressive acceleration today as it was back then, especially considering the motor, which received a higher compression ratio, allowing drivers to get more power, for lesser fuel and fewer exhaust gases.

BMW equipped the CSi with strong brakes, a custom body kit, staggered wheels, and stiffer suspensions. The only transmission option was a six-speed manual. Also, BMW updated the optional Electronic Damping Control package, which distinguished between Comfort and Sport modes more clearly. While it wasn't as powerful as the potential production M8, the 1992 BMW 850 CSi dominated the 8-Series lineup.

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The 8 Series was a sophisticated car back in the day. Now, having existed for nearly 3 decades, there's a lot that may go wrong now. So, it’s important to have an expert check the vehicle out, especially the internal components, before you folk over the money. But, there are a few things that you can assess by yourself while you wait.

Rust assessment should be the first thing on your checklist as this is a problem that commonly plagues the BMW 850 E31 family. Work your way around the automobile, from the sunroof area through the edge of the roof, to the lower section of the doors and rear wheel arches, inspecting each inch for signs of rust and, if any, assessing its depth. Typically, some minimal body rust is fine and won’t cost you as much to repair. However, if there’s an overwhelming amount of rust on the body and/or chassis, it’s okay to walk away. Another checkpoint at the back is the rear screen, which sometimes becomes milky due to rainwater, causing rust that eventually kills the heated rear window components.

Suspension problems are the next problem on the BMW 850 CSi, and, fortunately, are easy to detect. Just between 50 and 60 mph, the 8 Series can also experience the dreaded 'shimmy,' which you can sense via the steering. While the most typical culprits of this wobbly ride experience are the upper arm bushes and lower arms, the failure of the front shock absorber, which is unique to the entire 8 Series lineup, are potential causes too. You can substitute the worn-out absorbers for Bilsteins, which cost roughly $522 a pair. To a worse extent of the suspension issues, you can probably notice the car leaning to one side.

The classic BMW E31s are quite prone to cooling system problems, which are either the result of an expanded radiator, jammed or loose thermostats, or a faulty water pump. Unfortunately, this is where things get a little tricky, as you can't take a water pump out for inspection. What you can do, though, is check the area around the expansion tank for signs of leaks and if the fan clutch works. While you’re at it, check the radiator. If it seems bulgy at the base, then a cooling system failure is probably on the horizon.

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With around 1,510 units produced from 1992 through 1996 (225 sold in the U.S.), the 850CSi is by far the rarest version of the BMW 8-Series. So, not only will it take a really hard look to find one, but you should also expect the unit to come with a heftier price tag than its standard 850i and 850Ci 12-cylinder siblings, which form about two-thirds of all 8-Series sales. According to Classic, the BMW 850 CSi should cost you around $98,928 on average, while the well-preserved, garage queen models retail for as much as $237,292. The standard BMW 850i models, however, are cheaper, selling between $16,645 and $21,091.

Wilfred Nkhwazi is a screenwriter, actor, and sports car enthusiast from Blantyre, Malawi. He has written 2 feature films and a thriller trilogy. Wilfred is pursuing an Electric Car Technology program and spends a lot of his time writing for hotcars.com, penning down fast whips, celebrity collections, and everything else in-between. When he isn't writing, he loves to take long drives around the city, make music, and drink hot chocolate.