The new 7 Series E 23 was presented as the successor to the big six-cylinder sedans in May 1977. The BMW 745i was launched in 1980 as the flagship of the first BMW 7 Series fitted with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine generating 252 hp, which accelerated the luxury sedan to a top speed of 221 km/h. But the BMW 745i also defined benchmarks in the area of deceleration and stopping power. It was also the world's first series production automobile to be fitted with fully electronic four-channel ABS on board as standard.