BMW BLOG

Our friends at Edmunds are driving a long-time loaner BMW 750Li and as expected, they provide periodically updates of their test drive. Their latest statement is one that stired up some interesting comments from people that have read it.

Edmunds talks about the four different ride settings that are available in the new 7 – Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+, same settings tested by us in our own driving experience.  Changing these mods, automatically the throttle sensitivity, steering effort, suspension damping and stability control are changed as well.

While Edmunds agrees with us that in Normal settings, the ride was very comfortable, calming and the Sport+ is the most effective one, they also unleash a statement that we have to disagree with: Comfort mode turns the 750Li into, quoting, “The Cadillac of BMWs”.

As they stated also, carmakers have been offering adjustable suspensions for quite some time now, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that BMW decided to make the new 7er more appealing to all its potential customers. In the end, BMW offers a choice  or ride quality and can be selected based on personal preferences and let’s not forget, the Comfort setting is not selected by default.

Obviously the Sport and Sport+ settings are for those customers looking for more thrill or for those times when we’re in the mood for a sportier, rougher ride. But then what if a hired driver controls the car while you sit in the back having a business conversation, wouldn’t you like to be driven around in a comfortable ride?

So calling the 7 Series’ ride as being “comfortable and soothing in a waterbed kind of way”, it’s a bit extreme. Even in the Comfort setting, the 7 Series doesn’t come as soft as one would believe.

From our understanding and what we learned while talking to the 7 Series product manager at the L.A Auto Show launch, BMW is looking to change the perception of a luxury boat and to advertise it as a sports sedan that can carry more people in class and style. I was also told that the new 7 Series is a compromise between luxury and performance, a combination that will satisfy BMW’s fan base. Also, BMW thought about those customers that will simply be passengers in their own cars and the goal was to satisfy their needs as well.

We still love Edmunds and their reviews are always straight to the point, but we had to disagree this time.

[Source: Edmunds ]