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Bright red isn’t a color you would typically paint an executive sedan, but, in the case of the E38 BMW 7 series, somehow it worked. Imola Red was, however, offered as an option on the E38 and was a popular choice with those opting for the M-Sport package. It can be a bit tricky to identify a true M-Sport, as the real defining features are the high stall speed torque converter and lower ratio differential. However, the visual clues are fairly easy to spot, such as the Shadowline trim, M-Parallel alloys, M Steering wheel and the countour/sport seats. This 740i M-Sport for sale in South Carolina is described as a one owner car that is showing just over 112k miles on the odometer. These late model E38s have turned into a bit of a cult classic, given the styling direction of the 7er that followed.
I’ve featured quite a number of BMWs over the past week, but none of which are quite as impressive and imposing as this 2001 750iL with an incredibly low 12,000 miles on the odometer. This final year V12 powered E38 is, for the, the stuff dreams are made of. BMW nailed it with the styling on this executive express, made even more attractive with the Style 37 M Parallel wheels. This car also has a bit of celebrity status attached to it, having been owned by the singer Steve Perry since new. Still lamenting the direction 7 series styling has gone in the last 15 years? Here’s another chance to own an almost new E38.
The year 2001 would mark a watershed moment for BMW in the executive segment. This was the final year the E38 7 series would be produced. Usually, the arrival of a new model would be received with much anticipation, but sales for the venerable 7 series would increase in its final months of production as people caught wind of what was coming down the pike with the E65 7 series. Customers seemed put off by the radical new styling and new technology such as iDrive. They longed for the classic BMW shape, a car which didn’t necessarily define a certain class of car but always stood out as the alternative choice for someone who wanted just a little bit more when it came to a large luxury sedan. This 2001 740i M Sport for sale in New York is ordered up the way I would want my E38. Looking mean in black with the Style 37 M Parallel wheels, this is the perfect blend of luxury and sport.
Following on from the final E24 we featured on Tuesday, here’s another big BMW from the 1980s. Here and there we’ve seen a few nice E23s, including the uncommon Alpina B10 3.5 Carter featured last week. This 733i with its 3-speed automatic is more of a relaxed cruiser than that Alpina special, but this has to be one of the lowest mileage E23s left in existence, showing just over 12,000 miles on its odometer. While it’s not the ultimate iteration of the E23, it’s certainly a flashback to the beginning of a golden era at BMW.
We’ve covered a lot of Alpina models on these pages, but today’s example was a new one to me. In fact, it may be a new one to you, too – because this might be the most rare Alpina model produced. Alpina didn’t have a lot to do with the early 7 series for a few reasons; one, they didn’t sell in big numbers and most of Alpina’s work was concentrated on the smaller and sportier 3,5 and 6 series. But BMW offered a factory hotrod itself in the turbocharged 745i in 1981, and at that point Alpina seemed to give up the ghost on development of the E23 – or did it? The problem was that in Great Britain, the 745i wasn’t available, so Alpina dealer Sytner had the company develop a specific U.K market model. Based upon the 735i, the B10 3.5 featured a 261 horsepower Alpina 3.5 liter motor, normal Alpina suspension upgrades and wheels and some subtle exterior and interior changes. Although these cars were not built in Germany, they are nonetheless considered real Alpinas. Only a scant 22 were built, and one is for sale today:
