2009 BMW 7-Series

The legacy of the BMW 7-Series is one of prestige, power, and technology, but in an understated way. Well that changed in 2002 with the 4th generation 7-Series. Its over-the-top styling by Chris Bangle, and ungangly idrive system, were just too much for many 7-Series loyalists. Well time has tempered both concepts and the 5th generation 7-Series is the result. So let’s see if this new flagship gets fans raving once more. 

The 2009 BMW 7-Series is available as the V8 powered 750i and extended-wheelbase 750Li. All-wheel drive and a V12 760Li are on their way for the 2010 model year.

Under the charge of current chief designer Karim Habib, the BMW 7-Series has been tactfully redrawn from bow to stern.  It takes on a more svelte and classic BMW look than last year.

There is a larger, more upright twin kidney grille, and with radar and night vision hardware visible, the 7 looks like a full-on attack helicopter.

The seamless profile is sliced by a sharp shoulder crease from headlight to tail.  If Habib was trying to punctuate the Li’s 17-foot length, he succeeded.

And for those who had a hard time digesting the bulbous trunklid of the previous 7 - meaning pretty much everyone - they’ll be happy to see it has been artfully massaged out. Facia mounted tailpipes are also new.

The 750 lineup is powered by the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 that debuted in the X6. Output is 400 horsepower, up 40 from last year’s 4.8-liter, with 450 pound-feet of torque. Preliminary ratings for the 760’s all-new 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 are a monstrous 544 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque.

The 750s use a carryover 6-speed automatic, while the 760 will get the new 8-speed. For all, the shifter is now off the stalk and back on the center console where it belongs.

On the track, our 750Li showed us brute force with seamless turbo performance. 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds - that’s four tenths faster than the V12 760Li we tested in 2003.  The quarter mile at a thunderous 13.3 seconds at 115 miles per hour.  Though shifts tend to lag a bit, overall performance is unbelievable for a car this large and cushy.

And with all this power, comes grace.  Think of the 7 as a 4,600 pound ballerina. With an all new suspension system, the 7 is BMW’s first sedan with a double-wishbone front setup, balanced with a new multi-link geometry at the rear.  And for a truly personalized ride, the 750Li has a standard self-leveling air suspension.

BMW’s updated Dynamic Damping Control now allows the driver to choose between four modes: Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus. 

The Sport Package includes Active Roll Stabilization plus the new Integral Active Steering system. It adds speed-sensitive rear wheel steering to the proven front Active Steering.

We found this setup to be quick, with an overpowered lightness, but very precise, and there was only slight under steer at the car’s limit.  But, push the 7 any harder and it becomes a sled.

Stopping power comes from all disc equipped with ABS and new Brake Fade Compensation which adjusts for repeated hard stops.  It brought this hulking beast down from 60 in a fairly impressive 131 feet with no drama.

Inside, the 7-Series continues as a technological and luxury tour de force with gobs of passenger room all around.

The most notable interior improvement to us is a revised iDrive system.  Though rightfully criticized in the past, the new setup is cleaner, far more intuitive, with additional satellite controls for common functions. Overall, iDrive makes a big step forward.

Most obvious luxury feature are standard including voice-activated navigation with real-time traffic.

But, you can still add front and side view cameras, a night vision screen to help avoid pedestrians,  a blind spot indicator, lane departure warning, a head-up display, plus so much more.

With it’s limo-like wheelbase, the Li has 6 inches more rear seat legroom than the 750i. But both models have plenty of stretch-out room, rear sunshade, armrest, climate controls, seat heat, and a DVD entertainment system. 

A pass-thru leads back to a large 14 cubic foot trunk with underfloor storage.

Government Fuel Economy ratings for the 750Li are 14 city/21 highway on Premium gas.  We achieved 18.8 in real-world driving.

The 7 has a truck-like Energy Impact Score of 20.1 barrels of oil consumed per year, and a sizeable carbon footprint of 10.8 annual tons of CO2 emitted.

Pricewise, the 750i starts at $82,125, with the 750Li at a base sticker of $86,025.  Both include a $1,000 gas guzzler tax and with options will easily push it into 6-figures.

Large, fast, agile, powerful, technologically superior, prestigious, pricey, and luxurious. These are all words to describe the new 2009 BMW 7-Series.  It’s obviously not for everyone.  But for those who do buy premiere sedans, prepare to be impressed.