This incredible BMW 7 series remained a top secret for thirty years

The BMW 7-Series E38 is one of the most beautiful sedans ever created, in our opinion, but not in this form. Because what on earth did the designers do with the nose? It’s completely out of proportion on this model.

The existence of this test car was a well-kept secret until recently. It was hidden in a secret BMW storage and never shown to the press or the public. That changed last weekend.

A rare BMW 7 Series in Essen

BMW decided this wonderful E38 at Techno-Classica in Essen. We call it strange because its structure makes no sense at all. The nose of the BMW 7-Series has been extended, the roof comes from the E32, apparently, and BMW has also used the headlights and kidney grilles from that generation.

Sixteen cylinder engine

This E38 is not about looks, but about content, because in front is a 6.6-liter V16 engine, which you may know from the Goldfish model. It was long thought that the mysterious E32 was the only one to receive BMW’s experimental power source.

But the second test model was built, this 750iL from 1990. It has external elements of the E32 and E38, which is not surprising when you consider that the E38 was still under development in the 1990s (the third generation 7-Series entered. 1994).

It cools the BMW 7-Series with a V16

The sixteenth cylinder up front is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and is definitely not a speed monster. Already at 5,000 rpm red starts on the tachometer. The V16 produces 348 hp. Compare that to the 750i’s V12 of the time, which had 299 hp.

Surprisingly, the V16 in the original Goldfish was more powerful, with 408 hp. BMW probably downsized the engine on this model for cooling reasons. The goldfish needed so much air that BMW fitted it with two large intakes above the rear wheels.

The recession of the 1990s

It must be one of the reasons why BMW didn’t put its V16 into production. It is also possible that the luxury car market was struggling in the early 1990s due to the global recession.

Why this damaged BMW model costs 11,000 euros

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