BMW M8
1990, V12 (S70/1), about 6.0l displacement, 550 hp, prototype,
number: 1
The BMW 850CSi is a detuned version
of the M8 which has never been produced and remained a prototype
only. The M8 should have been built in a consequently lightweight
manner in order to be a 'Ferrari-Killer'. The specially developed
550 hp engine has never been used except in the prototype - of which
only one exists. But with the support of McLaren the M8 engine was
transformed into the power plant of the McLaren F1 super sports car.
At the time of development of the M8 there was virtually no market
for such a car, so the BMW manager canceled the project.
The M8-Prototype is perhaps the best-kept secret of BMW.
Absolutely no one must see it or can get information, by order from
the general manager himself. Questions from motorsport magazines
remain unanswered as well. The car is locked away in the so-called
Giftschrank, which could be translated as 'poison-storage'.
According to BMW it is hidden behind lots of boxes anyway and will
be destroyed in the near future as the 8 series doesn't exist any
more and neither a successor.
The Prototype has never been road safe (even the headlights were
missing as you can see in the picture) and was only loosely patched
together, which is the reason why it is not presented in their
museum. It's not even good for that ...says BMW.
Yes, the papers of an 850CSi say, it's an M8, but
that's not of much use if you know what it could have been. What the
S70 engine is capable of speaks for itself. See the world record run of the
McLaren F1. The guys at McLaren say they could get 1000 hp at 9500
or 10000 rpm from the engine.
The different versions of the S70 engine:
| S70 |
5576 ccm |
380 hp, 24V, 850CSi |
1992 |
 |
| S70/1 |
about 6000 ccm |
550 hp, 48V(?), M8 prototype |
1990 |
| S70/2 |
6064 ccm |
627 hp, 48V, McLaren F1 |
1993 |
| S70/3 |
6064 ccm |
635 hp, 48V, McLaren F1 |
1996 |
| 
