BMW has launched what is now the leader of its class. The new 7 Series broke cover in South Africa this week during a time when belts are tightening and directors’ fees are being frozen. Such words are pertinent when one glances over the 7 Series price list. More on that later.
First let’s take a look at what makes the 7 a better car than any in its class. Because it’s the newest it’s easy enough for it to be ahead of its competition. Not that simple. For years the 7 has been in battle with its main rivals over leadership in the highest levels of luxury motoring. Each time a new model in the sector came out it would almost immediately be declared a class leader. For the new 7 this is also true but more than that.
It cannot be denied that former BMW Design Chief Chris Bangle has had a profound impact on the motor industry. He could even be called the most influential car designer of his time. The man took heavy slack for the previous generation 7 which was launched in Mzansi in 2002. Yes he approved the car but to be fair it was not even designed by him but by Adrian van Hooydonk who has replaced him as head of design at BMW. That car was hailed as a technological tour de force as it introduced us to things like iDrive which has been copied by other motor manufacturers to one degree or the other.
But it was the styling that made people stand and take notice of the 7. Unashamedly ostentatious and brash, the 7 evoked emotions whenever it appeared. BMW had allegedly placed an abomination upon the world and we had to live with it.
Not this time. Bangle worked by a philosophy of evolution rather than revolution for every second-generation of cars he designed. So we can see a lot of the old 7 in this new one, but interestingly we also see some of the 1977 model, which was the original BMW 7 Series.
The most striking feature is the flaring bonnet with its two “fins” that run on either side. The BMW trademark kidney grille is noticeably more pronounced, beefier even. LED lights are present at the front and rear lights clusters. This is a car with a clear and intentional presence.
I was able to get my hands on all models available at the launch. For our driving pleasure we were provided with 730D, 750i and 750Li. The 740i was not available but it also goes on sale here. The 730D has a 3.0-litre turbo diesel motor that helps it produce 180kW and 540Nm. It is said to accelerate from 0 – 100km/h in 7.2 seconds and top off at 245km/h.
Over a two-day period on quiet stretching roads in the Cape the 730D proved itself to be the economical drive it was promised to be. The power and torque were exceptional considering they were employed to pull over two tones of alloy metal. Speaking of which, much of the 7 Series is made of aluminium which significantly reduces its overall weight and adds to its agility.
Next I was exposed to the 750i which deceptively has a 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 engine that lets out 300kW and 600Nm. It supposedly does 0 – 100km/h in 5.2 seconds and by my humble estimation that figure is nearly achieved. Top whack is limited to 250km/h.
The surprise of the day was the 750Li which is really a longer 750i. Lengthwise it has a 14cm advantage over the shorter car and it gives that advantage to rear passengers. One can literally stretch (unless you play pro baskeball) fully while sitting at the back. On the options list is a function that electronically adjusts the rear seats somewhat so passengers can lay much flatter on them. The whole range comes with a 6-speed Steptronic gearbox, one of the smoothest on the market today.
The handling of the 7 Series is exceptional for a car of its size. It corners with confidence and steers with the efficiency of a smaller sedan. The rear wheels apparently turn up to 3 degrees at speeds of over 80km/h and that is one of its handling secrets. For the 750Li customer this is sweet news but it’s not very interesting as this guy is only buying the car so he can sit comfortably at the back and do his work.
Using a list of options one can personalise the 7 to a much greater degree than ever before. DVD screens, sat nav, Individual packages, Active Cruise Control, Side View Assistance, Night Vision (how to spot a pedestrian on a dark road) and so on are just some of the goodies you can get our hands on with the right number on your cheque book. I particularly found the USB port with the new upgraded iDrive system quite useful as it can access music from a USB memory stick without the need for an expensive iPod. Real cool.
The new BMW 7 Series has just become the benchmark in its class.
2009 BMW 7 Series Pricing (standard)
730D
R928 000
740i
R907 500
750i
R1 135 500
750Li
R1 243 500
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