[MickeyThompson]

I've always had the V8 (650i now), and never have driven the 6 cylinder engine. But the appears to be more allocations of new 840i and my dealer is pushing me in the direction of the 840…cost less with good performance. At this point, I'm not moved and still plan be purchase/order the M850i. But I'm interested in learning from others who have an 840 and experiences with the 6 cylinder engine in a non-suv vehicle.

[Tenac]

I've not even seen a 840i in person or at my dealer. I'd be interested to hear what those who own them say as well.

[peteinpa]

I have a 540 not an 8 obviously but same engine. I love it. Has get up and go when needed. Really good on gas especially in eco pro. Basically a well rounded vehicle.
These things can be subjective. It really boils down to how you drive. Think about your daily use. How many times do you need that glorious V8? Don't get me wrong I am sure I would enjoy the heck out of the V8 but not really needed for how I use the car.
You can always tune/mod if you need more out of the I6.

[snareman]

I feel like, without admittedly having driven either, that the 840 is more for looks and the M850 gets looks and performance and the M8 gets more of both and then some. My friend recently had an 840 GC as a loaner and he thought the engine was underpowered for the car. I suppose it depends on what you're looking for in a car.

[NYG1121]

They are all fast enough. But then why are we on these forums? The 850 (and M8) give you that extra emotion along with the insane power. Only you can decide whether that is worth it to you.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by MickeyThompson

I've always had the V8 (650i now), and never have driven the 6 cylinder engine. But the appears to be more allocations of new 840i and my dealer is pushing me in the direction of the 840…cost less with good performance. At this point, I'm not moved and still plan be purchase/order the M850i. But I'm interested in learning from others who have an 840 and experiences with the 6 cylinder engine in a non-suv vehicle.

The 840 is going to be slower than your 650.....

[adamg13]

If it's going to be the revised B58 with close to 400 hp I'd say it should be pretty solid in that car, but I didn't really like the previous version of 6 cylinder when I had it in the '20 X5 and '17 740. I believe that model was around 340hp, and while it wasn't slow in those cars, it was just "enough" to me.

Edit: Looks like the '23 840 still gets the 335 hp engine. Kinda strange of BMW to upgrade the engine in the cheaper models like the 2 thru X4 before the 8. I know it's a lower production vehicle, but I personally would be too annoyed by this to spend close to six figures if they're going to try and do me like that!

[BMWGirlFL]

Z4 M40i & the M240i have 382 hp. 840i would be "not enough" or "underpowered" for me. I think the M850i upcharge is relatively small and well spent on one of the few remaining opportunities to enjoy a V8.

[Bbbeemer]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Z4 M40i & the M240i have 382 hp. 840i would be "not enough" or "underpowered" for me. I think the M850i upcharge is relatively small and well spent on one of the few remaining opportunities to enjoy a V8.

I have an 840i GC, I would not say its underpowered but that is simply based on the roads available to drive it on. Living in the UK there are limited opportunities to use the full power of the 840 let alone an 850, the roads are busy, speed cameras (fixed or mobile), variable speed limits etc. means what you get with the 840i is plenty enough, the power is there when you need it and the 6 cylinder engine is smooth with the performance to suit the roads I am on, the GC is generally a nice place to be.

That said, if the 840 wasn't my daily drive I would have gone for an 850

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Bbbeemer

I have an 840i GC, I would not say its underpowered but that is simply based on the roads available to drive it on. Living in the UK there are limited opportunities to use the full power of the 840 let alone an 850, the roads are busy, speed cameras (fixed or mobile), variable speed limits etc. means what you get with the 840i is plenty enough, the power is there when you need it and the 6 cylinder engine is smooth with the performance to suit the roads I am on, the GC is generally a nice place to be.

That said, if the 840 wasn't my daily drive I would have gone for an 850

My opinion is based upon the higher powered version of the same I6 in a lighter car (Z4) after 24 years with V8s in heavier cars. It feels different to me, even when fast enough, and I prefer more, especially at high speed. Content with compromises I made to get a smaller car with a shorter wheelbase but ...

[Seaford]

For real world driving the 840i is way, way more than plenty based on my experience.

