The BMW 740iL was the long-wheelbase version of BMW’s V8-powered 7 Series luxury sedan in the third-generation E38 family. It arrived in the mid-1990s as part of BMW’s move to a more modern flagship sedan lineup for the U.S. market, where the long-wheelbase body was especially important for buyers who wanted a chauffeur-oriented rear seat without stepping up to the V12-powered 750iL. BMW described the 7 Series at the time as a performance-luxury sedan, and the 740iL fit that role by combining the brand’s traditional driver-focused character with greater rear-passenger space and a more formal flagship presence.
Across its run, the 740iL remained the main extended-wheelbase V8 model in the E38 range. It sat above the standard-wheelbase 740i and below the 750iL, giving BMW a broad luxury-sedan lineup with clearly separated roles. The E38 generation became well regarded for its restrained styling, solid road manners, and the way it balanced technology and elegance without becoming visually excessive. In that era, the 740iL was the version many enthusiasts and luxury-car shoppers saw as the sweet spot in the range: substantial, refined, and still closely tied to BMW’s sporting identity.
BMW’s U.S. press materials show the 740iL continuing through the 2001 model year, and the final U.S.-market E38 7 Series cars left production in July 2001 as BMW prepared the next-generation 7 Series for launch later that year. The 740iL therefore had one continuous production run, ending with the close of the E38 era and never returning as a revived nameplate.