[rwp-review id=”0″]
Opulence.
BMW’s flagship sedan comes in strong with a new look in 2016, to keep pace with its three-pointed-star badged rival. In a time when luxury sedans are being sold more than ever, it’s imperative for BMW to remain relevant, but more importantly, to make a statement.
And they have – the new 2016 7 is faster, but more efficient than the previous model. It’s also larger, but somehow still lighter with BMW managing to drop about 200lbs in their flagship sedan. With a new Carbon-Core frame, it’s lighter, stiffer and stronger, allowing for a better drive performance while managing to weigh less than its precursor.
The car has a long list of standard features and a longer list of options for you to choose in your toy. Obviously, if you’re seeking opulence you want them all, and here I found myself behind the wheel of the 2016 750li with XDrive, which meant that I was sitting pretty behind a 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V8 that belted out a respectable 445bhp and 480lb/ft of torque. And it’s an all-wheel drive too so that meant the 0-100 sprint is just 4.3 seconds, which is surprisingly fast for a huge sedan.
Inside, the car is an electronic playground of luxury and lavishness. It’s the first car ever to come with factory-standard gesture control so you no longer have to answer calls, change audio or increase/decrease the volume like a peasant – that is, by pressing a button. Rather, a variety of gestures ranging from a twirl of your fingers to a flick of your wrist will take care of all of that.
In the back, you’re seated the Executive Sky Lounge. Fancy words, yes, but what they refer to are the electronic reclining seats and footrests that transform your business lounge to a relaxing pod. Rear seats also come with 10 different massage options as well as a vitality program to keep you from getting executive cramps whilst in the vehicle.
And what about the ‘Sky’ part you ask? Well, the Panoramic Sky Lounge is another first which has 15,000 engravings (LEDs) that match the mood color you’ve chosen for the interior of the car, giving you the impression that you’re staring off into the galaxy and all its beauty. The car also comes with a 7” inch removable tablet in the back that controls everything from the air-conditioning, media and interior mood. Even the key comes with an optional touchscreen Display Key that allows you to check the status of the car at any moment, the total fuel range (as long as it’s nearby) and schedule a departure time that gets the car pre-ventilating so that it’s comfortable once you step in.
The electronics don’t just stop inside though – outside you’ve got assisted parking, with 360 degree cameras, night (infra-red) vision for foggy nights, warnings and control (active breaking or steering) for both lane departure and frontal collision. The car also comes with pedestrian warnings that will not only warn you if a pedestrian jumps out in front of you, but will also tap the brakes to stop the car and flash the pedestrian using LEDs outside the car, to let them know of your incoming vehicle. Active cruise control makes sure that you don’t rear-end any of the common people while cruising on the highway, which is helpful especially in the driving conditions that we see in the UAE.
Now, having said all of that (and at the risk of sounding like a brochure), how does this translate to the user? Truth is, that most people who own the 750li will probably have a driver chauffeuring them, so things like Gesture Control, iDrive etc. are not really going to be used. In the back, only the right side rear passenger seats transforms into a reclining lounge with a footrest – and when it does, you can’t have someone in the front passenger seat, as it compresses to allow space for the footrest. You also have no massage options on the front passenger seat. So if you’re planning on having a luxurious drive home, you better be seated in the rear right seat and hope that you don’t have someone else in either the seat in front of you or on your left who’d like to recline.
Finally, does the 7 live up to BMW’s promise of being an Ultimate Driving Machine? One could argue (rightfully so) that the person buying this car is not a driving enthusiast as much as they are luxury-seekers, so they’re not really driving these cars are they? But if they were, they’d feel just like any other affluent driving enthusiast – the twin-turbocharged V8 has fantastic power across the range and the new Carbon-Core body means a stiffer and lighter experience, making this behemoth of a car feel light and spritely. The steering wheel, probably reserved for personal and/or corporate drivers, still has a meaty feel to it and can be adjusted to increase steering feedback from the wheels, if you so desire. Late to your board meeting? The car also comes with a Sport Mode, which changes the dashboard into an aggressive red layout, increasing the rev range for the shifts, delivering all of the torque that the engine has to offer. It’s no M, but it’s not a slouch.
At the end of it all, the criticisms of this car are essentially superfluous. Why don’t all the seats have a massage option? Why is there only one reclining seat? Why does Gesture Control not work in the back? Why can’t I nuke my enemies at the push of a button? Alas.
Starting at a cool AED 385,000 it is tricky to find actual fault in a car designed to be perfect, but I’d say the comparison lies when you pit it against its rival. For technology and luxury over all else, you’d be forgiven for thinking Mercedes is the way to go – but the driver’s choice will always be the rounded badge.
Images by @lakshikperera
