The fifth generation of the BMW’s flagship sedan, the 7-Series, was introduced in 2008 and it debuted into a hard time, during the world economic crisis.
But it couldn’t wait any longer.

With the fifth generation, the 7-Series lost the older model coding with the “E” letter and passed to the new, F-Series cod names. The fifth-generation has received the F01/F02 name for that generation. It also was a change for the design language of the Bavarian brand.

The 2008 7-Series was the departure from the “Bangle” design of its predecessor and the return to a, somehow traditional design. The big headlights were not round or straight but shaped specifically to make a connection between the bumper and the front fenders. The grille with its kidneys was not integrated into the hood but kept in place along with the front fascia. Long, ample straight lines gave a visual sense of length for the vehicle.

Inside, there was a new interior with horizontal lines for the dashboard which were continued on the door panels. The technological package of the car was big. It featured a new infotainment system with an evolved iDrive. The instrument cluster offered a mix of analog and digital display, preparing its customers for the next series. Up to five video cameras were available to help the driver. One was for infrared forward view, two were mounted on the front fenders to look left and right, one was for reversing and another one looked for the traffic signs. The interior room was big, especially for the long-wheelbase version.

Under the hood, the 7-Series offered turbocharged gasoline and diesel units, available with rear or all-wheel-drive via a standard 8-speed automatic transmission.