We were eager to get behind the wheel of the all-new 2002 BMW 745i. Like many others, we were slightly shocked by its radical styling. And we, too, wondered if the world was ready for iDrive, the German automaker's centralized, multi-function electronic control system that finds its first application in this car.
But we were also curious to find out if the car's numerous engineering innovations would make a difference to its performance, ride and handling. In addition, we were eager to see what luxury features its designers had placed inside to pamper and delight.
Last, we wanted to determine if this new 7 Series was worthy of the role of standard-bearer for one of the world's premiere marques.
While we expect to perform a thorough road test soon, we did manage to spend one day with the car at BMW's North American press introduction in San Antonio, Tex. After several hours of presentations that promised the new 7 would be a mind-blowing experience, we were handed the key, or what we were told was a key, to our very own jet-black fresh-off-the-line BMW 745i. Only blocks from the Alamo, the site of one of America's greatest military defeats, we briefly wondered if San Antonio would be witness to yet another vanquished hero, that is, the deposing of BMW as automotive royalty.
However, as willing pawns for international intrigue, we pressed the unlock button on the "key" (it looks similar to a microcassette) and climbed inside. Immediately, we were struck by how different it looked from previous BMWs. The new 7 does not continue the Bimmer tradition of the dash slanted toward the driver and a single instrument cowl. Instead, it features a wide wooden band running horizontally along the middle of the dash with two cowls above, one behind the steering wheel and one in the center of the dash. Below the wooden band are the climate controls, audio system and telephone keypad (which is spring-loaded and slides in and out). Chris Bangle, BMW's director of design, told us the wooden band is meant to divide the dash into two separate areas: items for the eyes above and features for the fingers below. Most noticeable is the relative lack of buttons to push. The previous 7 Series dash resembled the cockpit of a 747 airliner with its myriad switchgear. In the new 7 Series, though, most of the interior controls have been incorporated into the iDrive with only some basic controls left to the buttons mounted on the dash and steering wheel. The result is the most uncluttered dash of any car in the BMW fleet.
Next, we inserted the key into its slot to the right of the steering wheel. Then, we pushed the "start" button. The engine fired, and we reached for the gear lever between the front seats. What, not there? Oh yeah, we remembered being told that the gear selector is now mounted on a stalk behind the steering wheel. We examined this strange appendage, which looks much like a signal or wiper lever. It operates simply by moving upward for reverse and downward for drive. To select park, you must push a button on the end of the stalk. This simple but radical system was the cause of much criticism from observers who complained it would be too hard to figure out and what about valets and car wash attendants? How would they figure it out? This is a specious complaint. Not only does BMW supply a pad of brief graphic instructions that can be ripped off and given to valets and others, but the system can be explained in about 30 seconds. Instead, our big worry was where we would rest our right hand during driving.
BMW used the extra space created by eliminating the gear lever to provide a huge center console that serves as storage, an armrest and control center for the 22-function power and heated seats. It also provides a base for the dial that operates the iDrive.
We like the new location of the seat controls; they're easy to reach and you can see what you're doing while you play with the various functions, which include all the traditional adjustments, as well as new buttons to adjust thigh support and backrest width. The optional $2,500 Luxury Seat package adds massaging and ventilated seats in front. The result is some seriously comfortable seats that we'd be happy to use all day long.
Luxury features abound in the new flagship. Interior materials and the leather upholstery are impeccable, and there is now a choice between high-gloss and matte finish for the real wood trim, which gives the interior a more organic look like the teak surfaces of a yacht. Excellent fit and finish further suggests the high quality of the 745i's construction.
There are also more luxury gadgets than you'd find in a Sharper Image warehouse: The "Soft Close" doors automatically cinch shut, ending the need for noisy slams; the trunk opens and closes with the push of a button; when you sit in the spacious rear seats, a sensor reads your weight and raises the head restraint accordingly and then lowers it when you leave to aid driver vision; and there are five power sunshades in the back that cover the rear window, side windows and accompanying quarter-windows.
The voice command system is cool. It is activated simply by pressing a button on the steering wheel and then provides clear audio prompts to access and control any of its 270 phone, navigation, stereo and notepad functions. And you never have to move your eyes from the road or hands from the wheel.
The new BMW flagship is also loaded with safety features, including a total of 12 airbags — eight front and four rear. Among these are a front knee airbag and head protection system for all outboard passengers. The car also boasts electronic occupant recognition in front and rear, which senses if there is a passenger in the seat and adjusts the airbag deployments and automatic seatbelt tensioners accordingly.
