|  The 7-series BMWs are powered by a DOHC 4.4-liter V-8 with 282 hp or a SOHC 5.4-liter V-12 with 322 hp. All come with a 5-speed automatic and ABS is standard. Filed under unintended consequences: BMW's current 7 Series is so controversially styled that it's ballooned the value of its predecessor. Not that the old car is unworthy. The '95-'01 740/750 Series are spacious and luxurious, but also deep down driver's cars that mix good reflexes with expected levels of refinement and comfort. Great cars, in other words. As BMW's flagship sedan, the 7 Series offers supreme levels of luxury and performance. The 7 Series is available in four models the regular-wheelbase 745i and 760i, and the long-wheelbase 745Li and 760Li. Powering each 745 model is a 4.4-liter V8 with bi-VANOS dual variable valve timing, Valvetronic technology that infinitely adjusts valve lift and a fully variable intake system that matches intake manifold length to engine speed. Thusly equipped, this V8 makes 325 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. The 760 models sport a 6.0-liter V12 with 438 hp and 444 lb-ft of torque. |
| Abundant power for sure, but still far below what Mercedes-Benz offers in its most powerful sedans. Still, the 760 is the greater technological marvel, as it employs direct gasoline-injection technology, which along with Valvetronic and Double VANOS, allows it to maximize power, torque and fuel economy simultaneously. Once you step up to the super-luxury sedan segment, you expect prospective cars to amaze you with their fabulous levels of luxury and safety, and the 7 Series does not disappoint in these areas: The front seats offer up to 20-way power adjustments and the rear seats give you 14-way adjustment. | And you can heat or cool just about any surface inside the car. This BMW also offers a high level of competence when pushed hard on twisty roads something that can't be said of most of its competitors. The most important innovation contained in the 7 is also the one that gives us the most pause: the iDrive system. While able to manage a lot of functions onboard telematics, including GPS navigation, Internet access and the BMW Assist system (for emergencies), as well as climate and stereo functions iDrive has a steep learning curve. Basic adjustments can be made rather easily, but more complex functions require time with the owner's manual and patience to learn and we know of more than one driver who has accidentally drifted out of his lane while fiddling with the system. If you're wealthy, love technology like this (and don't mind the frustration that comes with it) and have always wanted to own a large, luxurious sedan, the 7 Series is likely the car for you. But if you seek a more straightforward experience, one of its many competitors may prove to be a more rewarding daily driver. |
