If it were a finely sculpted horse rearing on its badge rather than a stylized airplane propeller, today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe contender would be a hands down winner. As it is, this V12 super coupe comes with the badge with the prop, and that means its price is currently up in the air.
Carroll Shelby's probably looking down from above, lamenting that he can't sue anybody for using his name any more. And, if he's anything like the rest of us, one place he won't mind seeing it emblazoned is on yesterday's '90 Dodge Daytona Shelby. That nicely preserved ‘80s hoonmobile not only proudly carried the Shelby moniker, but also toted home a respectable 87% Nice Price win.
With its white body over blood-red interior, that Daytona was like a peanut M&M - smooth on the outside, and a little nutty within. In contrast, today's Teutonic twelve cylinder BMW 850CI is reputationally a smooth operator no matter which side of the glass you are on. And this particular Bavarian former range-topper comes with a chip on its shoulder.
Okay, that's a metaphorical shoulder as the chip's really in the ECU - and it's made by Dinan, noted maker of things that make fast BMWs go even faster. This one is claimed to make a healthy 330-bhp from its re-mapped engine brain, good for a 180-mph top end without having to be dropped from the back of a C130 at altitude.
That engine is also said to have benefitted from some recent work including a new water pump, intake gaskets and battery. New meats fill the wheel wells and the ad makes the claim that the car still feels brand new. That's likely not a stretch as it does purport the car to have but 40,000 miles on its clock.
No interior pics are provided, nor is there any mention of which gearbox this big coupe possesses, either manual or automatic, but I think most of them were slushers so odds are this one carries only two pedals. Outside the low mileage is evident as the car looks awesome in the pics as its iridescent green paint seems comprised of millions of Arizona June Beetles. Plus, who doesn't love pop-up headlamps?
Thing of it is, there's a critical piece of information missing in the ad and that's the year from which this 850 hails. It's definitely a ‘94 or newer as it does say the engine is a 5.5-litre, by which it probably means the 5.4 M73B54. Regardless, with the Dinan chip it's now creeping up on the 5.6-litre 850CSi's 375 ponies.
As brought up earlier, BMW's big coupe provides much the same bit of kit as a contemporary Ferrari GT, but of course never has had the provenance to go along with it. That's why, at this one's $12,800 asking price, it's a lot less dear than a contemporary twelve cylinder Italian. The most direct comparison from south of the Alps being the Ferrari 456GT, examples of which typically command upwards of four times this twelve's price.
But does that make it the knowledgeable car nut's deal of the day? What do you think, is this 850CI worth $12,800 for its twelve cylinders? Or, is that amount make this Bimmer dimmer?
You decide!
St Louis Craigslist or go hereif the ad disappears.
H/T to Padraic for the hookup
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