Feeling safe and pampered, we pulled out into San Antonio traffic and were immediately hailed by a man on a corner. We stopped, and he told us how much he loved the new design. The rear end has been especially controversial, so we asked, "What about the rear, you like that, too?" He stared at it, rubbed his chin and then yelled, "Damn, I do. I like it. I like it all." We do, too. But it is different.
Compared to a 2001 7 Series, almost 2 inches has been added to its height. A taller profile allows for increased interior room and architectural support. With the added support, torsional rigidity has been improved by 10 percent over the previous generation. Also, the greenhouse was moved back and the C-pillar was aggressively slanted to give the car a more rakish, speedy aspect. The rear overhang was reduced and, combined with the huge, optional 19-inch wheels, it gives the sedan a muscular, athletic look. However, to avoid looking too much like a coupe, the 7's beltline was curved to come back to the ground at the rear. It's a visual trick employed by classic British sedans that give cars an elegant impression of having arrived, of being stately and powerful but not in a hurry. However, the increased height created aerodynamic and structural problems at the rear, so designers were forced to increase the trunk deck height and abandon the traditional 7 Series profile. It is this new trunk shape that has been shocking to some.
In front, the Bimmer hallmark twin-kidney grilles are still there, but they are now farther off the ground and look more like flaring nostrils. The xenon headlights retain BMW's signature double round lens, but the turn signals have been moved to the top of the lamps, and there's more lens showing. The overall effect is quite aggressive.
The new design takes some getting used to, but after a while, we began to appreciate it. Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW North America, told us the new design was developed to make an impact. "BMW is a sharp-edged company, and we do break ground. The fact that it polarizes opinion is a delight. We don't want to build boring cars." Purves also told us that in Europe, where the car has been on sale since November 2001, its design has been enthusiastically received. From the amount of thumbs-ups it garnered in San Antonio, it seems the same is true on this side of the Atlantic.
The superlative ride of the flagship was apparent after only a few blocks. It felt creamy, smooth and imparted a feeling of solidity, though the real fun started once we got to an area of Texas called Hill Country about 50 miles outside the city. There, on rolling country roads, we were able to appreciate fully the 745i's 4.4-liter V8. The new engine boasts 333 horsepower, 47 more horses than 2001's. And despite the power increase, BMW claims better fuel economy.
The automaker says this seemingly contradictory accomplishment is due to a high-tech induction system, called Valvetronic, which eliminates the throttle so that the gas pedal directly adjusts the intake camshaft and valves, which results in better engine response and improved fuel economy.
It is responsive. Depressing the "go" pedal anywhere in the powerband produces immediate and heady acceleration. BMW claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.9 seconds, though judging by our experience, that figure might be optimistic. We do concede, however, that it's possible the car is so smooth that its speed and acceleration are difficult to detect. In our future road test, we'll be able to conduct full performance testing.
A large part of the powertrain's smoothness can be attributed to the six-speed automatic transmission. The extra ratios in this gearbox allow for imperceptible shifts as well as uninterrupted acceleration and better fuel economy.
It's a good thing that BMW spent equal time and energy developing the car's ride and handling, which are marvelous. The lynchpin behind the sedan's exemplary drive characteristics is the Active Roll Stabilization (ARS) system, which works to reduce body roll under various situations. During moderate cornering below 0.3g's, body roll is completely eliminated. As cornering speeds and g-forces increase, ARS allows roll to increase incrementally, a feature the engineers designed to remind the driver that the "basic laws of physics still apply."
This system kept us quite flat even through aggressive cornering, which was a little mind-blowing. In most sedans of this size, we'd expect all sorts of lateral acceleration during sporty driving. Combine this with the fact that the new 7's steering feels nearly as responsive as that of the much-lauded steering of the 3 Series, and you've got a 4,376-pound sedan that feels like a 3,200-pound coupe. Outstanding.
Satisfied that the 745i fit the bill as a driver's car, we turned our attention to the controversial iDrive. Critics of the electronic system say it's too complicated and too technical and will be above the capabilities of many drivers. To this, we say "p'shaw." If you can operate a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, you can operate iDrive. It's essentially a computer system that controls the telephone, navigation system, stereo and climate control. It can also be used to access a "help" menu that explains the system's functions, or to link to BMW roadside assistance, or to activate and deactivate vehicle functions such as stability control, traction control and set the clock and instrument settings. All is displayed on a three by eight-inch LCD screen. The screen also displays the Park Distance Control system that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects in front of and behind the car. At low speeds, a diagram of the car is displayed, and any object that comes close is shown in waves of alternating color.
iDrive is operated via an aluminum mouse, called the "Controller", which sits on the center console between the front seats. We used iDrive to take advantage of the fantastic 13-speaker 420-watt premium audio system and to adjust the climate controls. We also used iDrive to operate the navigation system, which is no more or less complicated than similar systems offered by other luxury marques. However, BMW improved the interface by adding a second set of directions on a screen in the center of the tachometer dial, which ends the need for furtive sideway glances and allows the driver to concentrate on the road.
