As we prepare to say goodbye to the modern 8 Series, BMW is throwing back to the original. Rare images taken in the wind tunnel in the 1980s show the E31. Not just the stunning coupe we all know, but also the lesser known convertible prototype. Enthusiasts will remember that Munich once toyed with the idea of a droptop. Well, this elusive variant rarely appears in this collage posted on social media.
Of the 30,621 units produced between 1989 and 1999, all were built with a solid metal roof. Nevertheless, BMW developed a one-off 850i Cabriolet between 1989 and the end of 1990. Despite the time and resources put into the open-air version, the convertible was ultimately discontinued. Why? Management feared that the popularity would not be great enough to justify the financial investment.
One of the pictures showing the coupe in the wind tunnel is dated November 5, 1987. The production version only appeared a few years later and was presented at the IAA in Frankfurt in September 1989. Work on the E31 had begun in the mid-1980s, and the car was not intended as a replacement for the E24 6 Series, but rather as a more upmarket product.
Designed by Klaus Kapitza, the OG 8 series was not only an eye-catcher, but also featured a remarkably slim case. Wind tunnel testing and computer-aided design (CAD) techniques contributed to its impressively low drag coefficient of 0.29. In contrast, the first generation 6 had a drag coefficient of 0.39 when Paul Bracq wrote his beautiful lines in the early 1970s.
After the E31 was retired, we had to wait almost two decades for the 8 Series to return. When the G15 came out, BMW finally brought an 8 Series convertible to market with the introduction of the G14 in 2018. Now the second generation 8 Series is on the verge of extinction, and to make matters worse, there is no replacement in sight.
Speaking of models with folding roofs that are not coming back: We also had to say goodbye to the Z4 this week.
Photos: BMW Classic / Instagram
