BMW’s third-generation 7 series defined full-sized luxury in its day, with its stiffer E38 platform and 32 valve V8 power under the hood. This 2001 BMW 740iL M-Sport in Tampa, Florida sweetens the pot with its six-speed manual gearbox, an option BMW rudely deleted from the 7-series when the E38 expired. Shiny silver paint and black trim (often sunburned on Sunshine State rides) have this luxurious mini-limo looking ready to sell. Check out more pictures and details here on eBay where a stout Buy It Now price of $24,900 seals the deal. Penny pinchers can test the waters by clicking Make offer. Thanks to Mitchell G. for spotting this rarely seen stick-shift 7 series, and to MotorTrend for some details.
Though capable of surviving 300,000 miles or more with minimal wear, the leather on this 740 shows every one of its claimed 161,365 miles. A num-chuk shifter stolen from a high school Honda could easily be replaced with something properly Teutonic. Keeping the electronics happy on this E38 can be daunting, but that’s all part of owning an older computerized BMW.
The sweet 4.0L (243 cid) 32 valve overhead cam V8 makes glorious noises at full throttle, a symphony of high-tech valvetrain, rushing air, and muted but throaty V8 exhaust tones. While 282 HP may sound limp today, the limits of this engine and chassis can only be fully explored on a race course. This one’s intake also got the high school treatment, drawing engine-warmed air by thwarting the original fresh air path. At least your homies at Walmart will know it’s not stock when you pop the hood. Gnarly red air cleaner, dude!
Clean and de-badged, the 740 is unlikely to be confused with lesser BMWs of its day. The 3 and 5 series compare more closely with each other, while the 7 marks a significant upgrade. That said, BMW jammed this powertrain into the lighter 540i. This long-wheelbase “L” version offers excellent leg room for your lanky teens. According to Bimmerfest, the M-Sport package brought staggered wheels, 3.15:1 rear end gears, a three-spoke M steering wheel (not present on this car) and a stiffer, lower suspension. Experts should do their homework and validate the M-sport claim.
In today’s world of video-game-trained steering wheel holders, the six-speed serves as an additional anti-theft device. I’ve dreamed of installing a 540 six-speed in my 2006 BMW 750Li, not for all-out performance, which would be the same or slightly slower, but merely to enjoy driving it more. Would you enjoy a manual gearbox in your luxury car?
I agree on your shifting comment Todd. I have a 1999 E39 540 with the 6 speed and it is a blast to drive !
Yes, but is the wiring edible? Remember the story of my daughters late model BMW that had a rat eat the wiring? Apparently, it’s a well known problem. Jury still out on that one.
“Manual Gearbox Preservation Society”? Oh, please, my rotator cuff hurts just thinking about that. Preaching to the choir on that. May as well sell dinosaur statues. Think I’m nuts? In 2023, a grand total of 1.7% of new cars sold in the US had a manual transmission, up from 1.2% the previous year, and 0.9% before that. As of 2025, the only truck offering a stick is Toyota. Semis, you say the last holdouts to shifting? Not so, as over 90% of new semi trucks are automatic. Auction phoophery too, many newer performance cars are automatic. BMW a fantastic car, this one is no exception but the way I see it, shifting one manually puts it in the column shift 3 speed Falcon territory, nobody will want that in the future, numbers don’t lie.
I get where you stand on the manual transmission. The only car we still offer with one is the Jeep Wrangler and the ones we sell are almost always sold orders. My take is that I still love the “idea” of stirring gears but am also somewhat over it, too. There’s so little room in the footwell of modern vehicles that big shoes and extra pedals don’t mix well. Although going back to an older car or truck with 3 or 4 speeds may still be tempting.
As for this car, I was all in until seeing the Pep Boys shifter. No thanks. Not only does it spoil the glamour of a rare car it says I was shined but otherwise abused.
Howard, that is your opinion of the manual, nothing more. Mine and a lot of folks feel the opposite no matter what percentage of manuals are sold in this country. My daughters still thank me for showing them how to row the gears when they were sixteen and they are in their late 30’s and my oldest is looking at a Mustang. I don’t care about how many manuals will be available in the future, it is about enjoying today and how many days you have left. To each their own.
HoA: While I am loathe to disagree with the Sage of Barn Finds, speaking as one I might add , :) REAL MEN drive standards. Period! Even older ones with rotator cuff issues.
My DD is an ’01 E46 wagon with a five speed. The manliness extant is overwhelming!!
This car has been rode hard and put away wet. $25k for a beat up E38 that’s had the JC Whitney treatment? A few years back I paid $5k for an E32 (same 740iL), a better looking car in nearly perfect shape. True, it didn’t have a manual transmission, but it also doesn’t have the troublesome VANOS, which was introduced on these cars. Buy it if you must, but keep that wallet open.
