MANHART revives the M8 E31 dream with the MH8 V8 Limited
It gets a 420hp V8 engine from the E39 BMW M5 performance sedan
It was the year 1989 when BMW unveiled its first-ever 8 Series luxury sports car at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The E31 iteration of the original 8 Series came equipped with a 380hp 5.0-litre aluminium V12 yet critics accredited it to be a better grand tourer than a legitimate sports car. Rumours went around about an M8 derivative of the E31 being prepared by BMW behind closed doors but that never materialised.
Until recently, German tuning house MANHART decided to make that myth a reality with its latest restomod project – the Manhart MH8 5.0 V8 Limited 01/05. As the name suggests, only five units will be made with the example featured in the pictures now up for sale for 149,000 euros. The MH8 in essence is a three-year-long development project by MANHART to revive the BMW E31 8 Series luxury coupe with added German muscle.
Commencing the upgrade proceedings, MANHART replaces the 380hp V12 with a 5.0-litre V8 from the E39-generation M5. This helps the MANHART MH8 make 420hp which gets sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. Brakes also get upgraded to a four-piston fixed calliper setup on the front axle. The MH8 gets a boost to its intended sports car characteristic by the fitment of the stainless steel MANHART sports exhaust system, lending a low-frequency rumble to the now-more powerful sports car.
MANHART rounds up the sports car look with a more crouched stance for the MH8, courtesy of H&R lowering springs in combination with Bilstein shock absorbers and 20-inch MANHART Concave One alloy wheels that fill up the wheel wells. Adding to the dynamic appearance is a beefier front and rear skirt of the 850CSi, M exterior mirrors and an aerodynamic spoiler on the boot lid.
The cabin of the MANHART MH8 receives a style boost with new leather upholstery for the seats, side panels, dashboard and centre console with contrast-coloured stitching. The driver’s favourite touch points comprising the steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake get draped in alcantara. The same material finds its way into the headliner including the pillar panelling.
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