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It was almost three decades ago that BMW his third SiebenerGeneration with the code E38. The old-timer in the making still looks quite fresh. How fresh, exactly, turns out in the course of a comparison with a current 750Li xDrive.
How does a new 750 drive, whose progress at first glance consists primarily in the fact that it has become bigger, heavier, stronger, faster and more expensive? A few numbers will help. With an external length of 5,12 meters, the E38 with a long wheelbase is certainly not a small car - the G12 measures 5,26 meters. When it comes to curb weight, the engineers have worked hard: At 1.995 kilograms (E38), the oldie is only 100 kilograms below the current edition (2.095 kg), although it has all-wheel drive, but only has an eight-cylinder under the hood.
But what a one. The E38 top model drives with 240 kW / 326 PS - the G12 is much more powerful and faster: its supercharged eight-cylinder roars around the corner with 390 kW / 530 PS. With it he reached 100 km / h in 4,1 seconds, a 750iL was given 6,6 seconds for the same sprint. At the beginning of 1995, those interested in 750iL had to put 168.000 marks on the table, today it is 750 euros for the 126.400Li xDrive - that is, 252.800 in the old currency. However, inflation is not taken into account here. Even the typical BMW kidney grille should have reached a record size, especially in the last G12 expansion stage.
object of desire
The first exit is in the 750iL, the classic. The fact that this is supposed to be a classic at all takes some getting used to, after all, the E38 is well present in the head. It is definitely already a collector's item, for which enthusiasts will happily pay one euro more if the condition is right. It is nice that you hardly have to accept any compromises in everyday life with this series. Everything you need to comfortably go on long tours is available in the E38 - this even goes as far as adaptive cruise control with active distance control on the later models.
The 5,4 liter twelve-cylinder starts with a noble sound - it starts with the "continuous" starter noise that is typical of twelve-cylinders. And in general, the drive of the two-tonner is associated with a pronounced calm. The unit has something like a turbine and only raises its voice moderately even under full load. Otherwise, the aged seventy-five is above all doubt, does not lead to the thought that there could be a lack of performance.
Why should it? After all, cars that take less than seven seconds to sprint at country road speed are still pretty fast in 2021. Even more important, however, is how the traditional M73 engine develops its power - namely with ample torque (490 Newton meters) in the medium speed range. And don't forget that fewer gears - there are five automatically shifted forward gears here - mean more sovereignty. After all, all the frequent users have to open and close the clutch again and again between gear changes, which leads to shift pauses.
Not just modern at the front
If you don't feel like driving the velvety 750iL anymore, you can celebrate the prospect of an opulent rear, as long as someone can be found (and someone is guaranteed) to take command in the front left. Lots of legroom on lush leather armchairs, naturally heated, and even folding tables and screens make the second row first class. In addition, passengers traveling in the rear can adjust the furniture electrically and create their own climate zone using the control unit. Of course, the new 750Li can do all of this a little more lavishly. The nicely designed screens do more, of course, that's modern infotainment. And admittedly, the tables have also gotten bigger - but is it better to travel?
Everything for a pleasant trip
Such a G12 with a lavishly equipped chassis naturally scores points when it comes to combining maximum drive comfort with sporty properties. The luxury liner, for example, lays down curve speeds that make your hands wet at the wheel of the E38. Last but not least, this is made possible by active stabilizers and a camera that analyzes the road surface and instructs the air suspension to adjust its damper hardness accordingly - the whole thing is also enriched with GPS data from the navigation module.
And it also travels a bit more isolated. The sound from the bow is technically modeled, although luckily you can say that BMW is still offering a real eight-cylinder at a time when every gram of CO2 is important. Well, the high-tech engine generates a lot of power not just from a displacement of 4,4 liters, but primarily with the help of two turbochargers. And in order to keep consumption strikingly low, at least when cruising at recommended speed - an eight to the decimal point is by no means just theory - the ratio of eighth gear is quite long.
A nice side effect is that the sedan then rolls at almost idle speed and is correspondingly quiet. On the other hand, the current 750 accelerates extremely powerfully. Under full load, his virtual needle of the also virtual speedometer scale on the instrument cluster, which has been converted into a display screen, goes through the markings at a go-ahead until the electronics put an end to the increase in speed at 250 km / h. And the sevens pushes so powerfully in these spheres that the occupants feel the locking in the form of a brief braking moment.
Keyword infotainment. Even if features such as Apple CarPlay and voice control were not yet available on the E38: The monitor, which has such a decent resolution that it can clearly depict a colored road map, still allows usable navigation today. Of course, the current devices can do better, take into account even congested side streets and simply calculate faster. But when it comes to pure driving pleasure, the E38 is still a joyful option with its cultivated running twelve-cylinder, the lavish space and some technology gadgets. The 750Li is also a joy. It is a quiet, ultra-fast high-tech luxury glider with a smooth chassis and excessive space. Unfortunately, the full six-figure price is a major obstacle on the way to this BMW sedan. But that's the way it is with dream cars.
BMW 750iL E38
Luxury sedan, construction period: 1994 to 2001, length: 5,12 meters, width: 1,86 meters, height: 1,43 meters, wheelbase: 3,07 meters
5,4 IV twelve-cylinder gasoline engine, 240 kW / 326 PS, maximum torque: 490 Nm at 3.900 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 6,6 s, Vmax: 250 km / h, five-speed automatic converter
Former new price (1995): 168.000 marks
BMW 750Li G12
Luxury limousine, length: 5,26 meters, width: 1,90 meters, height: 1,48 meters, wheelbase: 3,21 meters
4,4 lV eight-cylinder gasoline engine with double turbocharging, output: 390 kW / 530 PS, maximum torque: 750 Nm from 1.800 to 4.600 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 4,1 s, Vmax: 250 km / h, eight-speed automatic (converter), average consumption: 9,8 l / 100 km, CO2 emissions: 226 g / km, efficiency class D, Base price: around 126.400 Euro
