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Introduced in 1986, the 7 Series E32 was BMW's luxury 4-door sedan. Originally equipped with the
M30 6-cylinder engine, the E32 soon evolved with an 8 and later a 12
cylinder engine with up to 300 hp.
The E32 was the successor to the E23. It used the traditional semi trailing arm suspension and the same basic engine and transmission design as the E23. The
main differences between the two models are a stiffer chassis, extra gadgets and more modern styling. The E32 looks similar to the E34 five series. Buyers could also opt for BMW's first ever V12 with a 5.0 liter
capacity. In 1993 BMW introduced an all alloy V8 to the E32 in 4.0 liter and 3.0 liter form. Long wheel base models with more rear cabin space were designated L.
Most E32s are automatics, but manual 735i's do exist. In Europe, it was possible to get a basic E32 without leather seats and many other features which were standard on US
models.
The early six cylinder 735i was probably the single BMW most affected by US anti-pollution legislation. The euro 735i has 218 hp vs 182 for the US model, due to a 9.0:1 compression
ratio on the US engine vs 10.5:1 on the euro equivalent.
The newer all alloy V8s were a big performance step forward for US customers, but early engines suffered from sulfur corrosion problems. BMW replaced a lot of engines under warranty
due to cylinder wall damage, and the later engines had cylinder liners of a more robust material. BMW issued a chip to make the engines run hotter, but the new chip also reduced performance. Early sulfur symptoms are a rough idle and lack of
power.
The M30 engine is mechanically simple, durable, and parts are cheap. The V12 is a great engine, but is very complex. If there is a fault, it can run in "limp home" mode with only six
of its twelve cylinders. Proper maintenance is vital on all of these engines, especially frequent oil changes. |