To each his own. I had my day and fun with manual transmissions. Still have one in my classic antique by design not by choice. My Porsche 911 has a PDK automatic that would put any manual transmission to shame. It shifts extremely quick no drop in RPM between shifts and also has paddle shift on the steering wheel and manual mode on the shifter. And buying a manual transmission car used you don’t know how many unskilled drivers have attempted driving it or the condition of the clutch assembly. Uffda
Once you have driven tiptronic, pdk or smg or any other name given by the manufacturer, you simply cannot go back !
Tackling wild quick curves with both hands on the steering wheel is priceless and its also quicker than rowing gears
YOLO
I’m curious to know the pros and cons from the die hard fans of manual transmissions
To each their own is the most important point. Exotics and most sporting cars have gone clutch pedal-free for maximum performance. For me, any automatic, even 800 HP just feels like borrowing my Grandmother’s car only faster. I can’t adapt and don’t really want to worry about steering and shifting little paddles or bumping a lever (trying to remember if upshift is forward or rearward) while my left foot sits there like a dead limb. When I change a gear, it changes. I don’t have to worry about whether I tapped the wrong lever, tapped it twice instead of once, or moved it in the wrong direction. Reliability-wise, a traditional manual gearbox lasts a long time and gives warning of impending failure while automatics are a “black box” that can surrender with little warning. None of that is universal, though. Others will have good counterpoints to recommend a two-pedal transmission.
Hmm… Really? A 6 speed in the 7 series was a factory option in the U.S.? Not sure I believe it. I have never seen one and in an L series seems even less likely. I am sure the VIN would have something to say about it, but based on the other ‘tweaks’ on this, I am guessing it is much more likely someone dropped the 6 speed in after the fact.
$25 Grand?? For THIS?? What a lunatic. I looked at a black 01 M Sport 7 Series last summer. 108K on the clock. No stupid shifter. No worn out leather. What sort of fool removes badges from a B M W?? The car I looked at had a price of $9995 and the guy was ready to negotiate. This price is one.of the most ludicrous to ever appear on BF.
This is a clever swap, but a swap nonetheless…there was no manual offered on the 7-Series L in 2001. I mean come on even a novice can see, if you look at the photos on eBay of the dash next to the odometer screen it clearly shows PRND432. That said, yea it’s a cool thing to some…but for $25k does it come with a spare car? $7500 maybe…
Sold for $8,751 a little more than two years ago.
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/KDnkajBa/2001-bmw-740il
All U.S. 740iLs were automatics. The six speed is a swap as noted in the Car as and Bids link. Lots of other modifications too.
Asking too much for what’s being offered.
HoA: While I am loathe to disagree with the Sage of Barn Finds, speaking as one I might add , :) REAL MEN drive standards. Period! Even older ones with rotator cuff issues.
My DD is an ’01 E46 wagon with a five speed. The manliness extant is overwhelming!!
Once you go PDK! Y go back 2 a manual!!!
Wow. I read this as “meaningless extant”. My bad.
You people seem to miss my point every time, and quite frankly, it’s the last time you’ll hear from me on this matter. Maybe if I shout, I KNOW YOU LIKE TO SHIFT GEARS, and next of kin too because you did, rest assured, the vast majority of newer drivers don’t have that example,,and with the percentages I provided, you can’t possibly think a manual transmission is the future of transportation. Maybe the 1.7% sounds impressive, but let me remind you, it’s the 98.3% that really tells the story. Why do you think so many manual transmission cars come through here? NOBODY WANTS THEM. This time I’M preaching to the choir, as naturally, the people that frequent this site are going to be gear shifters. However, denial is great with this one and we comprise a very small number, and dwindling.
We, as a world, have much bigger fish to fry than to worry how our cars are shifted. That’s why that “Society” made me laugh, you’ve got to be kidding. I guess eventually, it’s me that will have to pull the plug. I’m 10-10, on the side,,
My take: No, BMW did not produce an e38 with a manual transmission for the U.S. – this one was likely swapped in from a 540i. I have seen a couple of them and I think it is a great idea. Regardless of quotes on sales figures of manual vs auto box cars sold, I personally am just not old enough yet at 68 for an automatic, but I am glad that they will be around when I become old and doddering or incapable of moving a shift lever. Glad the “society” brought humor; that’s what it is for. There is no real honest to god society; just many people who still enjoy driving real cars and being in full control of same. What the vast majority does is of no particular concern to me – bad decisions are still bad decisions as we have seen in our country over the past 4 previous years. What was that about frying fish?
As a “Walmart Homie”, I’m greatly offended by your writeup.
Hello Bill T. I really meant “homies in the Walmart parking lot…” Does that help?
I’m curious to know especially from die hard fans of manual transmissions the pros and cons.