BMW 7 Series Review

2009 BMW 7 Series 750Li Sedan Shown

Since its introduction for the 1978 model year, the BMW 7 Series luxury sedan has remained true to its original character. It's the BMW flagship, and this full-size, rear-wheel-drive sedan has always represented the pinnacle of technology and luxury accoutrements in the German automaker's lineup. As such, it's an obvious choice for wealthy car buyers seeking a spacious and elegant sedan with a high level of curbside prestige.

There's a fair amount of competition even in this elite vehicle class, but the 7 Series sedan's athletic handling dynamics have long set it apart, starting with the early 733s and carrying through to the present-day BMW 750i and 750Li. While other manufacturers have been content to build high-end sedans with soft, serene rides, BMW engineers its 7s to engage their drivers on an emotional level. For that reason, the BMW 7 Series is the definitive super luxury sedan for people who like to drive.

Current BMW 7 Series

The current BMW 7 Series was completely redesigned for 2009. There are two models -- the 750i and the long-wheelbase 750Li. Both share the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard.

This new 7 Series erases the foul taste left in the mouth of many Bimmerphiles and car enthusiasts who disliked the previous 7. While there are certainly some brash elements -- particularly the flared nostril grilles -- BMW's flagship is significantly more visually pleasing. The bodywork now appears tauter, the light clusters are more harmonious and the bulbous trunk lid has been put on a diet. The interior is also more traditional in design (the gear selector is now on the center console rather than the steering column) and the iDrive electronics interface is vastly improved versus past editions. The same high level of expected luxury features remain.

Despite its limolike comfort and size, the 7 Series remains a class benchmark for its handling prowess -- particularly in regards to steering feel. The "Dynamic Driving Control" system contributes to this status, featuring four different settings that alter the driving characteristics of the car. It's complicated and we'd bet good money most folks will leave it on "Normal," but it should reward an owner who likes to customize their car to their own driving tastes.

There are many worthy choices in this illustrious car segment, but the BMW 7 Series is one of the most appealing.

Used BMW 7 Series Models

There have been four previous generations of the BMW 7 Series. The previous-generation BMW 7 Series was produced from 2002-'08 and was by far the most radical version of the nameplate. Traditional exterior styling cues from the previous 25 years were largely abandoned in favor of a more aggressive, avant-garde design. The car was still recognizable as a BMW 7 Series, but many purists found the look abrasive. A refresh for 2006 smoothed out some of the harsher elements, but it's still a stretch to call this car beautiful, whether in standard-wheelbase 750i form or long-wheelbase 750Li and 760Li form (it was previously known as iL).

With the exception of 2002 when only a V8 was offered, the fourth-generation 7 Series lineup always included sophisticated eight- and 12-cylinder engines paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The 745i and 745Li sold from 2002-'05 were equipped with a 325-hp 4.4-liter V8, while the 750i and 750Li that succeeded them had a 360-hp 4.8-liter V8. The 750s were slightly heavier, so performance was about the same as for the 745s.

Offered continuously from 2003, the 760Li had a 6.0-liter V12 capable of 438 hp. Unlike the V8s, which are eager to rev, the V12 delivers a massive wave of thrust as soon as you nudge the accelerator pedal. BMW offered a short-wheelbase 760i from 2004-'06.

The modernist exterior styling of this generation carried on in the cabin, where BMW's typically button-heavy control layout gave way to an all-in-one system called iDrive that governed climate, audio and navigation functions via a single console-mounted dial and a central display. Although iDrive assured the 7's place in the information age, its steep learning curve proved bewildering for many a 7 Series driver. During this 7's lifespan, iDrive was consistently upgraded, so newer 7 Series will come with the later (and less maddening) versions of this control device. Make sure to thoroughly examine iDrive before purchasing a 7 Series, or at the very least, driving it off the lot.

Even though it tended toward the esoteric, the 2002-'08 BMW 7 Series proved quite popular, largely because of its superb driving experience. Here BMW applied its arsenal of technology to great advantage, as features like self-stiffening antiroll bars, self-leveling air springs and adaptive shock absorbers worked together to keep the big sedan stable when driven hard.

The third generation, sold from 1995-2001, is generally regarded as the finest era for the 7 Series. It was a true driver's car just like today's 7, but there was less in-car technology to distract from the task at hand. And most people agree that its sleek, classically styled body was easier on the eyes.

