Just as promised, the Petersen Automotive Museum is back with episode two of its tour of a secret warehouse somewhere in the United States. Once again, BMW Group Classic USA Head Thomas Plucinsky guides us through the many gems that rarely see the light of day. Topping the list is probably the pair of V12-powered 7 Series sedans that can also run on hydrogen. The E65-era Hydrogen 7 is the more familiar of the two, as the older E38-based 750hL is a particularly rare sight.
Sticking with the 7 Series, BMW also owns a fully loaded M760i from the G12 generation, preserved as the last of the V12s. It’s the only 12-cylinder car in the warehouse and likely the final BMW model to combine the famous roundel with the massive engine. Thomas Plucinsky says it’s highly unlikely the V12 will ever return to a BMW model, although the engine lives on in the Rolls-Royce Ghost, Cullinan, and Phantom.
The secret stash also houses a pair of M5s used to set a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous drift. In December 2017, the performance sedan completed an eight-hour sustained drift, covering 232.5 miles (374.2 kilometers) on a wet skid pad. BMW had to refuel the M5 using another M5, much like fighter jets receiving fuel midflight.
An Eclectic Collection Of Cars
The warehouse isn’t all about sedans, though. In addition to the rare Neiman Marcus X5, BMW has also preserved an E53 that was originally destined for the crusher. The plan was to give it a stars-and-stripes motif for an apprentice program aimed at dealers and then dispose of it. However, after 9/11, BMW decided it would serve as a fitting demonstrator vehicle to highlight the company’s strong presence in North America.
While the oldest car featured in the previous video was a 1953 503 Coupe, the 2002tii showcased in the second episode was built a couple of decades later. Honorable mentions go to the exotic i8 Roadster, the Formula BMW single-seater race car, and a first-generation M2 CS. This F87 has a manual gearbox, which is sadly something we can’t say about its G87 successor, as it comes exclusively with an automatic transmission. Its predecessor was also available with an automatic, but it used a dual-clutch transmission rather than a torque converter.
If we had to pick just one car from the collection to take home, choosing between the M760i and the M2 CS would be incredibly difficult. Together, they would make the perfect two-car garage.
Video: Petersen Automotive Museum / YouTube
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
Â
