BMW E38 Chassis variants

You would be tempted to believe that a 4 door luxury sedan will not be subject of such topic, but the E38 7 Series had 3 chassis variants. Of course, there is no such E38 Coupe, but BMW did make some body adjustments to suit all ranges of businessclass. 

  • - Short wheelbase
  • - Long wheelbase
  • - L7


1. The E38 7 Series -  Short wheelbase (SWB)

Known as the "standard" E38, the short wheelbase version has been designed to carefully mix both luxury and joy of driving, making it a well-balanced luxury sedan. Ethusiasts call it the "shorty sporty", especially reffering to the M Sport variant. 

Size specs:

  • Wheelbase - 2,930 mm (115.4 in) 
  • Length - 4,985 mm (196.3 in)
  • Width 1,862 mm (73.3 in)
  • Height 1,425–1,435 mm (56.1–56.5 in) 


How to tell:

First of all, they're named different. LWBs badge will contain an L at the end, such as 728iL (yes you have read that right, you could pair a 2.8i engine to a LWB chassis), 735iL, 750iL etc. 
Note: The diesels never came in a LWB variant

If no such lettering is known, there are still signs.

Since the difference between the SWB and the LWB is due to an extended rear compartiment - thus more legroom -, the easiest way to tell would is to simply look at the rear doors, as the rest of the car is basically the same. You might be thinking that a small difference such as a few inches perheaps would be hardly noticeable, and for the untrained eye, it surely is. 

But, as the beauty comes from the inside, simply take a look at the rear door panels and you'll have your answer.


LWB

Notice the extra storage compartiment.


SWB

SWB does not have any.

The door car is visibly shorter.


2. The E38 7 Series Long Wheelbase (LWB)

To ensure the true luxury expected of an executive car, BMW introduced an extended wheelbase version, designed specifically to meet the sophisticated needs of discerning business professionals. Usually, the LWB models came equipped with luxury-oriented extras, such as "picnic tables", swivel tables, rear TV, footrests, rear climate control unit, multifuctional rear armrest and so on. The sole purpose of such version was to assure utmost comfort for the ones sitting in the back.

We have covered the available luxury extras separately, feel free to click here.

But, keep in mind that SWB variants also could have been eqquiped with such extras, so the amount of luxuries is not really a key difference between those 2. 

We will let the LWB interiors speak for themselves. 

Size specs:

  • Wheelbase - 3,070 mm (120.9 in)
  • Length - 5,124 mm (201.7 in)
  • Width - 1,862 mm (73.3 in)
  • Height - 1,425–1,435 mm (56.1–56.5 in) 


3. The E38 7 Series L7

The pinnacle of E38 luxury, the L7 chassis is the closest you can get to an actual limo. BMW described the L7 as crafted for "customers who demand the utmost in driving comfort in every aspect." When the car debuted in 1997, the 'L7' badge wasn't new to BMW—it had previously graced a more upscale version of the E23 735i for the U.S. market. However, the E38 7 Series L7 took things to an entirely new level. 

It was sold in Europe and parts of Asia, although a handful did make there way over to North America. 

899 were built, making the L7 an incredibly rare piece of BMW history.

Basically, BMW took the already stretched iL (LWB) and also extended the B-Pillar section by a whopping 25cm, as a slightly awkward-looking panel was added between the front and rear doors. But more importantly, this change delivered extra legroom for the lucky passenger in the back, if there wasn't enough.

All that extra equipment and the added metal between the wheels inevitably piled some weight onto the L7, bringing its unladen weight to 2215 kg compared to the 750iL's 1995 kg. Despite the extra heft, it didn't get any added power to make up for it—it ran the same 5.4-liter 'M73' V12 as the iL model. Nevertheless, It had just the right amount of speed to let you cruise along smoothly, keeping your champagne steady from the onboard fridge. And, when you wanted to push it, the top speed held firm at an electronically limited 155 mph.

The extra room resulted in an unique rear compartiment. Passangers were separated by an enormous rear centre console, packing various confort-oriented "quirks and features". In later models, a glass partition was added between the front and rear passenger compartments, for those who desired an extra touch of privacy.

For utmost enjoyment, L7 packed a fax machine (well, it was the 1990s), a rear minifridge, folding trays, a television with a VHS player, and even a computer with an Internet connection, all at your disposal.