The BMW 8-series started out with one type of engine only, the V12 M70B50. Almost three years into the production BMW expanded the choice by offering the S70B56 marking the top end of the line complemented by the then new M60B40 V8 engine. Initial plans to offer the less powerful M60B30 3.0L V8 engine were scrapped after only 18 prototype units.
The 840Ci henceforth was the entry model of the 8-series and soon surpassed the sales figures for the aging M70B50 and also its successor the M73B54 5.4L V12. A total of 4728 840Ci with the 4.0L engine were produced until this type of engine was replaced with the 4.4L M62B44 in 1996.
The 840Ci with M60 engine was built using 5 different type codes
| Type
Code |
Steering |
Gearbox |
Count |
| EF51 |
LHD |
M |
329 |
| EF52 |
RHD |
M |
54 |
| EF61 |
LHD |
A |
1780 |
| EF62 |
RHD |
A |
916 |
| EF63 |
LHD
US |
A |
1649 |
The best selling market for the 840Ci with M60 engine was North America (1622) followed by Germany (1079) and the UK (787).
The production of the M60 840Ci in Dingolfing ended on February 16th, 1996 with one car for France (CC78345) and one for the UK (CB97968).