There was a time when a BMW's model name denoted its engine size, but the 750Li comes with a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8. Apparently the badge implies that the new turbo engine has as much power as a conventional 5.0-litre motor V12, which would be true. It comes with 407 hp at 5500 rpm and a solid 600 Nm of torque at only 1800 rpm. We recorded a 0-100 kph time of 6.5 seconds in 'Sport' mode during our summer test, although the car is supposed to be quicker. It certainly feels quicker on the street, with an abundance of brutal power for highway passing, all delivered with the refinement of a German butler. We even managed a respectable 16.2 litres per 100 km of fuel consumption, with a fair bit of highway driving.
The engine is so muffled that it barely hums at full throttle, making for serenely quiet journeys, but making high-speed corners a bit disconcerting. We approached more than a few corners at excessive speeds, misled by the cocooned cabin that makes speeds seem lower than they really are. The 7-Series cabin is easily among the quietest places to be on the road, made even more surprising by the fact that it rolls on traditionally-noisy runflat tyres on 20-inch rims. There is only a whiff of wind noise at 120 kph and very mild jitteriness on some rough-surfaced roads, if left in 'Comfort' mode.
The air suspension and the smooth 6-speed auto gearbox have various settings, adjustable via four electronic modes -- namely Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus. The most obvious change is in the Sport mode, as the ride becomes firmer and the revs are held for longer before upshifts. While body roll is always minimal and the throttle response is always instant, the manual mode of the tiptronic gearbox has slightly delayed responses and there are no shifter paddles. The steering is ever-so-slightly firm and has a bit of feedback, while the big disc brakes are very strong, and all quick stops are straight and without drama, even when the ABS goes off. And the grip never failed from the 245/40 front and 275/35 rear tyres in moderately-quick driving, although leaving it in 'Sport' mode meant that the stability control subtly limited the speed when going around sharper curves. For those with too much faith, the 'Sport Plus' mode is there to suppress all electronic nannies.
However, the sporting side of the 7-Series is just a compromise, as the focus is on luxury. The rear camera has guiding lines and the 'active' steering system shortens the ratio so that only a flick of the wrist is needed to slip the car into a parking space. The adaptive cruise control means that the brakes are applied automatically if there is a slower car in front during highway cruising. The blind-spot monitoring sensors light up and even vibrate the steering wheel a bit if there are cars in the next lane. The electronic parking brake can be set to automatically engage when waiting at traffic lights. And there are cameras on either side of the front bumper to watch out for cross-traffic when coming out of a tight junction or a gated compound.
With features like those, combined with a relatively efficient and powerful engine, as well as distinct comfort and sport modes, the new-for-2009 BMW 7-Series is easily the most advanced luxury sedan we've ever driven.
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