BMW 7 Series 2005 Review

First drive: 2005 BMW 7 Series V8s (740/750)

What we liked
>> Blend of comfort and performance
>> Li's prodigious rear legroom
>> Facelifted looks

Not so much
>> Dash cluttered not classy
>> Brakes lack feel
>> Wheel shifters gimmicky

OVERVIEW
Judged by some aesthetes as ungainly and heavily rumped, the car has nonetheless proved to be the most successful 7 Series ever - both overseas and over 'ere. Indeed, almost 160,000 have been delivered worldwide to customers (bettering the more conventionally styled E38 by almost 10 per cent in the same timeframe) and last year the car was the best-selling in its class with 311 Australian deliveries.

Almost as controversial as the E65/E66's looks was its complex multi-level menu-driven car accessory and setting control system. Few if any automotive enthusiasts would have missed the storm the system, dubbed iDrive, created. In the end almost as much misinformation was disseminated about the centre console mounted 'captive mouse' as information. Everybody had an opinion - even those who had not even sat in the car, let alone driven it!

With archrival Mercedes-Benz's new S Class limo still six to eight months away, BMW has taken the opportunity to facelift its flagship limo. Central to the changes to the 2005 7 Series are bigger, more powerful V8 engines as well as chassis and standard equipment tweaks. iDrive has been simplified and navigation and audio visual systems have been upgraded. The car also debuts BMW's ConnectedDrive telematics system Down Under.

The new 2005 7 Series range comprises five models. The 4.0-litre 740i ($178,300) and 740Li ($189,900) replace the 3.6lt 735 models, while the 4.8-litre 750i ($208,400) and 750Li ($227,400) displace the 745s. The range-topping $335,600 V12-powered 760Li returns without powerplant changes but nonetheless benefits from the equipment, telematic and styling updates. In addition, both the 740i and 750i are now available with Sport Packages incorporating Dynamic Drive suspension system that BMW say "delivers even more focussed driving performance".

FEATURES
The 7 may have benefitted from substantial changes under the skin, however, the most obvious changes are to the styling of the car. Changes to both ends of the 7, as well as its side sill treatment and stance, bring the car closer in looks and feel to its 5 and 3 Series stablemates. Bangle 7 fans may see the mods as 'dumbing down' the original design, however, there's no escaping the latest car will appeal to a wider customer base.

Designed to make the car look more "stylish, purposeful and luxurious", the '05 model gets a new deeper double kidney grill, modified bumpers with more aggressive inlet shapes and new, simpler Xenon headlamps. The bonnet has been recontoured with a more pronounced 'power dome' which tapers from the A-pillar to the grille.

At the rear, Bangle's trademark and controversial double-profile boot has been re-shaped and softened with clever detailing. A chrome strip (body coloured in Sport pack cars) links the larger Adaptive Brake Force Display LED taillight clusters and an under-bumper diffuser adds some drama, as do light contouring 'fillets' just above the side sill line.

Inside, the 7 Series gets new trim panels which BMW says accentuate the horizontal and vertical lines of the dashboard. Function bars and air outlets are finished in new lighter-coloured low-sheen finish and the rotary knobs for headlights and climate control feature pearl gloss chrome accents. The iDrive Controller itself has also been updated. It's re-shaped, has a heavier feel and a leather insert on its upper surface.

Nasca leather upholstery with high gloss Ash wood trim is now standard across the range. American Walnut with a matt finish is a no cost option across the four models and if you dip into the options list there's a total of 23 colour combinations and five timbers from which to choose.

Previously a 'sport' option, all new 7s get a three-spoke multi-function wheel. The wheel has controls for entertainment and communication/voice function buttons as well as gearshifting and transmission modes (Drive, Sport and Manual).

COMFORT
With a stretch of approx 140mm over the already rangey 'i' models, the long-wheelbase Lis deliver almost a metre of rear legroom. Cars to be driven in? May be... Nonetheless it's not just the VIPs in he back who are pampered.

As you would expect the level of equipment is staggering. All 7s are fitted with Servotronic power steering, aircon, cruise control, dual front airbags, front and rear curtain airbags and front and rear side torso airbags to protect occupants in side impacts. Front seats, steering wheel, mirrors etc have more electric adjustments than you're ever likely to use and offer memory settings - of course. Indeed the full complement is too long to list even on the 'base' 740i/Li. Notable luxury standard equipment items include:
- Glass sunroof
- Dual analog/digital television
- Navigation system
- Voice activated controls
- Cordless in-car phone
- Dash-mounted six-CD stacker
- Adaptive Xenon headlamps
- 18-inch alloys with full-size spare
- Electric rear and side blinds (740Li)
- Self levelling rear air suspension (740Li)
- Automatic boot opening and closing (740Li)

SAFETY
Driver and safety aids are equally comprehensive. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Automatic Stability Control & Traction (ASC+T), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) and Park Distance Control (front and rear) are all standard.

