New class leader. Three words, over and over in my head as I slice yet another curve on Franschoek Pass, the one feared and revered by every driving enthusiast who’s been on it. My driving partner doesn’t seem to be holding on to anything, so my lines must be clean. Well as clean as any line created by a two-tonne German.
Sure I’ve driven the BMW 7 Series before. Being wet behind the years and not having outside (or inside?) access means only two generations, including what’s perhaps the most controversial motor car of all time. Let bygones be bygones I say. A last word on that though. Some years ago I came across a spy picture of the 2002 7 Series before it was launched. That rear was smooth, flowy, looking almost like the 2010 Jaguar XJ’s. I guess some engineer realised it would be too unaerodynamic and promptly ordered changes, resulting in what’s perhaps the most controversial rear end of all time.
I doubt such concerns are being raised with the new car which was launched last year already in the form of a 730d, 740i and 750i. These cars exude massive presence. They don’t polarise like the previous- generation model. This week the flagship (sorry, there is no M7 coming) model arrived on our shores. You’ll recognise it by its 760Li nomenclature, V12 signature on the gills and four chrome-plated trapezoidal tailpipes. A choice of six wheel types can be had but my favourite of the lot is a radial-spoke styling coded 252, SA 2HL. Get the brochure for a clearer reference. An M Sport pack that turns the car into an M7 lookalike, whatever that mythical creature would have looked like, is available at R14 000.
If you know Franschoek Pass in Cape Town you know how close to a mishap you can get. In any car. One mistake and some emergency helicopter will be scraping you off the mountain cliff. That the 760Li cut it side to side with the precision of a sushi chef speaks volumes not only about the car but the driver’s balls as well. For without the latter one simply dismisses it as just another expensive limousine for some rich bastard with no driving skills. Which of course it isn’t. True, those tonnes are evident as they should; nature can be hoodwinked but never totally foiled.
The steering wheel with Servotronic assistance does come into its own without over-assisting. Rear tyres (275/40 R19 101Y RSC) and the rack (wire in this instance) are in constant communication with my hands, so I know with a high degree of accuracy exactly where the front wheels are. Actually at times I would have to look back and was only reminded that this is a 5.2 metre ship when I saw how much rear space there was. It grows by about 14cm from the normal short wheelbase model.
About four hours earlier I had been a rear passenger having been chauffeured from the airport into town, Cabinet Minister-style. Unfortunately I didn’t have much departmental running and only had the George Michael DVD player and my partner to keep me entertained. Those rear seats are electronically adjustable too so that one almost lies at a 45-degree angle when fully applied. They also slide forward individually. We activated the mandatory curtains (also electronically) so as to add further mystique to our already attention-grabbing drive. I quite enjoyed the seat-cooling function which as the name implies, cools down the seat when the car has been baking in the sun for too long. Your whole body can be massaged on request as well.
“This is the flagship of the 7 Series range,” proclaims the visibly proud BMW Public Relations chief. “In fact it is the flagship car for BMW. It represents everything that we stand for; power, driving pleasure, fuel efficiency and luxury.”
Tick, tick, tick and tick. Care for some details?
Ok. The 760Li is powered by a 6.0-litre V12 aluminium engine with high precision direct injection. Two turbos supply all the compressed air it needs to force out its maximum 400kW at 5250rpm. Peak torque is a highly handy 750Nm handed to your right foot from 1500rpm all the way up to 5000rpm. BMW claims a 0 – 100km/h time of 4.6 seconds. I tried testing this claim once or twice and I believe it to have real substance. The least it will achieve is a sub-5 second time under everyday conditions. Compared that to the M3’s claimed 4.9 seconds and the X6 M’s 4.7 seconds and you begin to see exactly what type of customer you’re dealing with here. Forget all about the slouchy old man in a grey suit; this is a stealth attacker of significant magnitude. Top speed is the usual 250km/h and getting there is no hard work.
An 8-speed automatic gearbox provides for creamy smooth changes which are complemented by a manual override function for the suit who’s feeling feisty.
A lot of the hard toil is absorbed by the rear suspension which reads like the who’s who of suspensions; integral Vmulti-arm axle, aluminium, separate streering with anti-squat and anti-dive…etc etc. driver assistant aids include Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) which works with ABS and ASC.
Though I haven’t driven the 760Li’s most direct rival the Mercedes-Benz S600 L, I know it will not take corners as confidently as the 7er. I know it will accelerate just as furiously and be as cosy on the bum, if not slightly more so than the sportier Beemer.
But for the super executive who loves not just a typing and cell phone session at the rear, who loves his curves as much as his kick, the 760Li provides what is probably the ultimate platform for personal expression.
BMW 760Li Pricing
760Li standard (R1 632 500)
760Li M Sport (R1 646 500)
760Li Individual (R1 717 500)
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