If you don't want to use iDrive, you don't always have to — many of the functions controlled by iDrive can also be accessed via switchgear on the dash and steering wheel. We like the system, though, and are confident that if we had the car for more than a few days, it would become second nature. We don't agree with critics who say BMW has moved too far too fast.
Based on recent sales figures, it's hard to fault the marque. In 2001, BMW sold 213,500 cars in the United States, up 12.5 percent from 2000 and a new all-time sales record. About 13,500 of those were 7 Series models. According to Purves, the company hopes to improve on that figure, perhaps surpassing the previous 7 Series' sales record of 18,500 cars in 1997.
The fresh face of the flagship should help, as will the technological and engineering innovations that make it one of the most sophisticated and esoteric cars around. Sales of the regular wheelbase model began in late January 2002. The traditionally more popular long-wheelbase model, which adds 5.5 inches of rear legroom, goes on sale in March 2002. And late in 2002, a 6.0-liter 408-horsepower V12 model will arrive that should set the luxury sedan market on its ear.
But we were also curious to find out if the car's numerous engineering innovations would make a difference to its performance, ride and handling. In addition, we were eager to see what luxury features its designers had placed inside to pamper and delight.
Last, we wanted to determine if this new 7 Series was worthy of the role of standard-bearer for one of the world's premiere marques.
While we expect to perform a thorough road test soon, we did manage to spend one day with the car at BMW's North American press introduction in San Antonio, Tex. After several hours of presentations that promised the new 7 would be a mind-blowing experience, we were handed the key, or what we were told was a key, to our very own jet-black fresh-off-the-line BMW 745i. Only blocks from the Alamo, the site of one of America's greatest military defeats, we briefly wondered if San Antonio would be witness to yet another vanquished hero, that is, the deposing of BMW as automotive royalty.
However, as willing pawns for international intrigue, we pressed the unlock button on the "key" (it looks similar to a microcassette) and climbed inside. Immediately, we were struck by how different it looked from previous BMWs. The new 7 does not continue the Bimmer tradition of the dash slanted toward the driver and a single instrument cowl. Instead, it features a wide wooden band running horizontally along the middle of the dash with two cowls above, one behind the steering wheel and one in the center of the dash. Below the wooden band are the climate controls, audio system and telephone keypad (which is spring-loaded and slides in and out). Chris Bangle, BMW's director of design, told us the wooden band is meant to divide the dash into two separate areas: items for the eyes above and features for the fingers below. Most noticeable is the relative lack of buttons to push. The previous 7 Series dash resembled the cockpit of a 747 airliner with its myriad switchgear. In the new 7 Series, though, most of the interior controls have been incorporated into the iDrive with only some basic controls left to the buttons mounted on the dash and steering wheel. The result is the most uncluttered dash of any car in the BMW fleet.
Next, we inserted the key into its slot to the right of the steering wheel. Then, we pushed the "start" button. The engine fired, and we reached for the gear lever between the front seats. What, not there? Oh yeah, we remembered being told that the gear selector is now mounted on a stalk behind the steering wheel. We examined this strange appendage, which looks much like a signal or wiper lever. It operates simply by moving upward for reverse and downward for drive. To select park, you must push a button on the end of the stalk. This simple but radical system was the cause of much criticism from observers who complained it would be too hard to figure out and what about valets and car wash attendants? How would they figure it out? This is a specious complaint. Not only does BMW supply a pad of brief graphic instructions that can be ripped off and given to valets and others, but the system can be explained in about 30 seconds. Instead, our big worry was where we would rest our right hand during driving.
BMW used the extra space created by eliminating the gear lever to provide a huge center console that serves as storage, an armrest and control center for the 22-function power and heated seats. It also provides a base for the dial that operates the iDrive.
We like the new location of the seat controls; they're easy to reach and you can see what you're doing while you play with the various functions, which include all the traditional adjustments, as well as new buttons to adjust thigh support and backrest width. The optional $2,500 Luxury Seat package adds massaging and ventilated seats in front. The result is some seriously comfortable seats that we'd be happy to use all day long.