In addition to all of the above, the BMW 750i/Li models also add: 19-inch alloys; Adaptive Drive suspension (combining Dynamic Drive and Electronic Damper Control), upgraded seats, boot-mounted six-disc DVD changer and rear video monitor (750Li).

Befitting its position at the top of the tree, the V12-powered 760Li literally is one with the lot. Unlike almost any other BMW, there's barely an option you can add to the top-of-the-ranger -- even metallic paint is standard ;) So is keyless Comfort Access, Active Cruise Control, soft close for doors, protective glazing, active seats, front seat heating, rear cordless car phone and BMW Individual Level 1 options including paint, upholstery, trim, 20-inch M alloys.

About the only thing you might like to add is a rear seat fridge and steering wheel heating. Oh, and perhaps the optional in-dash MP3 player...

MECHANICAL
BMW says petrol V8 power is selected by 65 percent of 7 Series buyers around the world - even where six-cylinder and turbo-diesel options are available. No prizes for guessing where the company's spent its development dollars therefore.

Both new Euro IV emission regulation compliant V8 engines feature Valvetronic variable valve control and double-VANOS variable camshaft control. For the 740i/Li, the engine has been increased in capacity from 3.6 to 4.0lt while the 750i/Li grows from 4.4 to 4.8lt.

Engine output rises from 200 to 225kW in the case of the 740s, while the 750s pump out 270kW - up from 245. Torque increases are commensurate. Despite this increase in engine power, BMW states fuel consumption on the 750i/Li remains unchanged while the smaller V8 registers a small increase. Somehow we don't expect buyers of $200K cars to be worried about 0.1lt/100km too much.

The direct-injection V12 engine of the 760Li is unchanged at 327kW and 600Nm. Ample we'd suggest.

With the exception of a 14mm increase in rear track, the original 7 Series aluminium suspension componentry and layout is carried over (along with all-wheel disc brakes, etc). Suspension settings have been revised across the range, however, with development aimed at striking a better balance between luxury ride and sporting dynamics.

Two optional suspension packages are offered: Adaptive Drive featuring BMW Dynamic Drive and EDC-C Electronic Damper Control and a Sports Package with BMW's Sport Suspension and Dynamic Drive also.

Adaptive Drive is comfort-orientated and features EDC-C Electronic Damper Control, that allows the driver to switch between Comfort and Sport settings on the move. Available as an option on the 740i and 740Li, it is standard on all other 7 Series models. Available as an option on the standard wheelbase 740i and 750i models, BMW's Sports Suspension features Dynamic Drive and lower ride height but uses conventional non-adaptive dampers and harder springs.

COMPETITORS
Forget what anybody else says - there's only one that matters... Think of the 7 Series versus Mercedes-Benz S Class battle as a quarter of a million dollar Falcon versus Commodore stoush and you won't get it too far wrong. Pricing, equipment levels, engine combinations are all tightly focused as the two German marques fight it out in the pollen-filtered, climate-controlled, audio-visually massaged luxury limo atmosphere.

The new S debuts later this year and will arrive Down Under very probably in time for the Melbourne Motor Show in March. Meantime, 'runout' S Class models are being up-specced with a whole host of options to keep them rolling out the doors. A more conventional car in terms of styling and execution the current is nonetheless one of our favourites. Prices kick off at $179,900 for the S350 and top out at an extravagant $435,900 for the outrageous 450kW/1000Nm S65L.

Audi's A8 and A8L (from $167,000 and $213,100 respectively) and Jaguar's long-wheelbase Super V8 at around $230,000 might tempt some 7 buyers, as could Maserati's unproven $258K-plus Quattroporte.

ON THE ROAD
Let's get one thing straight from the start: You can happily drive the 2005 7 Series all day without the need to touch the iDrive. That said, living with a 7 and getting the best from it, requires some degree of familiarity with the much-maligned controller.

In its latest incarnation the iDrive system has been revised and updated. That is to say it's simpler to use and provides more information more readily thanks to a revised three-section screen. The changes are comprehensive and beyond the scope of this report. Suffice to say the system is more intuitive and (at last) you don't need to scroll through menus to perform simple tasks such as changing the mode of the audio system.

BMW ConnectedDrive (see breakout) is accessed via iDrive and will likely prove a boon to the techno-savvy make up a fair proportion of 7 buyers.

