BMW 745i SA (E23) – The “Unofficial M7” Built for South Africa

Here’s a BMW story you couldn’t make up. When BMW launched the E23 745i with its turbocharged inline-six, the engineers hit a snag: that turbo setup wouldn’t fit in a right-hand-drive 7 Series. South Africa needed RHD, so BMW’s solution was pure muscle — drop in the M88/3.

Derived from the legendary M88 bloodline (as seen in the M1), this 3.5-litre M88/3 straight-six runs Bosch Motronic fuel injection and, with its 10.5:1 compression, produced a healthy 286 PS (282 hp) and 340 Nm. In other words: an M-powered 7 Series before BMW ever admitted such a thing existed.

Known as the 745i SA, these cars were assembled in South Africa from CKD kits shipped from Germany, and production ran from early 1984 to 1987 with just 209 units built for the local market. Of those, 192 were automatics and only 17 were manuals — making any genuine example a serious South African BMW collectible.

This particular car has undergone a restoration, remains in its correct Pacific Blue, and is fitted with an automatic transmission. The original radio has been replaced with a period-correct Becker unit, and the model is known for its Nappa leather-rich cabin, a spec that later informed BMW’s Highline trim.

A rare piece of local BMW history: discreet on the outside, properly special underneath.