autoevolution 6 Apr 2021, 11:17 UTC · by A celebrated design at BMW and within the auto industry, the 8 Series is a modern classic penned using CAD tools and the wind tunnel. The cooler and costlier sibling of the 6 Series also happens to be the first road-going car to combine a V12 with a six-speed manual, and back then, it was one of a handful of road cars fitted with drive-by-wire throttle. 43 photos Revealed at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, the E31 as BMW refers to the sleek-styled coupe is one of the first Bimmers to feature a multi-link rear axle. Unfortunately for the Bavarian automaker, the 8 Series didn’t sell as well as originally anticipated over unforeseen events such as energy price spikes, the Gulf War (1990 to 1991), and a global recession (1990 to 1992).