The third generation of the BMW 7-Series was one of the most wanted luxury cars from its times and, for many BMW fans, it was the best 7 series ever made.
It was the link between the old technology and the digital era.

The E38 generation was the last BMW 7-Series which was available with a manual transmission. It also was the first production model BMW fitted with a V12 engine. It was a sum of comfort, luxury, and sportiness. And on top of that, it was also very fuel-efficient, when equipped with the 2.5-liter diesel engine, which was not available for the North-American market.

The car featured an unusually low height, seen only on the Jaguar XJ series. The car was fitted with dual headlamps covered under a clear-lens, with halogen or Xenon lights. It was available with a short or long wheelbase. For special order, the 7-Series was available with an extra-long wheelbase, for state and government officials, named L7.

Inside, the car featured five seats but due to the low height of the cabin and the high transmission tunnel, only two passengers could sit comfortably in the rear seats. There were few options for the sound system and even a telephone was installed between the front seats as an option.

For the engines, the German engineers offered a wide choice between 2.5-liter turbodiesel unit and a 5.4-liter gasoline V8 unit. Apart from the top of the range model, named 750i, the other versions were available with a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission. The only automatic transmission was a 5-speed, for the entire range.