BMW 7 Series History
BMW 7 Series History
Introduction
The BMW 7 Series is a line of full-size luxury vehicles. The 7 Series is BMW’s flagship car, available as a sedan or limousine. Traditionally, new features, technologies, and design themes are first introduced to the 7 Series before they trickle down to BMW’s lines of smaller sedans.
Early History
The first BMW 7 Series luxury car, the BMW E23, was introduced in 1977. The E23 replaced the BMW E3 large sedan, and was produced for ten years, from 1977 to 1987.
In 1986, the BMW E23 was replaced by the BMW E32 7 Series, and was considered the second generation. The E32 offered such luxury options as an integrated telephone system and fax machine, a wine cooler, double glazing, and traction control system.
The third generation 7 Series, the E38 was introduced in 1994. It was the first 7 Series to be available with a diesel engine and automatic five-speed transmission. It is said that the E38 was the first car to ever offer Xenon headlights and the first European car to offer an integrated satellite navigation screen.
The fourth-generation 7 Series, introduced in 2001, is called the E65, and after a facelift in 2005, quickly became the best-selling 7 Series ever.
Recent History
The BMW 7 Series is currently in its fifth generation, which was first introduced in 2008. The F01/F02 was the first 7 Series available with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, and also the first to have all engines turbo-charged.
There is also now a hybrid version of the 7 Series.
Fun Facts
Turns out, the 7 Series is a popular status symbol in Hollywood, and has been featured over the years in numerous movies and videos. The third generation E38 750i was featured as James Bond’s car in the 1997 film “Tomorrow Never Dies”, and the fourth generation E65 has been featured in various music videos, including those by 50 Cent, Rick Ross, and The Game.