South Africa’s BMW 7 Series Racer with M1 Straight-Six

BMW’s South African operation has always done things its own way, building cars locally and developing variants that never appeared in European showrooms. That independent streak carried straight into racing, where the E23 7 Series was transformed from executive saloon into a touring car bruiser with proper circuit intent.

One of the best-known examples is a 745i that competed in the 1986 Wesbank Modified series. Visually, it was a shock: swollen wheel arches, a widebody silhouette, and purposeful aero that looked engineered for downforce rather than driveway presence. It wore its race prep boldly, turning a long, formal shape into something that looked ready to lean on kerbs all day.

What made it truly special sat under the bonnet. The European 745i relied on a turbocharged M102, but packaging that layout in right-hand-drive form caused headaches in South Africa. BMW’s solution was to install the M88/3 straight-six, a close relative of the unit that powered the iconic BMW M1, giving the big saloon a far more motorsport-bred character.

It’s a brilliant reminder that homologation quirks and regional engineering decisions can produce genuine legends. This 7 Series wasn’t built to fit a neat category; it was built to work, to race, and to win—an unlikely heavyweight that earned its reputation the hard way, one lap at a time.