BMW E32

BMW
BMW 735i (1987-1992)
E32
Sales designation:	7 series
Production period:	1986-1994
Class :	Upper class
Body versions :	limousine
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.0-5.0 liters (138-220 kW)
Length:	4910-5024 mm
Width:	1845 mm
Height:	1400-1411 mm
Wheelbase :	2833 mm
Empty weight :	1600-1860 kg
Previous model	BMW E23
successor	BMW E38

The BMW E32 is a top class - sedan of the 7 Series series from BMW presented and was founded in September 1986th One year after the market launch with six-cylinder engines , the 750i variant followed with the twelve-cylinder M70 engine . The E32 was drawn by the then chief designer Claus Luthe and Ercole Spada. In June 1994 the E32 was replaced by the E38 after around 310,000 copies had been built .

Model history

General

Rear view

After development began in 1979, BMW presented the E32 in September 1986, initially with the tried and tested M30 six-cylinder gasoline engines as the 730i (135 kW) and 735i (155 kW), which could be combined with three equipment variants. The most exclusive High Line equipment with several extras (refrigerator, telephone, high-quality leather, etc.) was available from 1989. From the summer of 1987, BMW offered a V12 engine (engine type M70 ) in the 750i , the output of which was initially specified as "over 200 kW (...)". The V12 model with a displacement of 5 liters can be recognized from the outside by the wider kidney in the grill.

The design of the E32 was immediately well received after the predecessor was often perceived as not being dynamic enough (especially in the rear of the vehicle). With the E32, BMW introduced the L-shaped taillights that became typical of BMW design. The new line was created under the responsibility of chief designer Claus Luthe, the E32 was drawn by the Italian designer Ercole Spada and Hans Kerschbaum. The final design was determined in 1983 and the patents were filed in October 1984. The drag coefficient of the car is 0.32 with a cross-sectional area of ​​2.1 square meters. The typical chrome trim strips on the bumpers and around the side windows can be canceled using the Shadow Line equipment variant . The vehicles with a normal wheelbase were also followed by the long versions, which were initially only offered as the 735iL and 750iL. They offer 114 millimeters more knee room in the rear.

The engines are optionally coupled to a manually shiftable, fully synchronized five-speed gearbox or an automatically shifting four-speed converter gearbox. The converter gearbox is part of the standard equipment of the 750i / 750iL. The converter gearbox is electro-hydraulically controlled on request on the 735i and 730i and standard on the 750i / 750iL. The automatic transmission has been strengthened to allow the M70 twelve-cylinder engine to develop more torque. The maximum speed of the 730i is 220 km / h, that of the 735i is specified as 230 km / h; in the 750i, BMW electronically limited it to 250 km / h. In the year the 750i was launched, the company agreed with Audi and Mercedes-Benz to voluntarily limit the speed to this maximum.

The standard equipment includes ABS , memory functions (among other things for the automatic windscreen wipers) and catalytic converters, which, unlike retrofitted catalytic converters, should not have a significant effect on the rated output of the engines. However, vehicles without a catalytic converter were also available. Additional features include the heated door locks from the 735i and airbags available on request.

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  BMW 750i, rear view

• 

  E32 750i US version

• 

  E32 interior

• 

  L-shaped rear light

Facelift

In April 1992 the series was revised. There was more wood in the interior as well as chrome door handles. The engine range has been revised. Added to this were the new M60 V8 engines and new five-speed automatic transmissions from ZF Friedrichshafen . BMW closed the gap between V12 and inline six-cylinder engines. The 735i with the in-line six-cylinder engine M30B35 was replaced by the 730i with the V8 engine M60B30. The eight-cylinder also received the “wide kidney grille” in the radiator grille, which was previously reserved for the V12 models (750i / 750iL). While the 730i with eight-cylinder engine was available with both manual and automatic transmission, the 740i, like the V12 models, was only offered with automatic transmission. The classic in-line six-cylinder BMW M30 engine with a displacement of three liters remained in the range until the end of production in 1994, alongside the 730i with the V8 M60B30 engine.

