Section: E38 7 Series

Editorial: 5 to 7 Series Encroachment

Sections: E38 7 Series, E39 5 Series, E60 5 Series, E65/E66 7 Series, F01 7 Series, F10 5 Series, Opinion Mar 5th, 2010 10 Comments

While this editorial has been in the works since late last year, I have refrained from publishing it until now- to better coincide with the official public unveiling of the the 2011 F10 BMW 5 Series.

BMW since the 1970′s has had separate classes of sedans based mainly on size and the level of luxury. This was even true through the late 80′s and 90′s when BMW was accused of producing “the same sausage at different lengths”. The 3 Series has always been the smaller sportier car with less luxury and available options while the flagship sedan was the posh 7 Series. The 7 exuded class and luxury. It was loaded with latest exclusive technologies and ultra premium materials while providing its clientele with copious quantities of space both in the passenger compartment and luggage area. The 5 Series has always been somewhere in the middle in terms of size, luxury and available technology.

Looking at the current 3 series (E90: 2005- current), the current 5 (E60: 2003- until this June), and the last generation 7 series (E65: 2002-2009) it is hard for most to discern the shared design language let alone shared components. Chris Bangle led the revolution to change the look of BMWs, “We were making sausages at different lengths and management at that time and especially Chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim and technical director Wolfgang Reitzle felt we needed to break away and chart a new course for the company and the brand,” Bangle said in David Kiley’s book Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World. Under his leadership (he did not pen the designs) each model had its own style and enough exclusive bits and pieces to make each standout as an individual. Engines, transmissions and other mechanicals were shared throughout the lineup but for the most part things went their separate ways, especially once you openned the doors and gazed at the interior.

7 Series: A brief history

Sections: E23 7 Series, E32 7 Series, E38 7 Series, E65/E66 7 Series, EfficientDynamics, F01 7 Series Jun 25th, 2008 3 Comments

With the upcoming release of the next generation BMW 7 Series we thought a nice stroll down memory lane would be in order. We have compiled a brief history of the model line since the inception of the 7 moniker in 1977.

The first 7 Series followed the BMW design that was introduced in the 1977 6 Series coupe. It combined an elegant exterior along with new technical innovations. This original 7 (E23) was designed to provide the sporty handling of a BMW along with powerful refined engines in a package for the upper class of society. The initial flagship of this first 7 series was released in 1980 as the 745i. Interestingly enough the car’s designation did not indicate displacement (and many thought today’s models started that trend!) it was powered by a 3.2 litre turbo 6-cylinder engine. It was one of the performance leaders in the sedan segment at the time. Over the 9-year span it was built (1977-1986) about 280,000 of this model were produced. It was a huge success for BMW.