BMW 7 Series III (E38) — Wheel Fitment & Specs
TL;DR — The BMW 7 Series III (E38) (1994–1998) uses a 5x120 bolt pattern, 72.6 mm centre bore, M12 x 1.5 bolts torqued to ~115 Nm. It accepts ~7J–8.5J wheels at ET1–ET20 front; staggered setups run 8.5J–10J rear (ET15–ET35).
Wheel fitment
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x120 |
| Centre bore | 72.6 mm |
| Bolt / thread | M12 x 1.5 (bolts) |
| Wheel-bolt torque | 115 Nm |
| Seat type | tapered |
| Factory setup | staggered |
| TPMS | direct |
Aftermarket wheel sizes — read per position:
| Position | Width | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 7J–8.5J | ET1–ET20 |
| Rear (staggered) | 8.5J–10J | ET15–ET35 |
As a rule, each extra 1J of width wants roughly +8–10 ET to keep the wheel tucked. The exact offset and any spacer are confirmed by the fit-check.
UK popularity & demand
~18,023 BMW 7 Series licensed on UK roads — top 11% of models by volume.
Based on DfT VEH0124 vehicle-parc data (2025), there are approximately 18,023 BMW 7 Series on UK roads, placing it in the top 11% of car models by volume across our fitment database. That makes its wheel fitment a high-demand size to keep in stock — one reason we track its exact spec here.
Source: DfT/DVLA licensed-vehicle statistics (VEH0124), matched to the AIWheelTech fitment database.
Body styles & production
| Produced | 1994–1998 |
Factory colours
Schwarz, Jet BlackDiamantschwarz MetallicAlpine White IIGranite Silver MetallicSterling Silver MetallicBarbadosgruen MetallicCalypso Red MetallicTobagoblau MetallicBrocade Red MetallicDark BlueArctic Gray MetallicAvus Blue MetallicGletscherblau MetallicSamana Beige MetallicCordoba Red MetallicMauritiusblau MetallicMorea Green Metallic, Moreagruen Metallic - 1Malediven Blue MetallicAzure Blue MetallicSamoa Blue Metallic