BMW’s new 7 Series has been quite polarizing here, as of late. After a loss to the Mercedes-Benz S Class in a recent article, fans of both brands have been both pretty critical and overly supportive of the new G11 7 Series. However, sometimes it’s good to get a different perspective from another publication to see how they feel about it. Especially when that publication has been driving their 7 Series for several months, as part of their long-term program.
Car and Driver recently gave an update on their long-term BMW 740i. So far, the team at C&D have logged four months and 13,569 miles in the Big 7. So it’s safe to say that they have a pretty good grasp of what the 7 Series is like. From just those four months, they’ve had some mixed things to say, but it’s mostly good news for the big Bavarian.
They did have a few issues with the current-gen 7 Series, but they’re niggles, really. They feel that it doesn’t drive as “Ultimately” as the “Ultimate Driving Machine” should. While, yes, it is a luxury car first and foremost, it’d be nice if it still displayed some of the “BMW-ness” that made the E38-generation so incredible. Also, there are some less-expensive elements on this generation than on the previous-gen 7 Series. For instance, on the previous-gen, the doors would stop at any degree of opening, allowing for very easy ingress and egress, especially on a hill. Now, the passengers must find the detents, just like a normal car. Also, the side glass isn’t the dual-pane, acoustically laminated sort. So a decent amount of wind and tire noise makes it into the cabin. Admittedly, it’s still very quiet, but some competitors are better.
However, there was a lot to like about the big Bavarian. Firstly, the ride is supple and excellent. C&D staffers love using it as a long-journey vehicle and it makes work commutes far more relaxing than they should be. It’s quiet enough on the inside to mute the hustle and bustle of Detroit’s busy surroundings. The seats are also said to be excellent, with superb support, comfort and better adjustability than anything else in the industry. It can even adjust the upper seatback independently of the lower seatback, allowing people with back issues to get supremely comfortable. They also love the new B58 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 engine, claiming that is has more than enough power. One staffer wrote “I cannot imagine wanting more power in this car.” It’s also said that the new engine is smooth and always responsive.
But their time with the BMW 740i hasn’t been all peaches and cream. There have been one or two issues with the car, which is concerning considering the low mileage. Before anyone starts complaining about BMW reliability issues, 13,000 journalist miles is almost the equivalent of 100,000 regular human miles. You should see how some of these cars go back to BMW. Yikes. Nevertheless, the fuel door broke at around 8,600 miles, which was covered by BMW’s warranty. They also lost a tire, but that was more to do with Chicago’s rough roads than the 7 Series.
Overall, the C&D staff has mostly positive things to say about BMW’s new flagship. They’ve seen great power, decent fuel economy (averaging 26 mph) and an impressively comfortable and luxurious ride. It isn’t perfect of course, but it has been a good car for them so far. We’re looking forward to testing a new 7 Series again soon to give you an update as well.
