We recently showed you a video about a car enthusiast who decided to buy the cheapest BMW 850i on Autotrader, a move that risks financial and mental ruin. The BMW 850i is notoriously unreliable, thanks to finicky electronics and being overly complicated. It’s also incredible expensive to maintain, as a high-end BMW V12 is never going to be cheap to fix and all of the parts are quite rare. So it was an interesting move to buy such a car. But what about a near-perfect example, one that isn’t cheap but also comes with quite a bit of prestige?
Currently for sale on Autotrader UK, this 1993 BMW 850i was once owned by the Sultan of Brunei himself. Known for having quite possibly the most insane and expensive car collection on Earth, the Sultan of Brunei has always had some of the coolest cars. The Sultan bought this specific BMW 850i when it was new and ordered it in this unique color combination. It’s supposedly the only right-hand drive example wearing this color paint in the world.
While I’m more of a fan of black for the BMW 8 Series, it looks really quite pretty in this Maldives Blue Metallic paint. Especially with Dove Grey interior. By the way, check that ruched leather. How wonderfully, ’90s. The entire car, both its stunning exterior and luxurious interior are in near perfect condition, despite a few owners having had it since the Sultan.
The BMW 850i came with a 5.0 liter V12 engine that made 296 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. While that isn’t a ton for a V12, the silky smooth power delivery and wonderful noise more than make up for it. Plus, it’s still decently quick, clocking 0-60 mph in just over six seconds. This specific car is equipped with a five-speed automatic, which isn’t ideal but not a deal breaker. The six-speed manual option was the better fit, because it just worked better and also because a rear-wheel drive, V12-powered coupe with a manual gearbox is the stuff of enthusiasts’ dreams.
This specific car has 31,600 miles on it, which is absolutely nothing for a car from 1993. So it’s in superb condition and will last quite a while. Unfortunately, it’s worth £36,995, which isn’t cheap for a car that can be had for significantly less. Though, this one was owned about the Sultan of Brunei and it’s a very unique color.
