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There are also European models and US-versions. They differ sometimes in extras, overall gearing and power.

Until not explicitly said otherwise, the information presented on this site refers to the European models.

The following amount of 8-series cars has been manufactured from May 1989 until May 1999:

The Alpina B12 5.0 and 5.7 coupes are tuned versions of 850is and 850CSis and do therefore not add to the total of 8-series cars built.

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BMW 830i 04/1992 - 12/1992, prototype, number: 18 The 830i was conceived as the entry model of the 8 series. 18.
Prototypes have been built and all of them were destroyed again. None of the 830s has ever been ready for production let alone for sale.
BMW will not disclose the type of engine used in those prototypes.

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BMW 840Ci

07/1993 - 02/1996
V8 (M60)
4.0l displacement
286 hp
number: 4728

01/1995 - 05/1999
V8 (M62)
4.4l displacement
286 hp
Number: 3075

Only two years after its introduction in 1992 the 850i's sales numbers dropped by two thirds, BMW had to make the 8 series more attractive.
Along with the 850CSi as the sport version (not advertised as an M car) there had to come an entry model. After the 830i proved to be improperly motorized, the four-liter M60 engine was selected.
The 840Ci got an engine upgrade in 1995. It appears that both engines were available in 1995 and 1996 at the same time.
The new M62 engine did not only have more torque but it didn't have the old M60's problems with American high-sulfur fuel which caused many problems until then.
The 840Ci was available with a 5-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox in Europe. In the United States there was only the 5-speed automatic transmission.

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BMW 850i

05/1989 - 12/1992, V12 (M70)
5.0l displacement
300 hp
Number: unknown (including M70 850Ci: 20072)

At the time of its introduction in the beginning of the 1990s it was one of the, if not the advanced car of its time.
For the first time there was a twelve-cylinder engine available with a six-speed manual gearbox.
New as well was the seat-integrated retaining-system, the integral rear axle (which got perfected in the 850CSi) and the still unique integration of low beams, high beams and fog lights - three lamps - into pop-up headlights.
The 850i was available with either a 4-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual gearbox.

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BMW 850Ci

01/1993 - 10/1994, V12 (M70)
5.0l displacement
300PS
Number: unknown (including M70 850i: 20072)

02/1994 - 05/1999, V12 (M73)
5.4l displacement
326PS
Number: 1218

It is quite tricky to distinguish between the 850i and the 850Ci.

You can read from the production table that production of these two models was overlapping for eight months. And the upgrade to the advanced M73 engine did not coincide with the change in the type designation.
In addition even material from BMW contradicts itself.
You can read in the owner's handbook of a '93 850CSi that the 850Ci has a 300hp engine (the M70).
According to BMW production figures the 850Ci does only exist since the M73 engine with 326hp was built into it (1994).

The 850Ci with M70 engine was available with a 4-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission, the 850Ci with M73 power plant only with the 5-speed automatic gearbox.
So there are no 5.4l 850s that are manual.

With the introduction of the 850CSi BMW added the shortcut C (for Coupé) to all their coupés. The 850i became the 850Ci.
The additional S in CSi means sport. Maybe that should remind of the 635CSi.

Since 01/1993 leather seats became standard, the adaptive 4-speed automatic, folding rear seat backs and the ski bag were introduced.

Source: e31.net