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The E23 has always been a design which to me has been quite polarizing. As with the E12 and E24, Paul Bracq was heavily involved in the final design and it shows – in many ways, the E23 looks like a cross between the two that was scaled up 10%. The results of that in my mind weren’t always good. Growing up, my father had both E24s and E28s, clean looking, well proportioned designs, and when I first saw an E23 I remember thinking it looked a bit ungainly. In U.S. specification, the bumpers were too big and the wheels were too small, resulting in a car which appeared heavy, sagging and sad. When he’s really upset, my son manages to invert his lip and stick it out, tears streaming down his cheeks. It’s a look which nearly mimics the U.S. spec front end of the E23 I now recognize. However, in European trim the E23 made more sense – it looked lighter, smaller and better proportioned. While not as stately as the W116, it certainly looked a fair bit sportier outside and more modern. Couple those European-market looks with some great period BBS RS wheels and the look is just about perfect; throw in the turbocharged M106 motor and you’ve peeked much interest. Of course, unfortunately the M106 was only pared with an automatic transmission – but then, what would happen if you swapped that for a 5-speed?
German cars are know as being exact in their engineering, and even the model designation of the turbocharged E23 7 series takes this mantra to heart. This particular 745i does not, in fact, have a 4.5 liter inline-6 as suggested by the badge on the trunk. Rather, it designates that the turbocharged powerplant under the hood has 1.4 times the power output of the normally aspirated unit it is based on. These E23 7 series sedans had the same aggressive front snout as the beloved E24 6 series and moved the BMW game forward in terms of technology, with service interval indicators, anti-lock brakes and climate control systems appearing during the production run. The 745i Turbo was offered in North America between 1979 and 1986, first with a 3.2 liter inline six and then upgraded to the 3.4 unit that we see here. This example for sale in Georgia is a Euro market model that has the optional water buffalo leather, lending quite a unique air to the interior.
In my older years, when the car barn comes to fruition, I would like at least two 7-series in the collection: an E38 740i sport,…
Today on 10K Friday we’re going to look at how much luxury you can buy for around $10,000. Unlike last week’s look at two sport…
The E23 7-series gets a little less love than the other 80s BMW body styles and is a little too old to get more attention…
