If you like 1990’s designs and 4-door body styles, then you might just be a fan of the third-generation E38 BMW 7-Series, a car everyone many still consider as better looking than its bulky E65 successor.
Go back a couple of decades and you’ll notice that the E38 was as packed as any of its direct rivals at the time, featuring an array of luxury gimmicks such as the soft-closing trunk, parking sensors, satellite navigation, a heated steering wheel and even massage seats.
According to reviewer Doug DeMuro, the E38 is simply put, the best luxury sedan ever made. He argues his point by saying that it looks terrific and that everything inside feels solid and flagship-worthy, from the materials used to the switches, although the cup holders were a bit flimsy.
He also argues in favor of the E38 with regards to the way it drivers. DeMuro says that the steering feel is superior to what you get in modern luxury sedans and that this 17-year old 7-Series feels a lot more engaging to drive than you might think.
In a straight line, the 326 horsepower V12 engine is smooth and offers solid acceleration, although it’s far from being on the same level as any of today’s fast luxury sedans. This 2001 750iL needed 6.7 seconds to hit 60 mph (96 km/h).
While it’s obvious that this isn’t the most objective car review ever made, we can certainly agree that the E38 was a truly special vehicle back in the day, and that its cool-factor is still there. Also, once a Bond car, always a Bond car.