BMW 7 Series
Built by well-known German car manufacturer BMW, the 7 Series was the first large four-door sedan produced by the company. It was made to compete with other larger and more luxurious cars on the market, like those built by Mercedes-Benz. The BMW 7 Series first made its debut in 1977 and quickly became the company's flagship model. With each edition, BMW's 7 Series incorporated the latest designs in technology, plush furnishings, and smart trims. The smaller cars in their portfolio all inherited their sporty good-looks and high-end finish from the 7s.
History of the BMW 7 Series
The Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) was founded in 1916. Besides building cars, the company also builds aircraft engines and motorbikes; aircraft engines being their first until a post-war armistice temporarily ceased production, then they shifted to making motorbikes instead. In 1930, the tiny Dixi was the first car they built, it took more than 40 years and the arrival of the BMW 7 Series until the cars they built had fully grown up. The 1977 first generation was BMW's biggest four-door sedan to roll off the production line, it was also the most luxurious, and would soon be manufactured in all corners of the globe. Designed by Paul Braque, codenamed E23, the first generation BMW 7 Series included the 728i, 732i, 733i, 735i, 745i and the L7. Using the same six-cylinder engine as its predecessor (the E3), all 7s except for the 745i were fitted with a 12-valve M30 fuel-injected petrol engine: the straight-6. Throughout its 10-year production, depending on the year, the E23 came with either 4 or 5-speed manual, or 3 or 4-speed automatic transmission. Technologies such as an on-board computer, which told the driver various issues, and other features like the anti-lock breaking system, electric seats, internal wood trim and Michelin TRX wheels, all became standard. The BMW 7 series were, at the time, very sophisticated. The second generation 7s took over in 1986, codenamed E32, and adding models 735i, 740i, and 750i to the series. Built until 1994, these BMW 7 series' had optional extras including phones, wine coolers, fax machines and double glazing. Next came BMW's 7 series third generation: E38. Produced from 1994, it was the first in the series to be fitted with a diesel engine.
Special editions of the BMW 7 Series
From 1979-86, a high-performance 745i European model (left-hand drive) was fitted with first a special 3.2L engine, then a 3.4L called the M102; in South Africa, the right-hand drive 745i couldn't accommodate a turbocharger so was fitted with a 24-valve M1 Motorsport engine. And, though not quite part of the BMW 7 Series, the Cumberford Martinique two-seater open-top adopted the 733i's engine and transmission.