Classic BMW 728i Named Best Overall at Warwickshire 7 Series Show
A 1997 E38 BMW 728i owned by George Manning took Best Overall at a 7 Series gathering in Warwickshire, according to Autocar.
Autocar reports that a 1997 BMW 728i of the E38 generation, owned by George Manning, was named Best Overall at the BMW 7 Event. The gathering was organized by All Things Bavarian and held at The Hill, a Caffeine & Machine location in Warwickshire, England. Awards were voted on by visitors.
According to the outlet, as many as 150 7 Series cars of all ages attended. Other prizes at the event went to the best restored, best modified and best kept cars, which gave the day a range of categories beyond the top award.
In the article, Manning is quoted explaining why he thinks visitors responded to the car. He pointed to an interior feature, a fold-out Kenwood television set in the centre of the dashboard, as one thing people seemed to like. Autocar frames the car as a "museum piece" and says Manning does not plan to sell it.
The report is a short feature rather than a formal review, so it offers no detail on the car's mileage, condition or mechanical specification beyond what was described at the show.
Background
The E38 was the second generation of BMW's full-size 7 Series saloon, introduced in the mid-1990s as a successor to the E32. It was BMW's flagship sedan of its era, offering a range of inline-six and V8 engines, along with a V12 model at the top of the line. The car was known for its refined ride, strong build quality and a cabin that emphasized comfort and technology for the time, including early electronic systems that were considered advanced.
The 728i sat in the middle of the lineup, combining the executive character of the 7 Series with a more accessible engine than the V8 and V12 versions. Over the years, these cars have moved from being everyday luxury transport to a niche of enthusiasts who value their period styling, analogue driving feel and the sense of a distinct car from before the modern era of large touchscreens and driver-assistance systems.
Owners' clubs, online forums and regional gatherings have helped keep older BMWs visible, and events like the one described give owners a chance to compare cars that have been kept original, restored or modified. Shows that group multiple generations of the same model also help show how the design has changed over time. Events of this kind have become an established part of the classic car calendar, especially in the United Kingdom, where enthusiast meetings range from large public shows to smaller gatherings organized around a single marque.
Why it matters
The story is a small one, but it reflects a wider shift in how cars from the late 1990s are viewed. Vehicles that were once treated as depreciating used cars are now often seen as collectible or as meaningful examples of a particular design period. When an owner says they expect to keep a car for the rest of their life, it signals how an older vehicle can move from transport to personal history.
The result also shows how enthusiast communities shape the value of a car beyond its market price. A car that wins a vote among fellow owners gains recognition that does not show up in a sales listing. For buyers and sellers of older luxury cars, this kind of attention can help keep demand steady for well-kept examples, even as the wider used market shifts.
There is also a broader point about preservation. Cars from this era were built in large numbers and many were scrapped or neglected. Owners who maintain them carefully help keep examples on the road, which in turn keeps the generation relevant to new fans who discover it later.
What to watch
The main question for readers is whether events like this one will continue to draw large numbers of owners as the cars age. Attendance at multi-generation shows depends on people continuing to care for older models, and on younger enthusiasts taking an interest in them.
Watch also for how the market treats well-kept E38 cars over the coming years. Demand for original and carefully restored examples may differ from demand for heavily modified ones, and the awards categories at the show hint at how owners themselves rank those choices.
Finally, pay attention to any further coverage from the organizers or from the owners' community that might clarify how the event is run and whether it becomes an annual fixture.
Viewpoints
Commentary from our columns: three angles on this story.
The Driver's Seat the enthusiast's take
There is something quietly wonderful about a car that its owner has no intention of selling. The E38 has never been the loudest or flashiest 7 Series, but it has always had a feel that many drivers remember fondly: soft but composed, big in the cabin, with a sense of occasion that newer cars sometimes lack. When an owner talks about being buried with a car, it says more about attachment than about any specification sheet.
What stands out here is that the vote came from other people who came to look, not from a judging panel with a checklist. Visitors chose a car because they liked it, and that is a fine way for an enthusiast event to work. The fold-out television in the dashboard is a reminder that older luxury cars often had little details that make owners smile every time they open the door. Those details are part of the story too.
The Accountant price, value and running costs
Owners who plan to keep a car for the rest of their lives tend to think about cost differently. Instead of asking what a car is worth on the market, they ask what it costs to keep running, and whether that cost is worth the pleasure it brings. For a car of this age, routine maintenance, parts availability and the care needed to keep original features working all shape that calculation.
The story does not tell us anything about this particular car's value or upkeep, and that is a reasonable limit for a short feature. Still, the decision to keep a car out of the sales market is a financial choice as well as an emotional one. Anyone weighing a similar car should look at the total cost of ownership, including the less visible expenses, before deciding whether a long-term keeper makes sense for their budget.
The Skeptic open questions and weak points
Calling a car a museum piece is a generous phrase, and it is worth asking what it really means. A car that is well kept and wins an enthusiast vote is still a used car built more than a quarter century ago, with the wear and age-related issues that come with that. Praise from a show crowd can be sincere and still say little about how the car would perform in daily use, or how easy it would be to repair.
There is also the question of how far an award like this should be read. Visitors voted on a day when many cars were present, and the categories for restored, modified and kept cars suggest that different approaches to ownership were all celebrated. That is a healthy result, but it means "best overall" is a snapshot of one event, not a verdict on the model as a whole.