New BMW 7 Series review
Author: David Miles
Published: 13 November 2008
A new luxury limousine range in today’s market with prices starting at £54,160, hardly appropriate timing but as BMW said at the media launch of their new 7 Series, this is the fifth generation and the car has been in the planning and design stages since generation four went on sale.
In the current financial climate around 1,800 of the new ‘Sevens’ will be sold in the UK in a full year.
Even the ‘luxury’ market sector is down on sales in the UK as the ‘captains of industry’ are seemingly thinking again about having a new company car, chauffeur driven or not, as jobs are being lost and Christmas bonuses disappear.
Under the sales headline, ‘The dawn of a new era’, the 7 Series is now the technology flagship of the BMW range. It has all the latest fuel and CO2 saving Efficient Dynamics technologies including new or heavily revised more fuel efficient engines. Aluminium is widely used to reduce weight and the new cars are 55kg lighter.
Karin Habib, exterior designer for the new 7 Series said the design is based on three major criteria; retain road presence but less in your face looks, sporty lines and elegance.
This has resulted in the usual BMW short front overhang, long bonnet with twin styling lines, high waistline and deeply sculptured side panels incorporating character lines so stretching the car’s visual length. Horizontal lines in the front and rear end styling stretch the car’s width.
The grille of the car is more upright than before and incorporates a much larger ‘signature’ kidney grille. Imposing with high road presence it certainly is, but the evolution of the Seven is on the conservative side.
Interior
The interior is luxurious, well equipped and logical. The infamous BMW iDrive control and information system is vastly improved and allows quick and logical access as well as having easy to use ‘favourite functions’ buttons.
Other controls from gear shifter to seat adjusters are now where they are needed for easy use. New driver aid technologies, including several world-first, are either standard or options and the latest features such as Night Vision pedestrian recognition will find their way into other BMW models in the future.
Gadgets and technology
Side cameras, rear view camera, speed restriction sign recognition, information and voice command satellite navigation, plus the excellent head-up display in the windscreen makes driving safe and easy for this size of car.
With the four-wheel active steering, where fitted, the Drive Dynamic Control suspension, throttle and gearchange characteristic options, Dynamic Stability Control, Lane Departure and Lane Change warning functions, makes the new 7 Series technically the most complete car on the market today, even surpassing the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
The main selling 730d diesel variant is available in standard length wheelbase form only for now. The 740i and 750i petrol versions come with standard and long wheelbase body options. The limousine long wheelbase models have air suspension for greater ride comfort but the system seems to not absorb potholes as well or give such a controlled drive as the standard system.
On motorways, where the 7 Series will spend most of its time, it is fine but on poorer and winding roads the air system feels less able to provide a comfortable ride.
Engine and performance
The new 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, 730d all-aluminium diesel engine is a real gem. Faster, more fuel efficient and cleaner, another good example of how BMW’s much applauded EfficientDynamics technology really works in real life.
This engine produces 245hp and 540Nm of torque which provides enough power to go from zero to 62mph in 7.2 seconds and giving a top speed of 153mph. Remember this is a luxury saloon, no sports car, but in fact it is both.
The combined cycle fuel economy is officially 39.2mpg, 34mpg in real life on the press test drive, with 192g/km of CO2 emissions giving it a current road tax bill of £210.
In conclusion I preferred to be driving this car rather than being chauffeured. It is generally first class for engine performance, driveability and all the technology is a joy to use. I recommend the head-up display, it’s fantastic and more importantly makes driving safer.
Being a rear seat passenger, whilst roomy enough for two adults, isn’t quite in the limousine class for ride comfort and the air suspension models just do not cope with our poorer roads.
In all models there is some road and wind noise intrusion and I would have expected better of such an advanced car. It is not as good in areas of quietness and or having the ‘glide’ comfort of the Lexus LS 600h L hybrid models, but then it’s not so expensive.
BMW 7 Series MILESTONES
BMW 730d SE Saloon (main selling model)
Price: £54,160
Engine/transmission: 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder, in-line, variable turbocharger, common-rail injection, 245hp, 540Nm from 1,750rpm, 6-speed automatic with drive to the rear wheels
Performance: 153mph, 0-62mph 7.2 seconds, 39.2mpg (34mpg actual), CO2 192g/km, VED Band F £210, BIK tax 29%
Insurance group: 17E tbc. Length: 5,072mm (5,212mm LWB versions).
For: Engine performance and fuel economy, standard and optional safe driving technology, very good to drive
Against: Lacking in some areas of refinement, wind/road noise intrusion, choppy ride in the rear seats for Li long wheelbase models with air suspension.
See Also:
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Good car, awful timing.