Highs Serene experience for passengers, surprisingly agile for a large sedan, nicely-integrated driver-assistance tech.
Lows Perhaps a few too many displays throughout the cabin, steering could be more communicative, electric i7 is even quieter.
Verdict Say what you want about its radical exterior design, but the 7-series sedan is built to impress from the inside out.
Overview
An entirely new generation of the 7-series, long BMW's flagship sedan and the brand's most luxurious and advanced product, has debuted for the 2023 model year. The formula doesn't change much from the current car's: powertrains include a turbocharged inline-six and a twin-turbo V-8, with a plug-in hybrid joining the lineup later. On our initial test drive, we found that the 7-series veritably floats down the road. Its handling is a little lither than the 2022 car's thanks to some changes to the chassis and suspension, including a new rear-wheel steering system. Its driver-assistance tech provides a hands-free driving mode for highway slogs but the car's showstopping feature is an optional 31.3-inch rear entertainment display called Theater Screen that drops from the ceiling and streams TV and movies using the onboard Wi-Fi system.
The 740i will run BMW's sweetly silken inline-six and is offered only with rear-wheel drive. We expect most buyers will find this version more than suitable, but for those wanting all-wheel drive or extra horsepower, there's the 760i xDrive, which comes with a twin-turbo V-8. If you plan to be chauffeured in your new 7-series, we'd recommend both the Executive Lounge package (power-adjustable reclining rear seats with massage, among other luxuries) and the cool 31.3-inch Theater Screen rear-seat entertainment system which can stream content via the car's on-board Wi-Fi hotspot. An all-electric variant called i7 will be based on the same body shell; we review that model separately.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
A 375-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is standard—models with this engine are designated 740i—and is assisted by a 48-volt hybrid system; rear-wheel drive is the only setup available on this model. BMW estimates that the 740i will run to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds. The 760i xDrive is powered by a 536-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 and comes standard with all-wheel drive; this engine also uses a 48-volt hybrid system, and BMW claims it will rip to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. We were able to sample the 760i xDrive and noted its silky operation as well as powerful acceleration. The new car comes standard with an air suspension, and BMW has incorporated a rear-wheel steering system and adaptive dampers into the chassis as well. As a result, the new car feels more agile than the outgoing model but remains more focused on comfort than athleticism.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Fuel economy estimates for the 740i are 25 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, but going with the V-8–powered and all-wheel-drive 760i xDrive drops tho
Lows Perhaps a few too many displays throughout the cabin, steering could be more communicative, electric i7 is even quieter.
Verdict Say what you want about its radical exterior design, but the 7-series sedan is built to impress from the inside out.
Overview
An entirely new generation of the 7-series, long BMW's flagship sedan and the brand's most luxurious and advanced product, has debuted for the 2023 model year. The formula doesn't change much from the current car's: powertrains include a turbocharged inline-six and a twin-turbo V-8, with a plug-in hybrid joining the lineup later. On our initial test drive, we found that the 7-series veritably floats down the road. Its handling is a little lither than the 2022 car's thanks to some changes to the chassis and suspension, including a new rear-wheel steering system. Its driver-assistance tech provides a hands-free driving mode for highway slogs but the car's showstopping feature is an optional 31.3-inch rear entertainment display called Theater Screen that drops from the ceiling and streams TV and movies using the onboard Wi-Fi system.
The 740i will run BMW's sweetly silken inline-six and is offered only with rear-wheel drive. We expect most buyers will find this version more than suitable, but for those wanting all-wheel drive or extra horsepower, there's the 760i xDrive, which comes with a twin-turbo V-8. If you plan to be chauffeured in your new 7-series, we'd recommend both the Executive Lounge package (power-adjustable reclining rear seats with massage, among other luxuries) and the cool 31.3-inch Theater Screen rear-seat entertainment system which can stream content via the car's on-board Wi-Fi hotspot. An all-electric variant called i7 will be based on the same body shell; we review that model separately.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
A 375-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is standard—models with this engine are designated 740i—and is assisted by a 48-volt hybrid system; rear-wheel drive is the only setup available on this model. BMW estimates that the 740i will run to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds. The 760i xDrive is powered by a 536-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 and comes standard with all-wheel drive; this engine also uses a 48-volt hybrid system, and BMW claims it will rip to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. We were able to sample the 760i xDrive and noted its silky operation as well as powerful acceleration. The new car comes standard with an air suspension, and BMW has incorporated a rear-wheel steering system and adaptive dampers into the chassis as well. As a result, the new car feels more agile than the outgoing model but remains more focused on comfort than athleticism.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Fuel economy estimates for the 740i are 25 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, but going with the V-8–powered and all-wheel-drive 760i xDrive drops tho
Category
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Motor