BMW 7-series I (E23) gallery (1977–1986)

BMW's inaugural flagship sedan that established the 7 Series badge and challenged established luxury rivals with advanced electronics.

All photos 901 I (E23) 37 1977–1986 II (E32) 34 1986–1994 III (E38) 66 1994–2001 IV (E65/E66) 144 2001–2008 V (F01/F02) 237 2008–2015 VI (G11/G12) 276 2015–2022 VII (G70) 19 2022

BMW 7-series I (E23), sedan, blue, front view — photo 62335

1024 x 768 83 745i (1980-1986)

sedan Front view of a dark blue classic car with dual round headlights, chrome-trimmed split grille, and a German license plate.

BMW 7-series I (E23), black — photo 62334

1024 x 768 82 745i (1980-1986)

Dashboard and steering wheel of a classic car featuring analog gauge cluster, cassette player, climate controls, and wood-trimmed center console.

BMW 7-series I (E23), sedan, orange, front three-quarter view — photo 62333

1024 x 768 76 1977-1986

sedan A classic metallic copper four-door car parked on an airfield tarmac in front of an open-nose cargo plane.

1024 x 768 76 1977-1986

1600 x 1200 74 1977-1986

1024 x 768 78 1977-1986

1024 x 768 82 Touring

1600 x 1200 74 1977-1986

1600 x 1200 93 733i (1977-1979)

1600 x 1200 55 733i (1977-1979)

1600 x 1200 52 745i (1980)

1600 x 1200 59 733i (1977-1979)

1600 x 1200 46 733i (1977-1979)

1600 x 1200 53 1977-1986

1600 x 1200 49 745i (1980-86)

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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.