Great test Hubnut. It is rather hard to drive it without pushing that GO pedal. I am not a BMW fan at all but I do like the older ones. This one was a bargain too good to pass up. It was VERY tatty when I bought it however but I could see underneath was an original unmolested example. I think it is going to be a keeper.

When BMW were really something: simple clean lines, beautiful straight six engines.

The 70s and 80s was when Mercedes and BMW strived to build a solid and dependable vehicle that was a cut above the rest. This car is a prime embodiment of that philosophy. Now they are a company who's prime mission is to see how much money they can extract from their heritage and name with new money buyers.

Golden age of BMW. Amazing this was 35 years ago. Interior ergonomics then was and still is exemplary. Thanks for sharing and Peter for his car 👍

Seems the respect for the 7 series has died. Back then choosing a 7 Series displayed you were a wealthy person with sophisticated taste in automobiles and enjoyed driving.

I used to love the sound of 6 cylinder BMW's from the 80's/90's before they all became diesels in the 00's.

Older BMW 6’s just sounded sublime. I so miss the glorious soundtrack of my E30 325i. A real Jekyll and Hyde machine. Happy to burble along then hit 5k rpm and it turned into a wailing banshee of a motor. After the mid 90’s BMW started to loose the plot in my opinion.

BMW, Mercedes, and Audi from this era is pretty much automotive perfection. This E23 and the mk2 Ford Granada must've felt like the future back in 1977 when both these cars were made. Epic.

Ahh, when BMW meant quality and reliability.

The nostalgia right now is incredible. Until recently, I owned a 1980 735i, in alpine white, 112,500 genuine certified km on the clock - I found the e23 was more suited to highway cruising, but of course very capable of easy overtakes, and my god the sound...! Aerodynamics very typical of the period, anything above 160km/hr, and the front end would go very light indeed. Vehicle has been sold to a collector here in New Zealand.

They are a magnificent reminder of the days when the engineers ruled the roost in Munich, not the marketing wonks and the accountants. The rot started innocuously back in the early 90s - my second E34 had plastic exterior door handles and felt ever so slightly cheaper compared to my first E34 from 1989. The pre-cat two litre engine (M20) in that had a magnificent 'howl' from the exhaust when you gunned it! I still think their best engine was yet to come though - the all-alloy M54. Maybe you should get one of these to replace the Delica.

Back in its salad days, which well demonstrates BMW hot climate capability, my uncle (who worked with in export trucking) frequently drove his 728i between South West Africa and South Africa, a four-five day trip between Walvis Baai & Johannesburg, without fail! Indeed it was the first car I serviced coolant and oil. Compared to the old Mazda's & Toyota's we're accustomed to driving, this car was yards ahead in sophistication and performance, only surpassed by Mercedes-Benz systems. Both manufacturers assembled in South Africa, but the high-end 7 series and S-class assembled out from Germany. A lovely presentation, thank you.

A BMW from days long gone, when the last two digits of the type number actually said something about engine capacity.

A friend of mine had, for a while, an E23 735i SE, which was the absolute top of the range in the UK, and they really were loaded for the time, with standard air con, cruise control, electric seats with adjustable lumbar support, upgraded leather interior that was unique to the SE and was very similar to the highline trim package available on later classic 6-Series, as well as a standard limited-slip diff. Unusually for a 7-Series in the UK, and pretty much uniquely for the SE, the original owner had ticked the (no cost) option box for the 5-speed manual gearbox. That car was an absolute hoot to drive, you could be a real hooligan in it and it didn't complain at all. But when you weren't doing that, it was also a wonderfully serene way to cover long distances without stress and arrive feeling like you'd just driven down to the corner shop. He bought the car, for very little money, from the owner of a 6-Series who had originally bought it to break for spares for his car, but immediately saw it was far, far too nice for that so passed it on. That, unfortunately, was the fate of a lot of 7s in the UK, the 7 was worth almost nothing while the, very similar, 6-Series was worth decent money, so a lot of good 7s got broken up for parts. Add in the fact that, like the 6, they could rust pretty badly, and the fact that a lot got bought as cheap flash by people that really didn't take any care of them, there was a time when pretty much every pub in the UK had a 7 parked outside which was the landlords old smoke, and they're now incredibly rare in the UK. The steering in these should be nearly as precise as a car with rack and pinion steering, so I suspect this example is suffering from the accumulation of a little wear in each of the many ball joints in the steering system, and they're also very sensitive to front wheel alignment, with a small level of being out of line having a very big effect on the steering feel, so a bit of attention here could make a huge difference to how the car drives. They are also very tyre-sensitive, and cars that were originally supplied with the TRX metric tyres and wheels never really feel right if they're changed over to standard wheels and, much cheaper, standard-size tyres as the cars supplied with the TRX tyres had a rather different suspension and steering set-up to make the best use of the metric tyres. Having fresh, top quality tyres does have a big effect on how they feel, with the Pirelli P6 being the top choice for non-metric shod cars. These really were one of the few large, luxury cars that really could manage the trick of seeming to shrink around you when you wanted to press on and have fun, something that the E32 also could do but which then went missing from BMWs. Now they just seem to make big cars that feel absolutely enormous when you drive them, definitely not The Ultimate Driving Machine, even if some of the M cars are still quite special...

