Wow! I thought the 8 got a glowing report on tonights show and I was glad it wasn't one of those challanges that see them destroyed.
With James May betting his hair, I can see Jeremy and Hamster looking after them too as Clarkson especially likes to prove a point..... and its a point well deserved for the pair.
Not sure how a 17 year old car is going to stand up to a 9 year old car in a long term test.
However, I'm sure they will work out why a car that is 8 years older, not as quick, less powerful and not as well spec'd, costs the same amount of money to buy. Put the Merc in a street full of cars and you won't even notice it.
..only the faint smell of cocaine and fish.
Is this a first that TG does not plan to trash the cars they buy for a challenge of sorts?
Well, if it is, good on ya mates 
We, living in our E31 ivory tower and only occasionally catching a glimpse of what is happening beyond the 8er event horizon, are about to learn that even in the UK prices for 8ers seem to hold up better than for other cars/makes although, quite honestly, the niveau is not that far above sea level to make it seem a relevant finding 
The Top Gear car, after looking through the data sheets has in fact turned out to be CB58067 and as was to be expected upon closer view is the very same that was offered for sale on Pistonheads in May.
So for the TG connoisseur this would have been the chance to obtain one of the last RHD M70´s (5 to follow) with a broken nose and including snot pebbles, lady juice and Hamster pubes 
Has anyone seen Cpt. Killjoy lately?
Cheers
Reinhard
Pop up headlights.....
It's the only reason I bought the car too
It's not a fake, it's just a very old picture of him.
Indeed - cars in the background are Ferrari 550 Maranellos - 1996-2001. Trust he wouldn´t look any better today with said "hairdo".
Reinhard
If you want to watch it again follow this link.
the m70 is 300 ish hp.
the m73 is 327hp.
so the 850 dyno'd 3hp short after17 years. not bad imo
http://www.videobb.com/video/L3TRSXS8CYBB
Result for the M70 was 269HP on the flywheel compared to "296" ex factory which means a loss of 27HP, not 3HP.
The absolute value itself does not mean a lot but the comparison with the Merc surely went as was to be expected anyway... 
Book values for 0-62mph for the C215 are around 6 seconds flat with more or less a second more for the M70 E31. Not a surprise with (here) near 100HP more available.
As was pointed out performancewise the CSi ought to have been the competitor but try and find one you would trust for under 7k GBP 
Cheers
Reinhard
Despite the small wheels, big mirrors and lack of the later body "enhancements" the E31 featured still looks so much nicer and more "special".
We all know the average E31's not that fast, not equipped with every gadget ever thought of and getting long in the tooth - but we still wanted one enough to go out and hand over the folding stuff.
Despite owning the "lesser V8", I regularly get approached in car parks(and it's not me they're interested in 
) - somehow, in a big Merc I can't see that happening.......;-)
All I have to do is avoid taking on that Merc V12 next time I find myself beside one on a runway.
Well must say that whent a lot better then expected 
Will see what the future brings 
for these two car's
we should contact the BBC and offer some advice on the typical service stuff for a 17 year old 850.. After all, they've bought both cars and want to report back on them ... Surely, we could send them to Gerry - then the 850 would be bullet - proof
Contact Richard Hammond, he owns the car - shouldn't be that hard to track down :p
Great idea and we could support them by turning up in mass...
May even get a go on the test track!
Those of us with a V12
I just sent them an email via the Top Gear website. "top.gear@bbc.co.uk"
I will let you know what they say if anything
[/email]
Should also tip them about all the international expertice here at 8er.org and that makes it easy owning a car like the 850.
As well as pointing out hove many still loving this car
Sure you will not find the same entusiasm for the merc 600
Regrds
Terje
I would be quite happy to tweak that old 850 for them. Some Eibachs, front camberplates and some bushes would see it stomp that Merc on a circuit and maybe a set of Bilsteins to dump the EDC. Finished off with an alignment and she will be like new.
Can't do anything about the power now the tests been done but a good service and a minor remap would have given the old girl a fighting chance.
You guys put me forward and I'll fly the E31 flag.
8Tech.
AND I'll tell em its not a Ci! They should have run my car against it on the dyno and along the strip.
Zitat von 8Tech;90526AND I'll tell em its not a Ci!
It is an 850Ci despite the M70 engine. Starting from January 1993 the 850i was renamed to 850Ci. To make things completely confusing the M70 and M73 850Ci were manufactured alongside each other for 10 months in 1994.
Anyway, the point here is not beating the Mercedes on the track. Of course it would have been interesting to see the E31 perform in situations where aggressive turning or corner exit speed are important because AHK would certainly have given it an advantage despite the lack of power. In most other tests the 850Ci would have lost straight away...
The point of Top Gear is finding out whether these cars can compete with a brand new car in terms of reliability. Anyone who starts with throwing money against the BMW or Mercedes to improve them, lost the challenge in advance. Taken into account that one of the most heard comments to potential new owners is that the E31 costs an arm and leg just to keep it on the road, it's not looking good for the E31...
In my opinion the outcome of this Top Gear challenge was already known before it began - just as with most other Top Gear challenges. Top Gear is not a car review program with unbiased opinions - it's just pure entertainment. My guess is that the outcome of this challenge is "yes you can buy supercars for the price of the cheapest new car on the market, but the reliability is nowhere close". If the cars don't break down by themselves, I'm sure Jeremy and Richard will help them a bit ;).
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