From Longtime Friend & ReaderMike L.:
“Would you ever consider a once a month article about a MODERN CLASSIC (aka peak) vehicle?”
Actually, I touched on the topic once before, here (and I would recommend refreshing the old memory banks by revisiting the post), but here’s my principal thesis therein:
Where I’m intrigued is when the discussion turns to the concept of “peak car”, which I’ve alluded to on several occasions: that time when new cars came with sufficient horsepower and a sufficient amount of technology which makes driving enjoyable for the average driver*.
I think that “peak car” depends on the brand / model.
…and therefore model year, as well. In that post, I looked at the Honda/Acura NSX, Ferrari 550 Maranello, Jaguar XJ40 and Mercedes Benz 450 SE.
So in keeping with Mike’s request, I’ll be looking at some more of my beau ideal models, by manufacturer and model year, starting with today’s pick, the 1990s-era BMW 735/740/750 (E38):
I’m not sure that BMW ever made a better luxury saloon car in the years that followed. Oh sure, the newer models may be faster, may handle a little better, and very much technologically superior to the old 735/740/750 models; but are they that much better for the average driver*? (This last clause is very important.)
I’ve driven 7-Series BMWs from the 1990s and the early 2010s, and I have to say that the newer models, while appreciably better in terms of handling and such, disqualify themselves by the overweening and intrusive technology that made them strike out (i-Drive? ugh). In my opinion. I hate the fact that with most modern Beemers, you have to go through the equivalent of an aircraft’s pre-flight check before setting out on your journey, whereas with the 90s 7-series cars, you turned the key, the car would start and you’d be out of the township before the new Beemer could clear your driveway.
And in terms of luxury, the 90s Beemers were perfectly okay — emphasis being on the word “perfect” — and anybody could set off on a long journey knowing that at the end, their backs would not require getting a tame chiropractor out of the trunk. In addition, if the long journey had a timetable those models would propel you along the road at great speed. Here’s a quick Wikipedia comparison of the models I care about:
Quite honestly, I think the 740’s 4.4-liter V8 (pushing out a measly — by today’s standards — 286 HP) seemed at the time to do the job perfectly well, for most drivers*. (Of their 5.4-liter V12, we will not speak; it was an absolute monster.)
Today’s 7-series cars are equally impressive, but in reality, all they’re doing is maintaining the standards set by those models of thirty years ago.
Here’s the thing, and it will be a recurring theme of all articles to follow this topic in future: if someone today were to hand the average driver — say, me — the key to a factory-fresh (say) 1997 BMW 740, you’d have to prise that key out of my cold, dead hands, to coin a phrase.
And if I were to prefer something more powerful, then the 750 would be fine; and if I wanted something just a little more racy, then the sleek 850 CSi (from 1994) would be my ultimate choice.
(It’s just the Motorsport version of the 750i, after all.)
Oh, and for those who can’t live without their precious technology, the BMW 740 and 750 both came with a satnav screen as standard, one of the first cars to do so.
Yes, I think the golden years for BMW’s luxury saloon cars was the mid-to-late 1990s: their absolute peak. At their introduction, they were the best of the breed — Mercedes equivalents of the era were too heavy and sluggish, and much more expensive — and anyone who lived through that period would have been completely blown away by them, as I most certainly was.
All the 7-series Beemers that have followed since are just gilding of the lilies, at prices (in constant dollars) that cause the nose to bleed, for not that much more utility, and certainly not that much greater luxury.
I’m not that sure that this will be a monthly feature. Barring the unforeseen, I think I’ll make it a Sunday one.
And as always, discuss in Comments if you agree/disagree. This is very much a personal opinion, and is really intended as a conversation-starter.