Fantastic test of a great car! The butcher opposite my home bought a brand new 745i in platinum metallic, circa 1982. It was a BIGGG sexy car. The plush interior with the dark green velvet absolutely blew my mind. I cannot conceive daring to compare such a cheap second-rate and underpowered car like a Granada Mk2 to this Bayerische Magnificent Work of art. Ah, people...

Nice one! This car is from the era when BMW actually did make high quality and reliable luxury/performance cars.

Lovely Jubbly Mr HubNut. Could you really imagine a 2020 BMW in 35 years being usable, I very much doubt it.

I owned an 1989. A great car. I had to resolder the relay boards to keep the electronics working. The digital part of the dash didn't work, but it was still a joy to own.

The E23 seven is just such a beautiful combination of style, comfort and quality....

A friend once loaned me one just like it, same color, everything. What a fantastic car...that engine note and urge. You've got me looking through the adds for one now.

Thank you Ian for doing this vid! I have found memories of my fathers e23 BMW's. A late spec 728i SE and a 735i, both of 1985 vintage. Four up in the 735i, packed boot and luggage inside the passenger compartment for camping holidays!!!! I felt so special riding in that luxo barge around somerset, mid 1990's, windows down enjoying that glorious 6 cylinder purr!!! A memory above all else. My father has had a plethora of cars, but these were the most memorable times of my childhood!

Man, thank you so much for this video! I've been in love with BMWs ever since my early childhood, and this one was one of my favorites back then. Although I generally love cars and driving experience as such, BMWs have always had something special about them, which I can't explain by words (except for some of the newest models). I guess it's called love at first sight :)

A proper classy BMW - not this postering, computerised arrogant hateful crap they flog to the Masses on finance these days. This is beautiful and timeless. Great sound too from a decent engine too. Really enjoyable video Ian!

Now that is how I remember a proper BMW. Thank you for sharing this with us Sir 👍.

That last bit of road with the round about is a favorite bit of mine to open up my XR6 Turbo from time to time LOL

What a fantastic old beast. I agree with you classic lines yet not showy and in your face. Lovely

That unmistakable slightly gravelly sound of a BMW straight 6. No other 6 seems to sound the same.

I remember seeing the TV ad for these when I was a kid, I loved the fact that it had electric headrests.

Great video Ian. Thanks so much. Pete 🇬🇧

I fixed and drove a e24 m6 with m88 engine few months ago. Loved it! I just love tge styling from this time period.

Ah...brings back memories when my uncle had a 733i and my friend’s dad got a new 728i...sweet rides and impressive tech for that period..:)

I still have a straight six BMW (2018 440i Coupe) but nothing beats the sound of the original “Big Six M30” (and possibly even more velvety smooth but belt driven “Small Six M20). I had a couple of M30 engined 528iAs back in the Eighties (my favourite, a Nov.’80 E12 and then a less attractive squarer backed E28 Sept.’82 model). They sounded so good and the dashboard of the E12 was gorgeous and so ahead of its time when introduced in 1972.

Nice car. Its the straight six that makes it so addictive and weirdly combined with the smooth automatic gearbox seems even better. I'm biased I have a 2002 E46 with 2.2 24 valves. Auto. After three years I'm still smiling.

A vivid early teenage memory of travelling with an uncle in one of these one very cold winter's day - suddenly the near silence was broken by a loud electronic "bong" in the cabin - the ice warning! They certainly are lovely cars.

When BMW’s were mostly metal not the plastic fantastic of today love bmws of this era miss my 87’ e28 535i same motor as this e32 and my e34 525i awesome machines now have an e39 535i V8 still a solid car reliable car not game to get into a more modern bmw these old e32’s are such a beautiful car I didn’t think you liked BMW’s love your unbiased road tests as usual keep em’ coming oh that exhaust sound at the end was superb,

Thank you for another great video(!), this is probably the only BMW I would buy!

