The BMW 740i (E32) was only incorporated in the model range of the BMW 7 Series when the new V8 engine was presented in 1992. Apart from minor changes, the installed engine (M60B40) is equivalent to the power unit in the BMW 730i/iL, although it has a displacement of 4.0 litres. The BMW 740i (E32) could only be purchased with a five-speed automatic transmission (ZF 5HP30). A manual gearshift was not offered for the "large" ("große") models. The visual appearance of vehicles with V8 engines differs from the six-cylinder cars with wider kidney grilles like those installed in the models powered by a V12 engine.