BMW Digs Into Its Archives With Old Prototype Photos
It’s that time of year when automakers look back at how busy they’ve been over the past 12 months. BMW, however, is doing things differently, dialing the time machine much further back. These intriguing images show prototypes of the 7 Series and 8 Series undergoing winter testing in a snowy wonderland.
The photos were likely taken a few years apart, given that the original 8 Series debuted in 1990, while the third-generation 7 Series arrived in 1994. A closer look reveals a couple of peculiar design details on both prototypes. Take the 7 Series, for example: a 750iL fitted with a trunk spoiler and what appears to be a heckblende.
What the heck is a heckblende, you ask? It’s the German term for “rear cover.” While it may look like a light bar partially obscured by snow on this prototype, it’s actually a reflective panel that makes the taillights appear connected. Many cars featured these back in the day, either from the factory or through the aftermarket. Their modern-day equivalents are full-width LED light bars spanning the entire rear of a vehicle.
As for the coupe, it wears an angular grille with the kidney elements bisected by a horizontal bar and flanked by additional air intakes. Around the same time, BMW also explored the idea of an 8 Series Convertible, though it never came to fruition. The open-top 850i was developed between 1989 and late 1990 before being canceled. Executives in Munich feared it wouldn’t sell well enough to justify the investment. In hindsight, it was probably a good decision, as the coupe itself was hardly a commercial success.
Fast-forward to 2025, and their modern-day equivalents face very different futures. The 7 Series is set to receive a mid-cycle facelift next year, when the ALPINA version is expected to return. The 8 Series, meanwhile, is nearing the end of the road, with production scheduled to end in April. The high-performance M8 has already been discontinued globally, and BMW has made no commitment to a third generation, leaving the 8 Series’ future looking bleak.
Source: BMW Classic / Instagram
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