I remember seeing this car in a previous video some time ago. Owning a 735i manual that is for sale at the moment, an e32, I will definitely love to check this one out later today!

This car, and the E32 that followed, was a properly handsome design.

I remember falling for these in the early 80s tv advert in the UK.

Cool, looks great. Love the light tester panel 😍

Really liked this one, watched it twice now. Not normally a BMW fan but I like bigger cars. Nice to know there is Hubnut options for the big car guy.

Same age as me. Love these, interior ahead of its time. Timeless classy styling

As a boy I had the pleasure to drive with my father in a 728i manual. That thing was plenty fast as well.

Absaloutly brilliant video Ian. Why is it with older cars like that do they have so much character but today you can't wait to get out the bloody things

Great cars. I'm on my 3rd E23 and this time it's a 5 Speed manual. It loves going sideways when the loud peddle is engaged.

The beauty of old cars.

Nice review Ian. The great thing about BMW's up until around 2008 is that with maintainence and a bit of care, they willl keep going forever. The paint is so thick on them and the quality is there throughout the model range. I think that old BMWs and Mercs look elegant and classy as they get older, even the E60 5 series looks good and has bullet proof mechnicals. .

I love old BMW's and this one is beautiful

one of the nicest cars I remember was an E32 730i '92 - but riding in an 2005 E65 730d did move the game on for me

Went down hill after the E38. Elegant, smart and understated. Base engine for the M1 and the genesis of the "M" cars that followed. Lovely growly whirring sounds.

‘Woooaaahhh, it is possible to get the tail out’ 😂 Great looking car and a great noise. A real ‘proper’ BMW. We need a ‘POWER more is more’ T shirt now Ian! 😁

My dream car many years ago - the dream never materialised! 😂🤣

This is great , never see these anymore, long since driven onto the ground here

That sort of power I can take but I would get fined everywhere! My favourite styling series. Just gorgeous.

BMW pre mid 90's was so solid.

I was lucky enough to own a new one in the 80's. Loved it. Very comfy machine. A real mile eater.

My boss in the late 80's had a high mileage 2.8i Granada Ghia. He upgraded to a high mileage 3.5 7 series and it was streets ahead in every way. Driving either when I was in my early 20's was pretty special.

It was and still is a marvelous legendary car

Lovely - they looked so classy then. 🆒👍🏻

Great stuff. Good article recently in the Road Rat on how luxury barges have lost their style vs. great cars like this in the 80s. Current 7 series so big now mainly seem them in London with taxi permits in the window, back in E23 and E32 were a drivers car.

Loved it!

This car brings back memories from the late 90's. My mate Dave had one, also in white and originally belonged to an actor known for a while in a particular soap.. a lovely car. Anyway one day Dave decided to sell to a chap from London who came down to collect... 20 miles from home the cam belt snapped! Not sure what happened to the car after the phone call... This example here is very clean and tidy.. few and far between now...👍

Nice videos again 👍

What a superb car!

Thank you for the review of this first generation 7-series sedan. The e23 was a car known to handle its best past what some might feel are it’s limits. If you get your hands on this one again don’t be restrained from tossing it around a bit as the handling might surprise you. Minor things like worn Pitman arms are also known to make the steering feel less confident luckily they are a simple replacement.

Nice to see a real car on here

I love this classic look of the 7 series!

Another chunk of classic car nostalgia.

I love this model. A great car

From when BMW made very good looking, very well made, very good to drive cars .

I had an e21 which was a great little car. this was the great era of BMW with their nice little fours and silky smooth sixes. On top of that thy looked great and were reliable.

THAT sound 👌🔥

You had me at hofmeister kink. I’ll let this video play until the end.

Now THAT is a good car!

A Delicious shark. A white, '79 T plate 733, very similar to that was what I got to sit in years ago with 54k kms (lhd, in kms) on the clock. So special, so rare, epitome is the word I'd use as well.

Ian, I couldn’t smash the like button quickly enough on this one. I had the same book you are referring to and remember the side profile of the green 730 cruising down a (German?) road. I’ve also got new car brochures for 733i and 320i that my parents picked up in 1978. We were in no position to buy either car in 1978 so I guess they liked to Dream a little. We were in that position by the mid 80’s and had a US spec ‘84 733i in the same color combo as your test car. Great car, but the automatic was a dog in desmogged US trim. Not so with the manual! Dad had a friend with an ‘83 5 spd. That felt much quicker. I got to drive it once and accidentally hung the tail out making a left turn through a large intersection. Fortunately, no wreck or ticket, but don’t let your teenager loose in a powerful rear drive car! Sadly our ‘84 was written off by a hard rear end collision by an uninsured driver. Thanks for another great review.

