There comes a time in every European car enthusiasts life where they have to make a choice. Munich Legend or Stuttgart Stallion? Blue and white roundel or tri-pointed star? BMW or Mercedes-Benz. That time came for me recently, officially on the 2nd of December when I sold my Lexus IS200 in the hunt for something more daily-able. The Lexus was great fun, but the ride was crashy and the manual was tiresome. What I really needed was an Automatic, a sin to many car enthusiasts, but a sad reality of living and commuting in London. Foolishly (as some say) or amazingly (as I believe), a fairly cheap low optioned W140 S320 came up for sale - the W140, my dream, I had to have it.
This car clearly isn't that. It's a 1999 BMW 740i 'ACS7' - a dealer tuned E38 covered in AC Schnitzer parts. It also isn't mine. Owned by my friend Rong as his 'weekender' (to a fantastic 'daily' might I add), this ACS7 was left unused while Rong was back home in China, and so with the keys dropped off to me, I thought it'd be rude not to give it a little test. A way to try out the tails to my W140's head. What could've been.
I've always liked this car, E38 BMWs holding a special place in my otherwise tri-pointed heart. The E38 is so much daintier and smaller and sleeker than the wedge of the W140, and this car's AC Schnitzer lip kit and wheels give it a proper muscle look. Everyone I'd showed the car to had commented on how good it looked, and it does. I'd always preferred a pre-facelift (Pre-LCI as the BMW Nerds call it) E38, but this had grown on me massively. The clear indicators match the sporty feel of the bodykit and the Halo Headlights really work.
I'm usually not one for a customised numberplate. Often, a plate that barely spells out Keith on the front and back of a Vauxhall Mokka doesn't scream style, but I think an exception has to be made for this. Every multi-story parking ticket reminded me of what I was driving, E38 ACS. My friends dont even refer to it as 'the ac schnitzer 7 series' - its just E38 ACS.
The spec on this car was immaculate - the black on silver just works so much in this cars favour. The centre console screen was a feature that didn't feel old, rather nostalgic - friends of mine tried setting the sat nav to where we were headed, wondering why I was even bothering to use my phone. However, a few live direction readouts and they were asking me how to turn off the Nav. The heater controls were intuitive and simple, gauges nice to read and the wood trim was popular among passengers. The shocker from this interior is the mileometer - this car ticked over 200,000 miles this year!
While the interior is faultless i'd be lying if i said the exterior was similar. I was told not to mention the 'r-word' to Rong, but I think while he's not here I can. This E38, after living outside most of its life, is suffering from a bad case of rust. Most of the car's exposed panels have at least some bubbling or discolouration, and I wasn't excited to see underneath. The car could do with some bodywork, but with a rarer ACS7 like this, some things make it more difficult than a normal E38.
The paint can be replicated, but the stickers cannot. Thats the reason the car's been out of paint for so long, as if the car had no stickers it just wouldn't be the same. The pinstripe sets it apart from other modified E38s, possibly being one of very few, if not the only Facelift UK ACS7. Some of the stickers are easily replicated, such as the rear door AC logos, but the pinstripe isn't. The likely solution is asking AC Schnitzer directly, but even they might not have anything.
But I mean hey, the car's meant to be enjoyed - which is what I have done wholeheartedly. This specific E38 is my favourite BMW ever, not just because its owned by a close friend but also because of its history, and now i've had the chance to drive it. While people wave at you in the Mercedes, they wave because its an old car. The people waving at this had to have known it was something special. Be it the V8 rumble, road presence, chunky wheels or pinstripe, it certainly had people looking.
But I mean hey, the car's meant to be enjoyed - which is what I have done wholeheartedly. This specific E38 is my favourite BMW ever, not just because its owned by a close friend but also because of its history, and now i've had the chance to drive it. While people wave at you in the Mercedes, they wave because its an old car. The people waving at this had to have known it was something special. Be it the V8 rumble, road presence, chunky wheels or pinstripe, it certainly had people looking.
But better than a W140? That was the question i was asking myself. My specific W140 against this specific E38, E38 ACS takes it anyday. But the W140 on a whole? Probably not. S600s are just leagues above everything, and even if I am biased as a fan of the marque, my S320 still feels slightly more refined and comfortable and surprisingly easier to manoeuvre than this E38. How much of this is just the ACS package? I dont know.
Any standard E38 owners willing to let me try?