Obviously nobody is going to claim the bigger motor isn’t better/faster…… of course it is. It is also massively more expensive to buy and significantly more expensive to run, not to mention -and i am making an assumption here - worse for the environment.

It’s a bit like asking if a Bentley Continental W12 is better than an 850…of course it is…at a price.

The only way to know if an 840 is ‘enough’ is to have a test drive.

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Andybird

It is also massively more expensive to buy and significantly more expensive to run, not to mention -and i am making an assumption here - worse for the environment.

US price difference is roughly 15%. How do you calculate "massively more"?

[Seaford]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

US price difference is roughly 15%. How do you calculate "massively more"?

I suppose that is subjective. The UK base price for an 840 GC is £74,475, the price for a base model 850 GC is £104,030 which is getting on for 30%. Some of the difference is related to extra ‘non engine’ kit on the 850.

To my mind that is ‘massive’ but that is from the perspective that I am perfectly content with the 840 and do not, unfortunately, have unlimited funds to spend on a car. If I did of course i would go for the 850 (I wouldn’t, I would go for a Bentley or an Aston Martin)

[Beemer5to3]

I've got an 840i (UK spec car, 340ps version before they tweaked it down to 333ps because of emissions). I have to say it's got plenty of performance from literally no revs at all, and sounds so good too - personally love the sound of a straight 6, and it's exceptionally smooth as straight 6's are inherently. It's also capable of very good economy considering the performance on tap - I can quite easily get 40 mpg (UK) without any effort at all on a motorway journey. The B58 is also very reliable. All in all a great package I'd say, and I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

[BMWGirlFL]

Originally Posted by Andybird

I suppose that is subjective. The UK base price for an 840 GC is £74,475, the price for a base model 850 GC is £104,030 which is getting on for 30%. Some of the difference is related to extra ‘non engine’ kit on the 850.

To my mind that is ‘massive’ but that is from the perspective that I am perfectly content with the 840 and do not, unfortunately, have unlimited funds to spend on a car. If I did of course i would go for the 850 (I wouldn’t, I would go for a Bentley or an Aston Martin)

Arguably less than 30% because some of that is offset by higher residual value when trading or unspent if leased. My 4 door I6 pick would be the M340i and relatively massive savings if 8er pretty including the V8 inner beauty wasn't an option.

[Seaford]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Arguably less than 30% because some of that is offset by higher residual value when trading or unspent if leased. My 4 door I6 pick would be the M340i and relatively massive savings if 8er pretty including the V8 inner beauty wasn't an option.

Not sure I understand what you are saying about residual value?

With unleaded currently around £7 a gallon over here ((eq US$9+) the 850 is likely to suffer worse on residuals - not that I have ever seen one on the road over here!!

[BKgreyinTX]

I have an 840 GC, and love it. It picks up when I need it and I enjoy the ride. Considered the 850 and did extended test drives for both. Ultimately, the look and finish of the car is more important to me than the engine. At the time I picked my 840 up an 850 would've cost me about 25K usd more. Just couldn't justify the price jump for the additional HP and torque that I'd rarely use. As others have said, it is really subjective. Say do an extended test drive in the 840i to see if it will fit your needs.

[JustTony]

Love our 840xi GC. Previous two cars were a 750i and Tesla Model S, so while I miss the Tesla's instant torque, I'm totally happy with the 840 performance... But here in CT the roads are garbage and every road is either residential or a highway backed up with traffic... So there's not much opportunity to enjoy even the 840's performance.

Our 750i died an early death because of the well-known short life of the BMW 8-cylinder, so if you plan to keep it for > 80k miles you might choose the 6 for it's better lifespan.

We also have a 430xi and THAT is underpowered off the line. It's fine if you can keep it above 4,000 RPM. Anyway, that's where I draw the line... 4 cylinder is not enough, 6 is perfect.

[Beemer5to3]

Just to add to my earlier post - the B58 is a fantastic balance of performance, smoothness, and economy. I drove from Newcastle to Leeds in the UK this week, and below is what I achieved economy wise - unbelievable for 340hp petrol engine!