Beautiful car, and as others have said, back when BMW had true style and class.

A very fine example of a great car, always fancied one and almost bought one 20 years ago. Instead I went with S class Mercs so I might be a bit biased but they don't quite ooze the class like a W126 does. The BMW always sounds more sporty though, so maybe one day I'll own one? But whoever said a Granada was a better car in nearly every aspect is definitely looking thro blue tinted oval shaped sunglasses. Not in the same class!

Just to add. Having owned Mk.1, 2 and 3 Granada Ghia's. 3.0V6 and 2.8i also a Scorpio Ultima 2.9i they didn't come close to my 735i in build quality or outright speed. IMO.

best thing about 80's cars was how the hard platic gripped self tapping screws..............used to fit the first carphones into things like this :D

I love the design of these shark nose BMWs especially the 3.0 CSL/CSI Coupes one of my favourite cars of all time

Wonderful car!

A coupe version in black simply rocks.

I had the M535i e28, manual, it was one quick car, it would smoke both back tyres on dry tarmac. Love all these older BMW, e3 3.3Li being my favourite, such class, compare these to the new 7 with its massive clown car grille, same as all the new BMW, all crass and no claaas!

Great car back in the day

I have one of those in storage in New Zealand. I purchased it 28 years ago.to drive up and down the South Island. I have to agree, the steering is too slow however one you get used to the car it actually has fantastic abilities. I did consider upgrading to an E32 however when I drove one I actually preferred the old car. The instant kick down was also a brilliant feature in New Zealand for overtaking where you have to make snap decisions on when to go or not go. The brakes are a bit mushy but very powerful because they have a hydraulic servo on them.

80s & 90s.... What a time to be alive!

Wind noise an essential speed reminder when barreling along at 180 Kph + on an Autobahn.

A true beauty.

Older bimmers have recirculating ball steering boxer. They can give vague unprecise steering feel specially when they get worn. Newer from I believe the e30 on up use rack 'n pinion steering which usually has a bit sharper steering feel.

I had one of these in 2000 and went to Canada for a holiday where I was given a Ford Crown Victoria (like the police used) as a hire car for two weeks. When I arrived back at the train station where my wife picked me up in the UK in the BMW and drove it, I am sad to report it felt slow compared to the Ford. I still loved it though.

Sharknose BMW‘s beat their successors by aesthetics imho. Recently saw a silver 735i in Frankfurt, well kept. Have not seen one for years before. And that 6cyl sound...😍😍😍😍

A wonderful car!

Nice to see one of these in good condition! The styling hearkens back to the day (mid-late-1970s) when they were "just right", no-nonsense, but a quality package. In reading numerous Road & Track issues of that era, the BMWs (fill in blank; 320i, 530i, 630CSi, 733i) of that era were their editorial staff's "go-to" cars, frequently topping lists of their comparison tests. And they seemed, as many other European cars were, ahead of the styling game, w/ proper windows and good visibility; whereas the Japanese cars of the era were getting better in reliability terms, their styling was rather a throwback to 1960s muscle cars (save for the much-beloved original series 510 Bluebird, and the Z-car).

AI from the 80s... "The car decided that was necessary"... two gear kick-down. Marvellous.👍

80's BMW's are timeless. Had the oppourtunity to buy one of these back in the mid 90's. Unfortunately, I was working for Rumbelows, and redundancy beckoned before I had the chance! My favourite BMW's of that era, was this 735, the 6 series (particularly the M6) and the E30 M3. I did own an E30 320 about 15 years ago. Lovely drive, although I was surprised to find no power steering! As an advocate of the Griffin, I would have said the big Senator was a better match for the Beemers than the Ford.

My Dad had one in TItanium Silver (I later owned two TiAG BMWs, an E46 M3 and an E70 X5 50i). As an 18 year old, I took the 735i out a few times without permission when my parents were out. Quite a driving experience for an 18 year old (like Steve in Stranger Things in the 733i).

Loved the mk1

Nice car. I had one of these, an 85 executive. One of the few cars I regret selling.

Lovely review and test drive. I've got a 1986 E28 535i (currently off road) and (when promted) I can agree they SHIFT. Ive got 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds...... not bad for a (at the time) 30 year old car. Very docile driving but planted. Thank you for a great video..... as always. :) Sorry to see it's almost the last Oz one....... :(