Do You Remember This BMW 750iL 'Goldfisch' With Its 6.6 Liter V16?

The 1980s were a period of extravagance, and BMW and Mercedes-Benz were the automobiles of choice to portray wealth. This 1987 BMW 750iL with a V-16 engine is one of the finest examples of "Why would they make that?" and "Why not?"

This unique 7-Series featured a 6.6-liter V-16 engine adapted from BMW's existing V-12, according to BMWBlog in November. The resulting engine was so big that it couldn't fit in BMW's long-wheelbase sedan without major modifications.

BMW chose to transfer the radiator to the trunk to make room. The carmaker installed two radiators in the trunk, which were cooled by two ludicrous fiberglass ducts in the rear quarter panels. That cooled the motor but not the automobile. Thus, a complicated trunk-lid-mounted air extraction system blasted unnecessary heat into the car's slipstream.

So what? A 408-hp executive car. While that may not sound like much today, it was a huge deal 32 years ago. For reference, the famed Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer had a 6.0-liter V-8 generating 375-hp.

A commercial version of BMW's unrealistic monster was never planned. Strange things should be rare. A BMW 750iL Goldfisch in showroom condition would have lacked the car's unique engineering features.

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