As one of the first cars in the world, the E32 was equipped with double-glazing on the side and rear windows on request and at an additional cost. This glazing reduces the noise level and prevents the windows from fogging up. With this, BMW reacted to the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 140 series , in which the side windows had double-glazing as standard. This glazing is a double-pane safety glass, the 3 mm thick panes of which are glued airtight at a distance of 3 mm with a circumferential spacer. The total thickness of this composite pane is 9 mm. In addition, Park Distance Control (PDC) was offered as an optional extra for the first time, which uses 4 sensors in the front and rear bumpers to record the distance to obstacles in the front and rear on the basis of ultrasound and to display it acoustically. For the first time in the world in a production car, xenon light (only for low beam ) was available as special equipment from 1991 onwards .

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  BMW 730i with eight-cylinder

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  BMW 730i with eight-cylinder, rear view

• 

  BMW 740i (1992-1994)

Technology and innovation

The BMW E32 is a four-door notchback sedan with a self-supporting body, a longitudinally installed front engine and rear-wheel drive.

The front axle is a double articulated spring strut axle , the rear axle a semi-trailing arm axle , both axles have coil springs and gas pressure dampers. A sporty chassis tuning and hydropneumatic level control for the rear axle were available on request ; the 750i had the latter as standard. Conventional hydraulic shock absorbers were also offered in some markets. The combination of wheels and tires on the E32 depends on the engine, the 730i was fitted with steel wheels measuring 6½ J × 15 with tires measuring 205/65 VR 15. The braking system is a dual-circuit braking system; the E32 has disc brakes with asbestos-free pads all around. An anti-lock braking system and traction control with integrated engine drag torque control were standard. The steering is a servo-assisted recirculating ball steering system.

The engines are all non-turbocharged gasoline engines with intake manifold injection and OHC valve control. BMW used the types M30 , M70 and M60 . At the launch in autumn 1986, the 730i and the 735i M30 offered series - six-cylinder -Triebwerke with outputs of 135 kW and 155 kW, the 750i received the then-new five-liter M70- twelve-cylinder engine with an output of 220 kW. The M60 V8 engine introduced in the spring of 1992 came with a displacement of 3 and 4 liters. The new 730i got a 3-liter variant with 160 kW, while the 740i was delivered with the 210 kW 4-liter version of the engine. The force is transmitted to the manual transmission via a single-disk diaphragm spring clutch or, in the case of automatic transmissions, directly to the converter. Initially, four-stage converter transmissions were offered, from the model upgrade onwards there were five-stage ZF transmissions. The 730i received the 5HP18 and the 740i the 5HP30. The 730i was still available with a manual transmission.

Study BMW "Goldfish"

BMW sixteen-cylinder engine

On the basis of the BMW E32, a study was also carried out between summer 1987 and summer 1988, with which one wanted to sound out the feasibility of engines that were even larger in size than the 12-cylinder. The reason was the increasing competition between BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class . Since Mercedes-Benz also offered a 12-cylinder with the 600 series , the possibility of developing even larger drive units was examined with the goldfish secret project . For this purpose, a small team led by the designers Karlheinz Lange and Adolf Fischer developed a 16-cylinder engine with a relatively small displacement and narrow cylinder spacing. This was installed in a BMW 735iL for test purposes, which had been procured "on the short official channels". Because of the 6-cylinder base, the car only had the narrow kidney grille on the front. Since the 16-cylinder had no official development order, the designers gave the car the code name "Goldfish" because of its golden exterior.

The technology of the BMW goldfish

The engine is based on the twelve-cylinder M70 , which in turn is a further development of the in-line six-cylinder M20B25. Thus, the Goldfischmotor shares the bore and stroke ratio with the M20B25 , (84 mm × 75 mm), the cylinder distance is also 91 mm. The total capacity is 6651 cm ³ , the rated power is 300 kW (408 hp) at 5200 min ^-1 stated, the maximum torque of 613 N · m (62.5 kgf · m ) at 3900 min ^-1 dispensed. Like the M70, the Goldfischmotor is a 60 ° V-motor and has two separate motor control units (Bosch DME 3.3) . It has light alloy cylinder heads and S OHC valve control . While the 12-cylinder was only available with automatic transmission , in the "Goldfisch" a manual 6-speed gearbox from the BMW 8 series transferred the power to the rear wheels. With the manual transmission, the performance of the engine could be better tested. Because the engine now took up all of the space in the engine compartment, the cooling system moved to the trunk. There were two coolers here , which were supplied with fresh air via large air inlets on the sides. Next to it, on the right, was the coolant tank.

