When BMW Built an M7 That America Never Got

Aiming for the Three-Pointed Star

Wind back the clock about 60 years ago, and it could be said that BMW wasn't entirely a direct competitor for Mercedes-Benz. Its flagship sedan, the E3 Bavaria, was noticeably smaller than the W108 300 SE of the era, but all of that changed by the '70s.

The '70s saw the introduction of the Series models we now know today. The 5 Series was first introduced in 1972, followed by the 3 Series in 1975. After that, BMW finally had a true rival for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the form of the 7 Series in 1977. Internally known as the E23, it was Munich setting its sights squarely at Stuttgart.

Top of the Range: The 745i

The highest trim America ever got was the 735i, which replaced the 733i. It used the M30 straight-six engine, and was good for 182 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque. Mind you, the Euro version wasn't strangled by emission regulations, so that one produced 215 hp and 229 lb-ft in later guises.

What didn't land in the U.S was the punchy (for its time) 745i. Now, for those who say that BMW badges don't match their respective engine capacities these days, the company has been at it for about 50 years now. The 745i did not, in fact, have a 4.5-liter engine, but rather a turbocharged 3.2-liter (later, 3.4-liter) inline-six with 248 hp and 280 lb-ft. The thing is, there was a mightier 745i available, but you had to go to South Africa for that.

The South African Special

South Africa has its fair share of unique performance cars exclusive to its market. In BMW's case, the 745i over there was a totally different animal. Built from 1983 to 1987, it ditched the boosted inline-six found in the European models. In its place was a modified version of the M88 engine, better known as the same powerplant used in the M1 and, later, in the E28 M5 and E24 M6.

It's not like BMW South Africa meant for that to happen. This little happy accident came to be because the turbocharged engine couldn't fit in right-hand drive models. More specifically, the turbo got in the way of something very important called the steering column.

Legendary Status Guaranteed

The engine, now called M88/3, produced 282 hp and 251 lb-ft. It actually made more power than the mid-engined M1, and it was easily the fastest E23 7 Series available. 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) was dispatched in 7 seconds, so it's likely that its 0 to 60 mph times were in the high-sixes. Those were huge numbers, especially in an era where breaking 10 seconds was already considered a notable achievement.

BMW Blog had mentioned that the move to put the M1's engine in the large sedan allegedly irritated the management in Germany. If that was the case, we bet they weren't happy seeing the luxobarge competing in motorsport, either. The 745i competed in Group One racing in South Africa and won the title in 1985. The idea of an athletic 7 Series was revisited in the late '90s with the 740i Sport that would later pave the way for M Sport models down the line.

One would think that, after four years, BMW would've sold at least a thousand of these cars. Some say 209 M-powered 745is rolled off the Rosslyn plant, but by BMW South Africa's own figures, 278 were built. Various sources also claim that fewer than 20 came with a manual transmission. But whether fitted with an automatic or a manual, this M7 of sorts is a legend in BMW circles. As one of the rarest 7 Series models ever made, expect one to go for a pretty penny if you see it for sale.

View the full article