2001 740il M-sport or not - need clarification please!

[OhhToo]

Hello,
So I am looking at a really nice 740il and I can not tell if the m-sport is the same as the sport package. I have seen the window sticker and it says sport package which includes the upgraded suspension and the m wheels. The car does not have the steptronic transmission and it has a 4 spoke wheel not the three spoke wheel.

What information do I need to definitively say that it is or is not a m-sport?

[Qsilver7]

The SWB (short wheel base) and LWB (long wheel base) e38 740i/iL sport pkgs were different if you are in the USA market (there are differences for other markets like Canada/Europe/Australia/So Africa/etc).

The 740i (SWB) sport pkg (offered for the 1999-01 model years) was a more inclusive sport pkg that included (hopefully I got them all...chime in if I forgot one):

• Sport tuned & lowered suspension
• Low stall-speed torque converter
  
• Lower-geared rear diff (thanks 740iLDuke...I figured I'd forget one of them).
• Style 37 MPar 18" wheels (staggered)
• Shadowline ext & int trim
• Vavona Redwood interior wood trim
• 18-way sport comfort seats
• 3-spoke Msport steering wheel (delayed introduction)
• STEPTRONIC gear shift

The 740iL sport pkg wasn't offered until the 2001 model year and was a decontented (aka mostly cosmetic) option pkg that only included FOUR features:

• EDC (electronic damping control) suspension
• Style 37 MPar 18" wheels (staggered)
• Shadowline ext & interior trim
• Vavona Redwood interior wood trim

The option pkg list above is why you will find lots of past discussion on this topic where you will repeatedly see statements about the SWB 740i being the REAL sport. The LWB sport pkg relies on electronics (EDC) to deliver anything other than cosmetics that can be considered "sporty"...and as you can see...it didn't even get the 3 spoke steering wheel, STEPTRONIC gear shifting, nor the 18-way sport comfort seats.

[OhhToo]

Thank you for the information. Where does this whole M part get added in? So the sport package for these cars is known as the "m-sport" package even though it doesn't say that on the window sticker?

[740ilDuke]

To my knowledge, the sport cars are all shadowline - meaning no chrome, except for the kidney grilles. The 740i got the altered suspension,rear diff and torque converter - which gave it the M-Sport title. A shadowline 740iL is an appearance package. M-Pars, shadowline trim but none of the other bits.

[Qsilver7]

Thank you for the information. Where does this whole M part get added in? So the sport package for these cars is known as the "m-sport" package even though it doesn't say that on the window sticker?

It can be a bit confusing...but the e38 sport pkgs are just a meager offering A few items from the M-parts bin (steering wheel & Mpar wheels M-badges...and a slightly more sport tuned suspension on the SWB...but not a real M tuned suspension or engine.

There's nothing really deserving it to wear an M badge on the trunk deck...like an M-tuned engine with an M-tuned exhaust or an m-tuned suspension .