And the drive? Hit the start button and click the steering column mounted gearlever into gear and the experience is pure BMW - the 7 is arguably the best drive of the luxury limos - indeed only the A8s and AMG-fettled S Class cars come close.

Thanks to the re-energised V8s the big car jumps into action with a degree of verve that belies its not insubstantial weight. The 740i sprints to 100 km/h in just 6.8sec (6.9 seconds 740Li), 0.7sec faster than before while the 750i logs 5.9sec (6.0 seconds 750Li), 0.4sec faster than the old 745i. (The 6.0-litre V12 not available to drive at the launch logs an impressive 5.6secs!) All models are electronically handicapped to 'just' 250km/h.

Sheer speed, however, is not the full story, it's the manageability and sporting attributes of the 7 that attracts its buyers. Steering is light but still exhibits the feel you'd expect from a Bavarian product though brakes do tend to servo on a little and could offer more feedback.

Dynamic Drive (we didn't drive a car sans DD, nor a Sport suspended model) works its anti-roll magic in the tight stuff and with the transmission in sport mode the big fella can be hustled in a most un-limo like fashion. Given the choice we'd take paddles over the wheel-rim mounted gearchange buttons - they never seem to be in the right place when you need them.

In town and on the highway the car is commendably quiet (19-inch wheels and wide low profile rubber notwithstanding) and the rear seat comfort and room in the Li is right royal. Hit the buttons to raise the rear and side blinds and it's hard not to play movie star or media mogul. And after all, isn't that exactly what these cars are all about...

BMW debuts ConnectedDrive telematics

BMW Australia has released a comprehensive telematics package Down Under. Dubbed ConnectedDrive, the in-car communication system debuts on the facelifted 2005 7 Series limousine but will eventually be available across a range of BMW models.

ustralia is only the fourth market outside Europe to receive the system which involves both automatic and call-centre provided in-car information. ConnectedDrive was first launched in July 1999 in BMW's home market. It has since been rolled out in major 'technology-savvy' markets including USA, Japan and GB with almost 280,000 subscribers now using the in-car service.

Rather than a single feature, ConnectedDrive is BMW's generic term for the functionality. Two services are offered Down Under, the GSM-network-based BMW TeleAssist and BMW Online, which utilises WAP-based mobile internet access. Both services will be provide free of charge for 12 months to purchasers of 2005 7 Series models and thereafter will be offered separately or combined. The services will also be standard on new the 545i and 6 Series models from this month.

BMW calls ConnectedDrive "a virtual co-pilot-cum-concierge." Operated via the iDrive controller and integrated with the car's navigation computer the system requires users to request information - no data is sent to the car without a direct request requests.

Priced at $400 per annum, BMW TeleAssist services comprise:

The TeleAssist service will be provide in conjunction with Queensland-based travel and assistance specialist, Mondial Assistance. Mondial is the largest provide of this type of service in the world and has a 13-year association with BMW in Australia. It provides conventional roadside assistance call-centre services for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more than 15 other brands.

Drawing on Sensis and specialist accommodation, entertainment and restaurant databases, Mondial will provide specially trained BMW TeleAssist operators 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via its Brisbane call-centre.

BMW Online features a password-protected bespoke internet portal that allows users to access the services it offers from home as well as in-car. Priced at $350 per annum, the service includes:

Like TeleAssist, BMW Online allows 'one-touch' transfer of information in-car, allowing users to, for example, search for a hotel, access its details and activate in-car navigation to direct him/herself to the establishment.

The information accessed - including emails and news and weather - is available to both front seat occupants while the car is on the move and is presented via the dash-mounted navigation/data screen in respective models. This fact has already attracted some flak from pundits that suggest the system could create extra distractions for drivers.

Safety discussions aside, the system undoubtedly represents a substantial upgrade in the information available to mobile/in-car consumers. In addition to the high-end models noted above, ConnectedDrive will be offered as a factory option on X5, X3, Z4, six-cylinder 5 Series, 1 and new 3 Series models where customers also purchase compatible navigation and phone systems.

CarPoint sampled the functionality of both BMW TeleAssist and BMW Online as part of the 2005 7 Series media launch in Canberra last week. Easy to use (once BMW's admittedly simplified iDrive controller is mastered), the 'components' of ConnectedDrive will provide genuine convenience to those who spend significant time in their car or use their vehicle interstate or in unfamiliar locales.

Mondial's TeleAssist operators were prompt, polite and helpful, however, some connectivity issues arose on the day. In addition some of the launch users were either unable to receive destination information or, once downloaded, found themselves directed to incorrect locations. BMW says the system will be fully operable before customers take delivery of their new 7s later this month.