Gorgeous 2001 BMW 740i E38 M Sport Is the Ultimate German Luxury Bond Car

All those cars were 740i models (with the long wheelbase, so 740iL technically), but were rebadged ‘750iL’ for the purposes of the film – you can’t have James Bond drive some entry or mid-level spec Bimmer, now, can you? I mean the man has a license to kill, for crying out loud!

Before we get to this particular 740i, let’s touch on a little 7 Series history, because the E38 was a very important car for BMW all through the 1990s.

Development on the E38 kicked off all the way back in 1988, under the supervision of design boss Claus Luthe. Then, it was Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle who ended up putting the finishing touches on the styling, with the final design agreed upon in February of 1991. The car then went into production in 1994, with 730i and 740i variants being first out the gate.

Production on the 750i began in November of 1994, which was later joined by the 728i, 735i, and the diesel-powered 725tds. Then, in 1998 and 1999, the 730d and 740d would also come out to play.

Speaking of which, did you know that the E38 was the first ever 7 Series to be available with a diesel engine? Quite an accomplishment, especially for European buyers that wanted to travel long distances without constantly stopping to refuel.

Accomplishments

The E38 also happens to be the first car ever to come with curtain airbags, the first European model to offer sat-nav, and the first-ever BMW to have an in-built TV inside. When it finally made way for the E65 7 Series in 2001, the E38 became the last 7er to be available with a manual gearbox. Let’s not cry about that too much though, seeing as how most (if not all) luxury sedan buyers would obviously prefer an automatic transmission to a manual one. These types of vehicles are all about comfort and being relaxed while driving.

Still, various specs such as the 725tds, 728i, 730i and the 735i were available with five-speed manual transmissions, whereas the 740i could be had with a six-speed manual. Otherwise, all E38 models came with five-speed ZF 5HP automatic gearboxes, which were exceptionally good for that era.

In any case, it was the tech that impressed most when it comes to the E38 7 Series, from the likes of its ASC+T traction control system, dynamic stability control, headlight washers, auto-leveling low beam xenon HID headlights and side airbags, all standard by the way, to the so-called Active Comfort Seats (introduced in 1998), Electronic Damper Control, Park Distance Control, auto-dimming & power folding mirrors, power moonroof and rear sun blinds, rain-sensing wipers, plus much more.

It’s no wonder some people still adore these cars even today, and as luck would have it, we just found a stunning example currently up for grabs.

Check out this beauty

This is a 2001 BMW 740i in Scarab Green Metallic with a dual-tone Champagne White and English Green interior. Depending on the lighting conditions, the exterior can look green, it can look blue, it can even look a bit purple. It’s absolutely beautiful.

The car also happens to be fitted with the M Sport package, which is why I’d wager to say that it features the perfect proportions for this type of sedan model.

Other on-board goodies include xenon headlights, sunroof, heated front and rear leather seats, heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav and the previously mentioned Park Distance Control system. There are also a few modifications worth mentioning, namely the KW Variant 1 coilovers, a custom AC Schnitzer front lip, tinted windows and a Bluetooth module.

As for performance, power comes from BMW’s famous M62TUB44 4.4-liter V8 engine, producing 282 horsepower and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque, with everything going to the rear wheels via that ZF 5-speed automatic we just talked about. Maybe if this car had a manual gearbox, it would fetch more money as a collector’s item, but it wouldn’t have been very practical, at least not as a daily.

Initially, 740i models were fitted with the M60 4.0-liter V8, which only produced 295 lb-ft of torque, but between 1996 and 1998, BMW went with the M62 4.4L V8, featuring the same power output but more torque (325 lb-ft). Finally, between 1998 and 2001, peak torque was raised to 325 lb-ft.

This is probably one of the most beautiful E38 examples we’ve seen all year and while it may not be in mint condition (it does show 150,000+ miles, and a few paint chips here and there), its future owner will surely be thrilled to sit behind the wheel of a true German luxury icon.