2016 BMW 7-Series
BMW famously pigeonholed themselves when the auto maker coined the "Ultimate Driving Machine" catchphrase decades ago. For better or worse, the slogan held the Bavarian brand's driving dynamics to a higher standard, an ultimately disappointing expectation when their feature-laden 7-series flagship became bogged down with complex electronics and unwieldy weight in later years.
While BMW's "i" line of electric and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have made radical advances by embracing lightweight carbon fiber construction, a toned down version of that technology has finally entered their standard lineup. The 2016 BMW 7-series is the first recipient of the so-called Carbon Core technology, and the effect is nothing short of transformative. The weight savings enable staggering performance numbers: despite being an inch longer, the new base model manages to trim a stunning 131 kilograms compared to its predecessor, helping it scuttle from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. For reference, that's a half-second faster than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and on pace with a Porsche 911 Carrera S.
According to Florian Schek, head of BMW Lightweight Design and Vehicle Weight Management, carbon fiber was used selectively in the chassis because a complete embrace of the material would have contradicted the car's underlying philosophy. "If we made the floorboard entirely out of carbon fiber," he says, "over an inch of insulation would have been needed to keep the noise down, which would have negated the weight savings." The result is strategic use of varying forms of carbon fiber, from a braided strand that forms the A-pillar to a rocker panel whose excess stampings are recycled and pressed into sections that reinforce the C-pillar.
As though to punctuate the big sedan's surprising athleticism, BMW held its press launch at Monticello Motor Club, a private track two hours outside of Manhattan. On the tight esses and wide sweepers, the 7-series exhibited exceptional body control and something rarely seen in a car of its size: palpable weight transfer during midcorner throttle application, a sign that this former porker trimmed down enough to gain a noticeable edge in maneuverability. Power was also breathtaking in the straights. Though there's still no mistaking its massive footprint, our tester produced quicker lap times than anything its size has a right to.
Despite its lean, mean underpinnings, the 7-series's interior is plusher than its predecessor and outfitted with a seemingly endless slew of tech features. Quilted leather and inlaid wood wrap around passengers, while all buttons are galvanized metal—no cheap plastics here. BMW has taken a cue from Mercedes-Benz's playbook by teaming up with a French perfume supplier for an in-car atomizer. iDrive is more tolerable than ever and the centre stack has been augmented with more hard buttons, though there are oftentimes too many menu layers required to perform basic tasks. Countering that complexity is a 12.3-inch screen that is now a touchscreen, and features like gesture recognition which enable basic commands like volume adjustment to be controlled simply by waving your hand in the air. The act requires careful placement along the sightlines of the systems sensors, but works more easily with some practice. Rear seat passengers are spoiled with the Executive Seating Package, which adds massaging seats, a backrest that reclines to 42.5 degrees and a power folding footrest. Twin flat screens, a fold out tray table, and a wireless 7-inch touchscreen controller make these perches more enviable than many first class airline cabins—and on par with some private jets.
Net sum? The new 7-series is a flagship that has become considerably more opulent and feature-laden than its predecessor. But more importantly, this BMW finally earns back its fabled slogan.
You'll like this car if… You're the uncompromising type who wants it all: posh accommodations, the latest gadgets, and a go-fast sled that defies its plus-sized proportions.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $113,900 (750i xDrive), $117,900 (750iL xDrive)
- Engine: Turbocharged 4.4-litre V-8
- Transmission/Drive: Eight-speed automatic/all-wheel drive
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 8.1 city; 8.3 highway (750i xDrive), 8.3 city; 8.5 highway (750iL xDrive)
- Alternatives: Audi A8, Jaguar XJL, Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic, Porsche Panamera GTS
RATINGS
- Looks: Crisper styling lends it a meaner, though not dramatically different look than the outgoing 7. Though an “air breather” vent aft of the front wheel well clutters up the otherwise streamlined side panels, it’s an improvement over the plasticky insert found on the previous-gen 7-series.
- Interior: Beautiful and functional, a step up from the pleasant but incrementally more austere antecedent. The Bowers & Wilkins sound system is stellar too, utilizing a 10-channel amp pushing 1,400 watts of sound through 16 speakers.
- Performance: Surprisingly potent, thanks to its smooth revving 445-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-8, seamless 8-speed gearbox. Weight savings and a low centre of gravity help this large sedan drive considerably smaller than its large dimensions might suggest.
- Technology: This 7 is outfitted with every tech gadget and the kitchen sink, from a feature that enables you to step outside of the car and watch it park itself, to semi-autonomous driving capabilities. An optional key even offers a tiny touchscreen for status display and remote car controls.
- Cargo: As you’d expect from a German flagship sedan, the 7-series doesn't lack for carrying capacity. Load up the trunk and hit the road; this beats driving a premium SUV any day of the week.
The Verdict
9.0
Mercedes-Benz's S-Class finally has a worthy competitor. The new BMW 7-series is a car of few compromises, one that manages to combine opulence with performance along with a seemingly endless array of bells and whistles. More crucially, the new flagship drives like a dream, and is backed up by a chassis that's competent enough to perhaps someday spawn an even higher performance M-car variant.
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