This Ultra-Rare BMW L7 V12 Is for Sale in the U.S. — A Forgotten E38 Flagship Resurfaces

Even by BMW’s already expansive luxurious requirements, some automobiles sit effectively exterior the traditional product roadmap. Constructed to fulfill a really area of interest clientele, they slip quietly into historical past, usually remembered solely by devoted lovers. The E38-based BMW L7 is a type of automobiles — 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 may very well be excellent for somebody desirous to get intimately acquainted with absolutely the pinnacle of the BMW lineup in 1999.

In regards to the BMW L7 — and Why It Issues

The BMW L7 is an unique extended-wheelbase luxurious limousine primarily based on the E38 BMW 7 Series and was produced from 1997 to 2001. It encompasses 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 computerized, 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 some 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 offered within the Center East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Within the bigger patchwork of BMW historical past, the L7 is as huge 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 therapy — and the previous E32 by no means acquired 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 greatest hurdles to L7 possession already eliminated, at the very least within the U.S.: it’s already in the US. Imported by the use of Canada in 2024, the automotive 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 automotive’s coloration scheme very effectively. The automotive has round 57,000 miles on it (92,000 kilometers), and brakes, brake traces, and management arms have been just lately attended to. The excellent news retains coming with this automotive, too. Most impressively, the self-leveling suspension seems to be functioning. The proprietor additionally has a ton of vendor literature to go together with the automotive, together with an proprietor’s handbook.

A lot of the attract of this automotive, in fact, is the pleasant extra by which the rear passengers can journey. The automotive doesn’t disappoint there, both, coming with a veritable biggest hits of L7 choices. Facilities embody a VHS participant, fridge, and footrest within the rear. Double-pane glass insulates, whereas solar blinds maintain 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. Nevertheless it stands to cause that if you need an L7, you merely don’t have many choices. Significantly in case 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 automotive is worth it, there’s normally two components to think about: rarity and desirability. I believe we’ve acquired our reply to the primary one. Contemplating the epic V12 below the hood, nostalgia-fuel choices listing, and nonetheless beautiful E38 aesthetics — with some small beauty enhancements — we predict there’s definitely a case for the latter, too.

You possibly can try the 1999 BMW L7 auction for your self and bid. Alternatively, studying via the feedback is a properly condensed training on the automotive. Regardless, this L7 leaves {the marketplace} subsequent Tuesday at 11:24 am PST. You may as well flip via the gallery under and get a greater take a look at what this particular 7er has to supply. The photographs on this article are of the particular automotive — due to the vendor for offering them!