Provided the car is in good condition, any 7 Series from this generation would make a fine purchase. Quality was generally excellent on these cars, but like most high-end German products, repair costs can be hefty as they age. The main advantage to choosing a car from later in the model cycle is added standard feature content. BMW's Dynamic Stability Control system, for example, debuted across the line for 1998.

The model lineup included the regular-wheelbase 740i sedan, which was offered every year except 1996, and the long-wheelbase 740iL and 750iL, which had an uninterrupted run. The BMW 740s were powered by a 282-hp 4.4-liter (4.0-liter in 1995) V8, while the 750iL had a 5.4-liter V12 good for 326 hp. All 7s came with a five-speed automatic transmission. Either setup provided strong acceleration, but fuel economy was poor by today's standards.

Similar in style and focus to its successor, the second-generation BMW 7 Series was on sale from 1988-'94. This was the first 7 Series to include both regular- and long-wheelbase models, the advantage to the latter being increased rear legroom. For most of the cycle, the base engine was a 208-hp 3.4-liter inline six-cylinder offered in 735i and 735iL models. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard, but a five-speed manual was offered as well. The 282-hp 4.0-liter V8 replaced the inline-6 in 1993, yielding the 740i and 740iL, both of which took a five-speed automatic only. The BMW 750iL was offered throughout the run. The first V12-equipped BMW, it had a 296-hp 5.0-liter engine and a four-speed automatic.

The first-generation BMW 7 Series enjoyed a long run from 1978-'87. It was the largest sedan the company had ever built and directly targeted the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. All 7s of this era were powered by an inline six-cylinder engine.

BMW 750Li new

The 2006 BMW 750Li is chock-full of electronic vehicle systems for performance, safety, and convenience, and it constitutes an impressive blend of spirited driving and luxurious comfort. The crispness that makes the company's smaller cars worthy of their corporate motto isn't fully present in the 7 Series, but the negative dynamic effects of the car's size are offset by the space it affords inside.

BMW's much-maligned iDrive controller for the main dashboard functions rears its head twice in 750 models equipped with the Rear Entertainment Package, as our car was. Even with the 2006 BMW 750Li's revised submenus, iDrive is indeed difficult to master without a real investment of time. But in a vehicle with such a range of electronic adjustments and features to control and customize, BMW at least deserves points for homogenizing input to such a degree. A small army of knobs and buttons might be more direct and, we dare say, intuitive but would pull the driver's eyes off the road more often.

The L versions of the eight-cylinder 750i and the flagship V-12-equipped 760i sedans are stretched 5.5 inches in both the wheelbase and overall length. Both engines feature the full gamut of BMW's engine-control technologies for efficiency and smooth running, and an advanced chassis-control program lets the driver take full advantage of the power. These are long, heavy cars, but they don't feel that way from behind the wheel.

Second only to the howls over iDrive in the original version of this 7 Series was the reaction to the car's styling. Especially viewed from the rear, that design was ungainly at best and tested the normally steadfast loyalty of many of BMW's best customers. The current car's visual freshening should satisfy critics of flame-surface body panels and rakishly sculpted lens covers. The headlights put a less-dramatic face on things, and the taillights now wrap from the quarter panels into the trunk lid to soften the latter's impact. Our car's 19-inch wheels, a $1,300 option, filled out the wheel openings nicely, also contributing to better overall design cohesion.

The styling improvements increase the desirability of an already top-notch car. With an MSRP of $74,500 and options pushing our as-tested price to $89,840, the 2006 BMW 750Li is not for the faint of checkbook. Prestige and perception are as important in this class of car as performance or comfort, and the biggest BMW now delivers on all fronts.

In terms of sheer passenger comfort, the 2006 BMW 750Li has few rivals among less-than-$100,000 vehicles. Rear Comfort Seats (a $3,500 option) mean that the driver and all three passengers are coddled to the same degree, although only the driver has the heated, power-tilting, and power-telescoping steering wheel automatically moved out of his way when exiting the vehicle. Upon entry, it moves back into position or to one of the programmed memory positions. Sixteen-way power adjustment on the front seats includes four-way lumbar support, an articulated backrest, adjustable side and thigh support, and active head restraints. The optional Comfort Rear Seats offer only fourteen-way power adjustments but include the same heating and cooling offered up front, as well as recline through a range not often seen for rear seats. All four seats offer memory settings, and the available interior wood and leather combinations are varied and of high quality.

The rear-seat armrest on the 750Li includes the reviled iDrive controller, plus seat-adjustment controls.

