2000 BMW (E38) 740i SPORT

This BMW 740i Sport is a great example of an increasingly rare performance saloon, presented in original and unmodified specification, and with comprehensive recent maintenance. The ‘Sporty Shorty’ powered by a 4.4-litre naturally aspirated ‘M62’ V8, producing 282bhp and 325lb-ft of torque in stock form, coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. The odometer shows 110,729 miles from new.

First registered on 28 June 2000, this car has six previous registered keepers on the log book, and has been owned by the vendor since May 2019. During his time with the car, more than £3,500 has been spent on servicing and preventative maintenance, including a complete refurbishment of the gearbox with a new torque converter.

Today, its bodywork remains in good order, with two small blemishes below the boot lid where the first sign of corrosion is appearing, and some bubbling around both rear wheel arches. Otherwise, the panels have flush shut lines and present well. Its Titan Silver paint is believed to be entirely original, and is now showing just a handful of small nicks and blemishes, commensurate with both the age and mileage. Overall, this is still a very smartly presented 7 Series.

Its original 18-inch ‘Style 37’ twin-spoke alloy wheels are in very good order, free of any kerbing damage after refurbishment in 2019, and are shod in a set of 10-month-old Falken tyres. There is also a full-size spare in the boot. Furthermore, a full set of four 16-inch BMW ‘Style 60’ alloys fitted with winter tyres will also come with the car.

In the cabin, this 740i features black leather upholstery, which shows some slight discolouration and wear to the driver’s side outer bolsters, but which is otherwise in excellent condition for a 20-year-old car. The Sport-only anthracite headlining is described as immaculate, and shows no sign of sagging, while the dashboard and smart Vavona wood inlays are in great shape. Factory equipment includes air-conditioning - which has recently been re-gassed - as well as a sunroof, heated front screen and mirrors, heated and electrically adjustable seats, and front and rear parking sensors. All of the electronics are in working order. The only addition to the factory specification is a Bluetooth dongle in place of the boot-mounted CD changer, which enables smartphone music streaming through the OEM audio system.

The car was last given an oil and filter change in September 2020 at 109,000 miles by the vendor, and it has had regular oil changes every 7,000-9,000 miles. Within the last two months, the cooling system has been completely refurbished, with a new Nissen radiator and all new front-engine hoses, and refilled with BMW coolant. The fan clutch, blade, expansion tank and connecting hoses, and alternator were also replaced. The main serpentine drive belt and the auxiliary belts were also renewed during the same work using OEM BMW parts. An 88-degree thermostat was also installed in July 2019.

In late 2019, the gearbox was totally rebuilt with a new torque converter, carried out by Mike Leaney at Automatic Man in Ealing, and the transmission has been faultless ever since over approximately 10,000 miles. The rear brake discs and sensors were changed in June 2019, along with the brake pads at both the front and rear, upgraded to EBC Greenstuff items. The front discs were renewed in January 2018 by the previous owner.

The vendor notes that the car does have a couple of oil leaks commensurate with its age, which are sufficiently minor that he rarely has to top up the oil. The fluids used for the regular oil changes have either been Mobil 3000 or Castrol Edge, and using replacement OEM filters.

The most recent MOT test was on 1 October 2020 at 110,425 miles, when it achieved a first-time pass with no advisories whatsoever. The online MOT history goes back to March 2007, and pleasingly there have never been any advisories or alerts about corrosion to the chassis structure during the last 13 years.

Accompanying the BMW are all of the original books, a stamped service record, and a digital Excel file that the owner has used to log all of the known maintenance going back to its pre-delivery inspection. All paperwork is present for work carried out during the current ownership, and some from before that as well. Two keys are also present.

This BMW 740i Sport is a stylish and sophisticated saloon, boasting impressive performance and a luxurious and well-appointed cabin. It is increasingly hard to find 740i models of this generation in factory Sport trim, let alone cars that remain unmolested and in such good condition. A pleasure to drive on weekend jaunts, or on road trips over much longer distances, this modern classic would make a great value addition to any collection.

The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Collecting Cars requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence through HPI checks and MOT history. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.

All UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. This vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.