The 16-cylinder in practice

In practice, the values ​​of the BMW Goldfisch were not bad: Despite the high weight due to the 310 kg engine, the sprint from 0-100 km / h was achieved in just 6 seconds. However, the gasoline consumption was between 14 and 24 liters per 100 kilometers. This and the fact that even more power could be obtained from the 12-cylinder with higher compression ensured that the project was not ready for series production . The arms race with Mercedes-Benz was also over at the end of the 1980s .

The vehicle is still owned by the BMW Group and can be seen from time to time at trade fairs and exhibitions. However, the car is no longer ready to drive in its current condition. Due to the decades of downtime, the engine and transmission would have to be overhauled before starting.

Technical specifications

BMW M30 in-line six-cylinder

BMW M70 V12 unit

Engines

Models	engine	Displacement	design type	Max. Output kW (PS) at 1 / min	Max. Torque Nm at 1 / min	V max	0-100 km / h	construction time
730i (catalytic converter)	M30B30	2985 cc	R6	135 (184) / 5800	260/4000	222 km / h [212 km / h]	9.4 s [10.8 s]	08/1986
730i (catalytic converter)	M30B30	2985 cc	R6	138 (188) / 5800	260/4000	222 km / h [212 km / h]	9.4 s [10.8 s]	? –06/1994
730i	M30B30	2985 cc	R6	145 (197) / 5800	275/4000	230 km / h [225 km / h]	9.3 s [10.6 s]	08 / 1986-04 / 1992
730i	M60B30	2997 cc	V8	160 (218) / 5800	290/4500	233 km / h [230 km / h]	8.5 s [9.2 s]	04 / 1992-06 / 1994
735i	M30B35LE	3430 cc	R6	162 (220) / 5700	315/4000	235 km / h [227 km / h]	8.2 s [9.0 s]	08 / 1986-04 / 1992
735i (catalytic converter)	M30B35LE	3430 cc	R6	155 (211) / 5700	305/4000	232 km / h [225 km / h]	8.3 s [9.1 s]	08 / 1986-04 / 1992
740i	M60B40	3982 cm³	V8	210 (286) / 5800	400/4500	[240 km / h] *	[7.4 s]	04 / 1992-06 / 1994
750i	M70B50	4988 cc	V12	220 (300) / 5200	450/4100	[250 km / h] *	[7.4 s]	09 / 1987-06 / 1994

Values ​​in brackets [] for automatic version * limited

transmission

	730i R6	735i R6	730i V8	740i V8	750i V12
Gear ratio
Manual transmission	Beetle 260	Beetle 260	ZF S5D 310Z
1	3.83	3.83	4.20
2	2.20	2.20	2.49
3	1.40	1.40	1.66
4th	1.00	1.00	1.24
5	0.81	0.81	1.00
Rear axle ratio	3.64	3.45	3.15
Automatic drive	ZF 4HP22	ZF 4HP22	ZF 5HP18	ZF 5HP30	ZF 4HP24
1	2.48	2.48	3.67	3.55	2.48
2	1.48	1.48	2.00	2.24	1.48
3	1.00	1.00	1.41	1.54	1.00
4th	0.73	0.73	1.00	1.00	0.73
5			0.74	0.79
Rear axle ratio	3.64	3.45	3.23	2.93	3.15
Filling quantity ( liter )
Manual transmission	1.25	1.25	1.25
Automatic drive	3.0	3.0	3.0	3.0	3.5
Rear differential	1.7	1.9	1.7	1.9	1.9

