Introduced in 1977, the E23 stepped forward as BMW's ultimate luxury flagship, taking over from the large E3 sedans. Its aggressive forward-leaning shark nose, broad glasshouse, and stately proportions announced a new era of executive transport designed to challenge the luxury establishment head-on.

The E23 was a technology pioneer for the brand, introducing features like anti-lock braking (ABS), climate control with digital readouts, check-control displays, and on late models, turbocharging in the flagship 745i. It successfully established BMW as a technological powerhouse in the full-size luxury car segment.