This page contains a selection of BMW Individual upholstery for E38s designated from the factory as "Special Series". They are similar to what BMW presently refers to as "Individual Composition". Please contribute any missing (or improved!) pictures by contacting us at cars@e38registry.org!
When looking at Individual Data, it is important to note BMW specified the “seam pattern” of the upholstery, where applicable. For example, if a customer ordered Nappa leather, but wanted it to look like a Montana leather seat, the seam pattern was specified as N6/N8. Likewise, if a customer ordered a seat with Montana leather, but wanted it to look like Nappa, the seam pattern would be specified as N9/P1 or P4/P5 depending on the type of seat.
Special Series – may have Special Upholstery (Sonderpolsterung – Z1XX), Special Colour (Sonderlackierung – 490), both, or neither.
There were a number of E38s produced through BMW Individual, but as part of a ‘Special Series’, such as the well-known ‘Highline Carbon’ package, and other not so well known packages such as the ‘E38 Middle East Fashion Edition’. There were 2440 E38s produced under ‘Special Series’, with almost all of them having some form of special upholstery.
The only exception is the ‘E38 “Holz/Leder-Lenkrad” Hongkong’. That was a Hong Kong Special Series that added a wooden steering wheel, but included no other upholstery modifications. There were 209 E38s produced under this special series; as it does not have any special upholstery, it’s not listed here.
Click here to return to the Upholstery index!