When it comes to classy BMWs, many would argue it doesn’t get much better than the original 7 Series. Sold between 1977 and 1986, the E23 had a couple of things in common with the current 7er by being offered with only one wheelbase length and no V12. That’s where the similarities pretty much end as the first-gen luxury sedan originates from an era when cars were nowhere near as technologically advanced as today.
The car in question was manufactured in 1983, meaning it has the Life Cycle Impulse introduced that year. Although the 745i badge suggests it has a 4.5-liter engine, that’s not the case as it uses a smaller 3.2-liter unit with 252 hp. Being a turbocharged engine, BMW did the math and concluded that forced induction made it about as powerful as a naturally aspirated 4.5-liter mill. This theoretical assumption was based on the fact turbo engines had roughly 1.4 times more power than their NA counterparts.
Being a car that belongs to BMW, it goes without saying this E23 with an automatic transmission remains in immaculate condition some 40 years after it left the assembly line. We’ve seen it before in press shots and it doesn’t come as a big surprise the luxobarge remains a time capsule. Painted in Arctic Blue Metallic with a Pacific velour interior, the 7 Series looks as good as new and has fewer than 5,300 kilometers (nearly 3,300 miles) on the clock.
BMW Group Classic temporarily removed the first-gen 7er from storage to take it for a spin on a rainy day on the streets of Munich. The subtle design with just the right amount of chrome accents along with a plethora of buttons on the inside remind us of how much cars have changed since the 1980s. Another discrepancy is the car’s size since the E23 was just about as long as the outgoing 5 Series whereas the latest 7 Series is nearly 5.4 meters long.
In this video, Christoph and Marc, responsible for Marketing and PR at BMW Group Classic, are taking us for a spin with the iconic 7 Series. And they do it so with a…