The rear-seat passengers' good fortune doesn't stop with the seats, as the stretched 2006 BMW 750Li makes huge gains in rear legroom. Carpeted, movable footrests are even included to enhance the limousine effect. Electrically operated shades cover all five rear windows, especially welcome when making use of another of the 750Li's whiz-bang features: the Rear Entertainment Package. This $2,200 option includes a 16:9-format LCD screen playing from a six-DVD changer mounted in the trunk. At 6.5 inches, the screen is sized to fit between the front seats when tilted up into viewing position, and the picture appears sharp. Headphone jacks are part of this system; without headphones, however, the DVD audio plays throughout the car.

This can be intrusive, given the 2006 BMW 750Li's stereo's power and a movie with some explosions or, ahem, car chases. Our car's optional Premium Sound Package ($1,800) came with 13 speakers driven by Logic7 and Digital Signal Processing, with a six-CD changer in the glove box to augment the standard single-disc slot in the dashboard. The system did not display track or album-title information, so it pays to remember which discs are in which slot. Sirius Satellite Radio preparation was a somewhat obscene $595.

That brings us to iDrive. As stated earlier, it represents an elegant approach to the sticky problem of allowing a driver to control any of a massive array of features while still driving the car safely. That said, other manufacturers' systems offer a few more buttons that might not be as easy to find as the iDrive knob but ultimately allow for quicker access and action, as well as a return to full road concentration. In the 2006 BMW 750Li's backseats, the iDrive again proves clunky in controlling DVD playback, where buttons for searching and menu navigation on the center armrest would be a big improvement upon clicking and twisting one's way through such frequently used features.

A DVD changer hidden in the 750Li's trunk feeds movies to the rear-seat LCD.

In iDrive's favor is a tactile feedback system that clicks at each option while twisting through the submenus, with greater resistance at the first and last choices in each menu. The four main iDrive menus--climate, navigation, entertainment, and communications--are at the four compass points and always one push away. The 2006 BMW 750Li's main screen is split so that maps can remain in view on a smaller section, while options are changed in the larger one. Navigation programming is straightforward, with the usual view and routing options.

TechnoThrill: 2009 BMW 750Li and 750i

The press kit for the 2009 BMW 7 Series thuds on the table like a telephone directory: It's an astonishing 281-page tome. BMW has a lot to say about the new 7 Series, and for once it's not all marketing BS. This is one of the most technically advanced automobiles ever built.

The new 7 Series will make its U.S. debut at the Los Angeles Show next month and is expected in American BMW dealers by spring 2009. Only one powertrain, the 400-hp, 450-lb-ft, twin-turbo 4.4L V-8, will be available, in short wheelbase 750i form and the 5.5-in.-longer 750Li, which is expected to comprise the bulk of U.S. sales. This engine not only outpowers the 4.8L V-8 in the outgoing 750Li, it also has more torque than the 6.0L V-12 fitted to the 760Li.

There are no plans to offer the 326-hp, 332-lb-ft, twin-turbo 3.0L straight-six version (badged, somewhat confusingly, 740i in Europe), nor the sensational 245-hp, 398-lb-ft, single-turbo 3.0L straight-six diesel (730d), which with a 0-to-60-mph time of about 7.0 sec is just two seconds slower to 60 mph than the big V-8, yet uses almost 40% less gas on the European combined fuel-consumption test (BMW claims 32.6 mpg). However, BMW officials admit they will monitor the impact of high gas prices and the looming CAFE regulations to assess whether a smaller-engine 7 Series might make sense at some point in the future.

No official word on pricing yet, but the new 7 Series will be more expensive than the outgoing model. Loud hints dropped at the international launch program in Dresden, Germany, suggest prices will start in the low- to mid-$80,000 range.

That's no surprise, perhaps, given the staggering amount of technology crammed into this car. Here's some of it:

Integral Active Steering: Part of the optional Sport Package, this is BMW's own four-wheel-steering system. Like the systems that were all the rage among Japanese manufacturers during the late '80s/early '90s, BMW's four-wheel steer allows the rear wheels to countersteer the fronts at low speeds and turn in the same direction at high speeds. The result is a tighter turning circle at low speeds (by up to 27.6 in.) -- great for parking maneuvers -- and greater stability through high-speed turns, plus increased comfort for rear-seat passengers during fast driving, as the system effectively reduces the car's yaw rate. And here's the 21st-century wrinkle to what was a 20th-century novelty: The Integral Active Steering System will work with the stability-control system when braking on slippery surfaces, automatically intervening to steer the rear wheels to keep the big BMW on the straight and narrow.