Geneva Switzerland 8 Series International Owners SoCal 8s January 2013 Car of the Month Issue by: Fern Mora, Club President Issue No. 11 Greetings From Geneva Switzerland 1 1996 850CSi Vin: CC02142 Technoviolet 1
SoCal 8 s has selected this stunning 850CSi belonging to Alex Antunes (Alx) one of our Bimmer Forum regulars for our January 2013 Car of the Month Alex s Story He is Portuguese, single, 35 years old and came with his parents to Geneva at the age of 2 and has lived there ever since. He regularly returns to Portugal to visit his family, but instead of driving his beautiful CSi, he flies to get there. He purchased his 850CSi (Chassis CC02142) in December of 2006. The car had 30 000 km at the time. The seller was a collector who could not drive manual cars anymore after a knee operation. He also had an 840Ci with only 17'000 km. The 850CSi had been his dream car for a long time and he was not expecting to find such a beauty when he did. The CSi was manufactured on May 2nd, 1996 and was first registered in Germany in September of that year. Two years later, it was imported to Switzerland. It is supposedly the only 850CSi that came in Techno Violet from the factory. A total of 13 E31s were produced in this color and sold in Germany and the UK. This is truly an extraordinary find for Alex. Alex is a current member of: www.bimmerforums.com, www.8er.org, & www.cslregister.com forums 2
Question & Answers During my correspondences with Alex I asked many questions about his car. I wanted to know how he obtained it and I received some interesting answers. Here are some of the answers that I received. Q: Where and when did you purchase your 8? A: In Geneva in December 2006 Q: Why did you pick your current 8 over some other? A: The 850CSi was my dream car when I was younger. It s the car that I drove during my school lessons Q: What made you pick the 8 series over other BMW models? A: It is the nicest BMW ever made. Its only flaw is its weight, but it hides it very well Q: What is it about the 8 you enjoy most? A: Its design, its exclusivity and the way it makes you feel like a million dollars Q: How often do you drive your CSi? A: I drive it mostly during weekends when the weather is good. I love to take it around Lake Geneva which is one of the largest lakes in Europe or to some nice mountain roads around Geneva 3 We can see why he enjoys driving around Lake Geneva
Not Just Another Pretty Car Because Alex lives close enough to walk to his job at a privately owned bank, he does not have to drive his car during the week. On weekends he takes his car out and enjoys every second driving his CSi. He had a very nice drive one day following his friend s Ferrari F355, which is a car he said he loves and one of the few he would consider trading the 850CSi for. He loves the occasional longer road trips too. Once he took a 4-day tour visiting the lakes of Northern Italy with a girlfriend and went to Munich last August to visit the BMW Museum. The car had a lot of success in its motherland! Truly enjoying the Autobahn to its fullest. At The Lake in Northern Italy 4
I can see why weekend drives would be so enjoyable with scenic roads like this! 5
Past and Presently Owned Bimmer's Alex said he is a BMW fan although he confesses that he is a little disappointed with the "modern" designs and Turbo engines, especially in the M cars. He previously owned among others two E30 325i (a 2-door and a Cabrio), a 3.0 M3 Cabrio and 2 Classic Minis which were great around town and for the winter. Previously owned this E36 M3 3.0 Cabrio Alex currently owns this M3 CSL with 57'000 km and loves it. He intends to attend a meeting in Munich this year to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this model. Alex has been considering keeping just one weekend car but cannot decide between the M3 CSL and the 850CSi. Alex has a dilemma. He needs a beater car for the winter and doesn't want to have 3 cars. I am sure when it comes down to making that call, the CSi will prevail. If not, 1996 CSi anyone! 6
Presenting Alex Antunes 1996 850CSi 7
At Last His CSi Techno Violet Paint Code #299 8
This Color Looks Exceptional in the Sunlight Some of the first pictures Alex took when he purchased the car with the 18'' M Parallel wheels. Tire Make: Pirelli P Zero Tire Size Front: 245/40ZR18 Tire Size Rear: 285/35ZR18 9
What a Stunning Interior Color Combination The interior is BMW Individual full leather in Dark Lilac and Mulberry. The wood is graphite bird's eye maple. Alex: I love the exterior color, but I confess that it took some time getting used to the interior. It is a lot nicer in reality than the pictures suggest though. Some people have suggested that I have it re-trimmed, but I don't want to modify such a unique car 10
M Horses Here Engine: S70B56 Size: 5 5765 576 cc HP: 380 This is a 5,576 cc (340 cubic inch) variant of the M70 engine. With 1,510 units produced, this is the lowest production BMW engine to date. Applications: 1992 1996 e31 850CSi The car is mostly stock. He has only removed the front license plate support as the Swiss plates are smaller than the European ones and also added a Strong Strut. 11
The Secret Side of Alex Mister 007 Alex: I love James Bond movies, hence my number plate ending with 007. As you might know, it seems Pierce Bronson drove an 850Ci at the time he was starring in GoldenEye. The E31 would have been perfect for a 007 movie. Just imagine some rocket launchers at the place of the pop-up headlamps! 12
Stop for a Photo Opportunity One of the things Alex enjoys is driving in the countryside. Most of us wish that our roads were as clear as these. Wine country in France Alex: I like to spend my summer weekends driving my cars or in a boat on the lake. I love spending time with family and friends. I went to some E31 meetings too, but they are usually quite far from where I live. I would love to attend to the 25 years of the 8 Series in Munich in 2014. We will see... 13
A Fan I Wonder Why? Alex: I am a basketball fan and my favorite team is the Lakers. It's only a coincidence that my car is purple. Alex s s CSi Fan Club 14
July 2010 Magazine Feature Some time ago Richard Lofthouse, an English journalist, came to the Geneva Motor Show and took the opportunity to take some pictures of my 850CSi. Should be Straight Double Six An article has been published in the July 2010 issue of the magazine "Straight Six" from the BMW Car Club UK.. Pictures By: Richard Lofthouse 15
Some Extras It is equipped with the early parkdistance-control option which was not very nice, but quite useful. The previous owner added front parking sensors that are a lot more discreet. BMW s s Professional RDS radio E31 Eight series 840 and 850 Strut Brace This is our new Eight Series Strong-Strut, developed out of popular request from the 8 Series owners. The new E 31 Strong-Strut is a new approach to a non pivoting design and a new breakthrough combining strength, medium weight and eye pleasing design. We use no stamped parts, hinged type hardware (pivoting) or castings in the manufacture. All the components are CNC machined from solid 6061 T6 hardened alloy and individually hand assembled and welded in a heavy steel fixture that replicates the E31 chassis. Strut Brace from www.strong-strut.com strut.com It is available in Black Textured supreme powder coat that matches the OEM black textured finish. Installation is a simple 20 minute exercise requiring no modifications to your car. All our products come with a 100% "no hassle" satisfaction guaranteed Price $475 + $15 shipping by UPS ground service. 16
And Alex friend s Maserati in the pictures is a GranSport "MC Victory" number 11 of 180 Cars & Coffee attendance in the winter months in Switzerland are light to say the least. Most cars are in their winter barns by now, but some dare to brave the cold conditions and make an appearance. This was one of those days. Just a few loyal friends getting together before snowfall. Alex: The E31 is always appreciated even if some people don't really know what it is Coming soon near you! 17
1996 850CSi Owner: Alex Antunes,, Geneva Switzerland For Making SoCal 8 s8 Alex Antunes Mr. 007 Car of the Month Alex wishes to thank all the active members on BimmerForums.com,, 8er.org and 8coupe.com 18