
I thought back to the flagship’s product presentation as I settled in. The rear compartment delights you with first-class amenities and an endless supply of gadgets. To accomplish that, I crawled into the back for a brief chauffeured ride, hoping for a glimpse into the life of the one percent. Executive LoungeĪdrenaline bender over, it was time to relax, take a load off, and enjoy the 7 Series’ rear lounge.

There’s not a ton of feedback there, but it feels tight, linear, and precise.
Idrive reviews 2016 series#
I accelerated to 30 mph and flung the car through the cones in series of simulated lane changes, and the electric steering responded beautifully. Hot laps were just the start of the fun though, because soon after, we headed for the slalom to test the vehicle’s responsiveness, braking, and chassis control. Also known as four-wheel steer, the system turns the rear wheels in opposing directions at low speeds and matching direction at high speeds, sharpening reflexes by moving the pivot point of the vehicle farther back. There’s definitely some evidence of the heft in the back, but dive, pitch, and roll are kept to a minimum through excellent suspension tuning, all-wheel drive traction, and optional Integral Active Steering. However, despite the car’s bulk and 17.2 feet of length, it handles extremely well. I was in a 4,610-lb luxury car, and was supposed to keep pace with an X6M around a series of technical switchbacks. Foot to the floor, 445 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque pushed my chariot to 60 mph in a quick 4.3 seconds (the 740i’s 320-hp six does it in 5.4), but there was a potential problem ahead. Clearly, this is not your average clunker.Īfter settling in, I set off from the pits and the exhaust note of a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 crackled through the air. Before you ever reach the door, an LED “Light Carpet” springs to life, illuminating the ground below as a symbol of royal welcome. Stepping into the all-new 7 Series feels less like getting in a car and more like entering a high-end executive suite. After all, if you’re testing a flagship, you might as well go big.

Either car would look positively smashing parked outside a Tuscan villa, but we spent our time in the more powerful 750i at BMW’s first drive event in New York. Until the 740e plug-in hybrid arrives next year, there are two members of the 7 Series family: the range-topping 750i xDrive and its less expensive two-wheel drive sibling, the 740i. BMW’s electric i7 is a screening room on wheelsĢ022 BMW i4 first drive review: The real dealīMW i4 brings the ultimate driving machine into EV territory

Idrive reviews 2016 tv#
Business upfront, 31-inch TV in the back.
