Big Brake Kit
XYZ Racing Hollow Front Brake Kit — Bmw 8 SERIES E31 (1990-1999)
SKU: XYZ-BRK-BKF-BM-001-FRONT
- IncludesFront axle pair (2 discs + 2 calipers)
- PositionFront
- Disc Ø330–444 mm
- Caliper pots6 / 8 / 12-pot
- Lead time10–15 working days
Fits Bmw 8 SERIES E31 (1990-1999)
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Caliper render for this kit:
The E31 8 Series was BMW’s most ambitious grand tourer of the 1990s, built around eight- and twelve-cylinder engines in a body pressing close to two tonnes at the kerb. Stopping a car of this mass from autobahn-legal cruising speeds places a substantial and sustained load on the front brakes, the axle that carries the longitudinally-mounted engine and absorbs the majority of every deceleration event. Thirty-plus years of heat cycling, compound changes and caliper seal degradation mean the original hardware is working considerably harder than the Munich engineers intended.
The XYZ Racing Hollow front brake kit for the BMW 8 Series E31 targets that front axle specifically. It is a single-axle kit, a matched pair of front calipers and two-piece floating front discs for the left and right corners, covering all engine variants across the full 1990-1999 production span.
What this brake kit does for your 1990-1999 Bmw 8 SERIES E31
The hollow-vane disc ventilates the swept face as the rotor turns, pulling heat away from the friction zone more effectively than a solid profile under the sustained braking loads a car this heavy generates, while the two-piece floating construction lets the disc expand without distorting. For an 840Ci or 850i carrying its mass at continental speeds, that reduction in operating temperature translates directly to fade resistance on fast A-roads and alpine descents. Brake balance loads the front axle hardest under heavy stops, so it is the right place to add capacity, and dropping rotating and unsprung mass there also sharpens steering feel. Three pad compounds let the owner match friction characteristics to actual use: a concours-condition 840i sees different demands from an 850CSi being driven with intent through the mountains. Street is the quiet, low-dust road default, Sport adds bite and heat range for fast-road work with the odd track day, and Racing is the dedicated circuit compound. Included painted caliper colours are Red, Yellow, Gold, Black and Anodized Black at no extra cost, with a Custom Color in any Pantone available, giving the finished installation a considered appearance through the E31’s original alloy design.
About the Hollow Front Brake Kit
The XYZ Racing Hollow front brake kit takes its name from the internal geometry of the disc: rather than a solid casting, the rotor incorporates hollow vanes that let air circulate through the braking zone during rotation. This sustained airflow reduces the thermal load the disc retains between events, extending pad life and holding more consistent friction behaviour across a run, and the two-piece floating disc grows cleanly under heat. The caliper body is hollow-cast as standard, with an optional Hollow Racing caliper, no dust cover, a 1000C rating and a two-year warranty, for serious track use. Three pad compounds address the spectrum from road use through fast road to full circuit work, with bite scaled accordingly. Included painted caliper finishes are Red, Yellow, Gold, Black and Anodized Black at no extra cost, with a Custom Color in any Pantone for £150 and premium polished-forged Titanium, Polished Gold and Polished Silver plus candy Teal, Blue, Red and Orange. Discs come drilled or slotted at the same price, and centre bells can be two-tone anodized in five colours or titanium. On a car of the E31’s age, pairing fresh hardware with correctly specified pad compounds is the more complete approach.
Fitment for the Bmw 8 SERIES E31 (1990-1999)
This front brake kit is confirmed for the BMW 8 Series on the E31 platform, covering the complete 1990-1999 production run across V8 and V12 engine variants. If a previous brake upgrade has been installed on this car, verify the existing hub and caliper mounting dimensions against the factory specification before ordering.
What buyers also search for
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- BMW 8 Series classic car brake upgrade with modern compound options and colour-matched calipers
Set your pad compound, disc style and caliper colour using the options above to configure yours.
What’s in the kit
Front axle kit — supplied as a complete bolt-on assembly.
- 2×Two-piece floating discs — 330–444 mm: you pick the exact diameter with the "Disc size" option
- 2×Lightweight aluminium centre bells
- 2×Forged aluminium calipers — 6 / 8 / 12-pot
- 2×High-stiffness mounting brackets
- 2×Braided stainless steel brake lines
- 4×High-performance brake pads (1 set)
- 1×Fitting hardware & tools pack
Choosing your spec
Every kit is built to order around the choices you make above. Here is what each option actually changes, so you can spec yours with confidence.
Brake pads — Street, Sport or Racing
Every kit ships with a full set of high-performance pads; the compound is your call.
Street is the right default for fast-road driving — a strong, progressive cold bite with low noise, low dust and long disc life. Sport raises the working temperature and adds bite and fade resistance for hard road use and the occasional track day, while still behaving on a cold morning. Racing is a track compound built for sustained abuse: huge fade resistance and bite once heat is in it, at the cost of more noise and dust when cold. Match the pad to how hard you actually use the brakes — there is no benefit to a race pad that never gets up to temperature.
Caliper grade — Hollow vs Hollow Racing
Hollow is the standard caliper on every kit: a hollow-body forged caliper, lighter than a solid one, fitted with a dust cover and backed by a 5-year oil-leak warranty. For most fast-road and spirited track use it is all the caliper you need.
Hollow Racing is the track-grade upgrade. It runs the same hollow body but without a dust cover (so there is nothing to melt at sustained high temperature), uses a twin-metal piston that isolates heat travelling from the disc to the oil seal, and is rated to 1000°C. Available 286–380mm (front). Warranty is 2 years on oil leaks and 10 years on appearance. Built for professional racing and repeated track days.
Caliper colour & finish
Painted colours (Red, Yellow, Gold, Black, Anodized Black) are included at no cost. Want an exact match to your car? Custom Color (+£150) paints the calipers to any Pantone code you supply (15–20 day lead time).
Polished Forged finishes are the flagship: a forged caliper given a mirror-polished surface treatment that shifts colour with the viewing angle. Beyond the looks, the polished surface dissipates heat better, resists rust and stands up to the weather. Choose Titanium (neochrome, +£350), Polished Gold (+£300) or Polished Silver (+£250). They look their best paired with a titanium centre bell. Care: clean only with a dilute neutral cleaner or water.
Candy colours (+£200) use a deep candy-paint and polishing process for a mirror-reflection, boutique finish — pick Teal, Blue, Red or Orange (shown below right).
Centre bells
The centre bell is the CNC-machined aluminium hat that joins the disc to the hub. The standard anodized centre bell is included. The Two-tone bell (+£200) adds an anodized accent ring — choose Red, Yellow, Orange, Purple or Silver right here at checkout. The Titanium centre bell (+£500) is a forged titanium bell (bolts not included) that finishes off the polished-forged look.
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More XYZ products for the Bmw 8 SERIES E31 appear here as the rest of the range publishes.