Existence in Germany

The stock of BMW E32 is listed according to manufacturer (HSN) and type code numbers (TSN) in Germany according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority with a reference date of January 1st. Types with less than 100 vehicles are not shown. Until 2007, the inventory included the number of vehicles registered as well as the number of temporary shutdowns. Since 2008, the inventory has only included "flowing traffic" including the seasonal license plates.

model	kW	HSN / TSN	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
730	138	0005/465	18,144	14,894	12,715	8,143	7,069	5,960	5,039	4.159	3,432	2,821	2,418	2.120	1.914	1,766
730	160	0005/524	4,533	3,916	3,440	2,393	2.144	1.915	1,710	1,432	1,196	1.007	894	765	693	630
735	155	0005/457	12,089	9,634	7,992	4,894	4,170	3,514	2,980	2,493	2,019	1,712	1,534	1,345	1,223	1,169
740	210	0005/525	2,636	2,271	1,977	1,368	1,242	1.103	929	825	715	617	548	502	461	417
750	220	0005/466	5,249	4,313	3,553	1,898	1,622	1,421	1,176	1,030	892	782	723	688	670	646
source

Web links

Commons : BMW E32  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• BMW press kit for the E32 , 1987
• Operating instruction BMW E32 , 1992

Individual evidence

1. ↑ BMW press release . February 18, 1994
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} press kit 1987
3. ↑ The award of the 2007 Innovation Prize (PDF; 1.07 MiB) Vodafone, p. 7 , accessed on February 27, 2010 . 
4. ↑ BMW goldfish
5. ↑ https://www.lexicar.de/portal/bmw-goldfisch-wieso-das-16-ylinder-geheimprojekt-nie-in-serie-ging.html
6. ↑ http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/news/bmw-prototypen-geheim-798491.html
7. ^ Operating instructions from August 1986 , first edition, p. 87
8. ↑ BMW E 32 hjemmeside. In: Home.online.no. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010 ; Retrieved November 6, 2010 . 
9. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2005 by manufacturer and type with selected features. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, special edition 4 for series 2, January 1, 2005. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, May 2005, pp. 14, 15 , archived from the original on March 18, 2006 ; accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
10. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2006 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and displacement classes. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, special issue 4 for series 2, January 1, 2006. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, June 2006, p. 92 , archived from the original on October 9, 2006 ; accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
11. ↑ Number of motor vehicles and motor vehicle trailers on January 1, 2007 by manufacturer and trade name. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2007. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, June 2007, p. 633 , accessed on January 20, 2019 . 
12. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2008 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and displacement classes. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2008. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, June 2008, pp. 94, 95 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
13. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2009 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and cubic capacity. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2009. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2009, p. 100 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
14. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2010 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and cubic capacity. (PDF) In: Statistical Communications of the Federal Motor Transport Authority FZ 2, January 1, 2010. Federal Motor Transport Authority, July 2010, p. 99 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
15. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2011 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and cubic capacity. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2011. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2011, p. 104 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
16. ↑ The number of passenger cars on January 1, 2012 by manufacturer, trade name, selected features and cubic capacity. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2012. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2012, p. 109 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
17. ↑ Passenger car inventory on January 1, 2013 by manufacturer, trade name and selected features. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2013. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2013, p. 16 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
18. ↑ Passenger car inventory on January 1, 2014 by manufacturer, trade name and selected features. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2014. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2014, p. 19 , accessed on December 29, 2014 . 
19. ↑ Passenger car inventory on January 1, 2015 by manufacturer, trade name and selected features. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2015. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, July 2015, p. 184 , accessed on October 5, 2016 . 
20. ↑ Stock of motor vehicles and motor vehicle trailers by manufacturer and trade name on January 1, 2016. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2016. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, August 2016, p. 691 , accessed on 20. January 2019 . 
21. ↑ Stock of motor vehicles and motor vehicle trailers by manufacturer and trade name on January 1, 2017. (PDF) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2017. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, August 2017, p. 714 , accessed on 20. January 2019 . 
22. ↑ Inventory of motor vehicles and motor vehicle trailers by manufacturer and trade name on January 1, 2018. (XLS) In: Statistische Mitteilungen des Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt FZ 2, January 1, 2018. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, accessed on January 20, 2019 .