A car enthusiast found an old BMW 730d (E65) on sale with a cool 540,000 km (335,500 miles) under its belt and a dead transmission. Where others would have given up, he persisted and resurrected the saloon as an expedition vehicle suitable for serious off-road driving. It has already concluded a trip to Sweden and Norway and crossed over to the Arctic Circle without issues.
The transmission had to be completely repaired and upgraded for durability. The 3.0-liter turbo diesel under the hood was allowed to retain most of its original bits, but got rid of the OEM emission control system and received a tune-up from the original 231 PS (228 hp / 170 kW) to 286 PS (282 hp / 210 kW). A limited-slip differential was installed to carry the momentum to the rear wheels.
Plenty of work has been performed on the suspension as well, which ended up with polyurethane bushings, long-travel shocks and coil-over springs. The ground clearance has gained roughly 50 mm (2 inches) in the process.
You will easily recognize the overlanding BMW 7-Series by its Rothmans livery of silver and blue, four floodlights at the front end and rally-style wheels shod in Yokohama Geolander rubber. An expedition rack with a camping tent and an access ladder can be seen on the roof.
As impressive as the restomod looks, it’s not for sale – rather, its creator plans to keep taking it on wilderness trips every now and then.