The top of the line variant for the E38 BMW 7 Series was the 750i. The 750i, alongside its long wheelbase 750iL sibling, were the only E38 7 Series cars to feature a V12 powerplant. Initially, the 750i was fitted with BMW's M73B54 V12 engine. This 5.4L engine generated 322hp and was paired to an automatic transmission which sent power to the rear wheels. For the 1999 model year, BMW introduced their updated M73TUB54 V12, which kept power and torque figures the same, but allowed the engine to pass emissions regulations. A total of 8,559 examples were built before production of the E38 750i ended in 2001, although the model series continued life in the next generation BMW E65 7 Series.