Even by BMW’s already expansive luxurious requirements, some vehicles sit effectively exterior the conventional product roadmap. Constructed to fulfill a really area of interest clientele, they slip quietly into historical past, typically remembered solely by devoted lovers. The E38-based BMW L7 is a kind of vehicles — a mannequin whose significance has much less to do with gross sales quantity or efficiency figures, and extra to do with what it signaled about BMW’s ambitions on the very prime finish of the market on the flip of the century. There’s one up on the market within the U.S. on Carry a Trailer, and it’s a solid-looking instance that could possibly be excellent for somebody desirous to get intimately acquainted with absolutely the pinnacle of the BMW lineup in 1999.
Concerning the BMW L7 — and Why It Issues
The BMW L7 is an unique extended-wheelbase luxurious limousine primarily based on the E38 BMW 7 Sequence and was produced from 1997 to 2001. It includes a 250 mm (10 inches) longer wheelbase than the usual 7 Sequence “iL” fashions. The L7 is powered by a 5.4 L V12 engine, the M73, delivering about 326 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a five-speed automated, and solely comes with rear-wheel drive. However efficiency was removed from the one factor the distinctive E38 provided. Drivers and passengers loved executive-class facilities — a few of which couldn’t be discovered on every other BMW mannequin. Issues like button-tufted leather-based seats, a fax machine, and a privateness partition made the L7 the quintessential luxurious expertise. It was primarily bought within the Center East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Within the bigger patchwork of BMW historical past, the L7 is as large a deal as its wheelbase suggests. The BMW L7 was one of many earliest initiatives for then fledgling BMW Particular person. Whereas established six years earlier than the L7 got here out, the E38 was solely the second 7 Sequence chassis to obtain the remedy — and the previous E32 by no means obtained an prolonged wheelbase mannequin. E38 L7 manufacturing can also be exceedingly low. Simply 899 examples have been produced throughout all of the world’s markets.
Exploring This BMW L7
The BMW L7 up for public sale has one of many largest hurdles to L7 possession already eliminated, at the least within the U.S.: it’s already in the USA. Imported by means of Canada in 2024, the automobile is completed in elegant Nachtblau Metallic over Champagne leather-based upholstery. Twenty-inch ALPINA wheels and an ALPINA entrance lip are additions that complement the automobile’s shade scheme very effectively. The automobile has round 57,000 miles on it (92,000 kilometers), and brakes, brake strains, and management arms have been not too long ago attended to. The excellent news retains coming with this automobile, too. Most impressively, the self-leveling suspension seems to be functioning. The proprietor additionally has a ton of supplier literature to go along with the automobile, together with an proprietor’s guide.
A lot of the attract of this automobile, in fact, is the pleasant extra through which the rear passengers can journey. The automobile doesn’t disappoint there, both, coming with a veritable best hits of L7 choices. Facilities embrace a VHS participant, fridge, and footrest within the rear. Double-pane glass insulates, whereas solar blinds preserve the temper proper. Predictably, the L7’s cabin is an excellent place to spend your time — this one seems to be no exception.
Ought to You Purchase It?
Bidding is already heating up with 5 days remaining on the clock. However it stands to cause that if you would like an L7, you merely don’t have many choices. Significantly should you’re U.S.-based. As a little bit of anecdotal proof, that is the primary E38 BMW L7 to land on Carry a Trailer. When determining whether or not a automobile is worth it, there’s normally two components to think about: rarity and desirability. I believe we’ve obtained our reply to the primary one. Contemplating the epic V12 underneath the hood, nostalgia-fuel choices listing, and nonetheless attractive E38 aesthetics — with some small beauty enhancements — we predict there’s definitely a case for the latter, too.
You’ll be able to try the 1999 BMW L7 public sale for your self and bid. Alternatively, studying by means of the feedback is a properly condensed training on the automobile. Regardless, this L7 leaves {the marketplace} subsequent Tuesday at 11:24 am PST. You too can flip by means of the gallery beneath and get a greater take a look at what this particular 7er has to supply. The images on this article are of the particular automobile — due to the vendor for offering them!
