745i

BMW first used the 745i nameplate in 1980 on the E23 7 Series, where it served as the flagship of the original 7 Series line. The early European 745i was a turbocharged six-cylinder executive sedan that gave BMW’s new luxury range a distinctly sporting character, and it remained the top E23 model until production ended in June 1986. That first run also gained a unique chapter in South Africa, where BMW offered a special 745i variant with the M1-derived M88/3 engine because the turbocharged version was not suitable for that market. BMW revived the 745i name decades later for the E65 7 Series, launched for the 2002 model year and sold through early 2005 as the entry flagship in the fourth-generation 7 Series. In that era, the 745i was a V8-powered luxury sedan positioned below later V12 and updated V8 models, and it is remembered for introducing the controversial but influential Bangle-era 7 Series design. Because the nameplate disappeared after 1986 and then returned in a later generation, the 745i has multiple distinct production periods rather than one continuous run.