Powertrain families
M52/M54 petrol I6 · M60/M62 petrol V8 · M73 petrol V12 · M51/M57 diesel I6 · M67 diesel V8 · M73B54 petrol V12
7 Series (E38) — Sedan
1994–2001
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- E38
- Production
- April 1994 – July 2001
- Body style
- 4-door sedan
- Platform
- longitudinal layout · rear-wheel drive
Body variants
7 Series → E38 → Sedan
7 Series E38: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected sedan fits into the family.
E38 distilled the classic BMW luxury-saloon shape into a lower, cleaner and more restrained car. It combined that traditional appearance with fast-moving technology: navigation, television, increasingly complex telephone and audio systems, and a wider set of safety electronics all appeared during its lifecycle.
The range was broader than the familiar V8 and V12 petrol cars suggest. BMW added six-cylinder versions and the first diesel 7 Series, offered standard- and long-wheelbase bodies, and built the especially long L7 in small numbers. Its cultural reputation should not obscure these very different factory specifications.
E38 needs three length records: standard sedan, regular iL and the separately manufactured L7, which extends the body behind the B-pillar beyond the ordinary long-wheelbase car. The range also introduced diesel six-cylinder and V8 branches and supported limited dual-fuel hydrogen cars. Those experimental vehicles, Protection models and movie cars do not redefine the normal production-body matrix.
1994–2001generation lifecycle
3body branches
6engine/drive families
10range designations
E38factory code
longitudinal layout · rear-wheel drivearchitecture
Sedan: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,984 mm
Width1,862 mm
Height1,435 mm
Wheelbase2,930 mm
Luggage500 L
Fuel tank85–95 L
Seats5
Doors4-door sedan
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | E38 | 1994–2001 | 4-door sedan / 5 | 4,984 mm | 500 L |
| Long-wheelbase Sedan | E38 L | 1994–2001 | 4-door long-wheelbase sedan / 5 | 5,124 mm | 500 L |
| L7 Limousine | E38 L7 | 1997–2001 | 4-door long-wheelbase sedan / 4 | ≈ 5,374 mm | ≈ 500 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented sedan applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 728i / 728iL | 1995–2001 | M52B28 | 193 PS | 5MT / 5AT | RWD | Global range | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
| 730i / 735i | 1994–2001 | M60B30 / M62B35 V8 | 218–238 PS | 5MT / 5AT | RWD | Global range | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
| 740i / 740iL | 1994–2001 | M60B40 / M62B44 V8 | 286 PS | 6MT / 5AT | RWD | Global range | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
| 750i / 750iL | 1994–2001 | M73B54 V12 | 326 PS | 5AT | RWD | Global range | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
| 725tds / 730d | 1996–2001 | M51D25 / M57D30 | 143–193 PS | 5MT / 5AT | RWD | Europe | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
| 740d | 1999–2001 | M67D40 V8 diesel | 238–245 PS | 5AT | RWD | Europe | BMW 7 Series (E38) |
Factory designations
728i · 730i · 735i · 740i · 750i · 725tds · 730d · 740d · iL derivatives · L7
Petrol engines
Inline and V engines are grouped by engine family, displacement, induction system and emissions specification.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: longitudinal layout · rear-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- E38: 4,984 mm × 1,862 mm × 1,435 mm
- E38 L: 5,124 mm × 1,862 mm × 1,435 mm
- E38 L7: ≈ 5,374 mm × 1,862 mm × 1,435 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
Standard and iL launch
E38 entered production with two normal wheelbase lengths.
L7 special limousine
BMW began low-volume production of the V12 L7, 25 cm longer behind the B-pillar than 750iL.
Lifecycle update
Revised lighting, exterior details, electronics and powertrains distinguish later E38 production.
Production end
All E38 production branches ended in July.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Sedan
E38The standard E38 sedan combined the third-generation 7 Series body with petrol inline-six, V8 and V12 engines and, for the first time in the line, diesel power. Engines/drive: M52/M54 petrol I6, M60/M62 petrol V8, M73 petrol V12, M51/M57 diesel I6, M67 diesel V8.
Long-wheelbase Sedan
E38 LThe regular iL body added 140 mm to the standard wheelbase, reaching 3,070 mm and 5,124 mm overall length. Engines/drive: M52/M54 petrol I6, M60/M62 petrol V8, M73 petrol V12, M51/M57 diesel I6, M67 diesel V8.
L7 Limousine
E38 L7The factory-built L7 limousine was based on the 750iL but extended a further 250 mm behind the B-pillar, bringing overall length to nearly 5.4 metres and creating a separate rear-passenger compartment. Engines/drive: M73B54 petrol V12.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- E38 — Sedan; E38 L — Long-wheelbase Sedan; E38 L7 — L7 Limousine
- Range designations
- 728i, 730i, 735i, 740i, 750i, 725tds, 730d, 740d, iL derivatives, L7
- Powertrain families
- M52/M54 petrol I6, M60/M62 petrol V8, M73 petrol V12, M51/M57 diesel I6, M67 diesel V8, M73B54 petrol V12
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01BMW 7 Series (E38)Wikipedia contributors
English-language secondary overview of the generation, body programme, powertrains and production chronology; key claims are cross-checked against the factory sources below.
- 02BMW 7 Series (E38)BMW Group Classic
Official body, engine, production-volume and L7 history.
- 03BMW L7 (E38)BMW Group Classic
Official L7 production dates, V12 specification and 25 cm body extension.
Notes and limitations
- Standard, iL/Li and the single G70 body are different body-level records; Executive or Highline equipment does not create a new body.
- Output, transmission and equipment depend on market and production date and require VIN-linked, dated factory literature.
3 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: OSX, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026