Luxury features abound in the new flagship. Interior materials and the leather upholstery are impeccable, and there is now a choice between high-gloss and matte finish for the real wood trim, which gives the interior a more organic look like the teak surfaces of a yacht. Excellent fit and finish further suggests the high quality of the 745i's construction.
There are also more luxury gadgets than you'd find in a Sharper Image warehouse: The "Soft Close" doors automatically cinch shut, ending the need for noisy slams; the trunk opens and closes with the push of a button; when you sit in the spacious rear seats, a sensor reads your weight and raises the head restraint accordingly and then lowers it when you leave to aid driver vision; and there are five power sunshades in the back that cover the rear window, side windows and accompanying quarter-windows.
The voice command system is cool. It is activated simply by pressing a button on the steering wheel and then provides clear audio prompts to access and control any of its 270 phone, navigation, stereo and notepad functions. And you never have to move your eyes from the road or hands from the wheel.
The new BMW flagship is also loaded with safety features, including a total of 12 airbags — eight front and four rear. Among these are a front knee airbag and head protection system for all outboard passengers. The car also boasts electronic occupant recognition in front and rear, which senses if there is a passenger in the seat and adjusts the airbag deployments and automatic seatbelt tensioners accordingly.
Feeling safe and pampered, we pulled out into San Antonio traffic and were immediately hailed by a man on a corner. We stopped, and he told us how much he loved the new design. The rear end has been especially controversial, so we asked, "What about the rear, you like that, too?" He stared at it, rubbed his chin and then yelled, "Damn, I do. I like it. I like it all." We do, too. But it is different.
Compared to a 2001 7 Series, almost 2 inches has been added to its height. A taller profile allows for increased interior room and architectural support. With the added support, torsional rigidity has been improved by 10 percent over the previous generation. Also, the greenhouse was moved back and the C-pillar was aggressively slanted to give the car a more rakish, speedy aspect. The rear overhang was reduced and, combined with the huge, optional 19-inch wheels, it gives the sedan a muscular, athletic look. However, to avoid looking too much like a coupe, the 7's beltline was curved to come back to the ground at the rear. It's a visual trick employed by classic British sedans that give cars an elegant impression of having arrived, of being stately and powerful but not in a hurry. However, the increased height created aerodynamic and structural problems at the rear, so designers were forced to increase the trunk deck height and abandon the traditional 7 Series profile. It is this new trunk shape that has been shocking to some.
In front, the Bimmer hallmark twin-kidney grilles are still there, but they are now farther off the ground and look more like flaring nostrils. The xenon headlights retain BMW's signature double round lens, but the turn signals have been moved to the top of the lamps, and there's more lens showing. The overall effect is quite aggressive.
The new design takes some getting used to, but after a while, we began to appreciate it. Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW North America, told us the new design was developed to make an impact. "BMW is a sharp-edged company, and we do break ground. The fact that it polarizes opinion is a delight. We don't want to build boring cars." Purves also told us that in Europe, where the car has been on sale since November 2001, its design has been enthusiastically received. From the amount of thumbs-ups it garnered in San Antonio, it seems the same is true on this side of the Atlantic.
The superlative ride of the flagship was apparent after only a few blocks. It felt creamy, smooth and imparted a feeling of solidity, though the real fun started once we got to an area of Texas called Hill Country about 50 miles outside the city. There, on rolling country roads, we were able to appreciate fully the 745i's 4.4-liter V8. The new engine boasts 333 horsepower, 47 more horses than 2001's. And despite the power increase, BMW claims better fuel economy.
The automaker says this seemingly contradictory accomplishment is due to a high-tech induction system, called Valvetronic, which eliminates the throttle so that the gas pedal directly adjusts the intake camshaft and valves, which results in better engine response and improved fuel economy.
It is responsive. Depressing the "go" pedal anywhere in the powerband produces immediate and heady acceleration. BMW claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.9 seconds, though judging by our experience, that figure might be optimistic. We do concede, however, that it's possible the car is so smooth that its speed and acceleration are difficult to detect. In our future road test, we'll be able to conduct full performance testing.
A large part of the powertrain's smoothness can be attributed to the six-speed automatic transmission. The extra ratios in this gearbox allow for imperceptible shifts as well as uninterrupted acceleration and better fuel economy.
It's a good thing that BMW spent equal time and energy developing the car's ride and handling, which are marvelous. The lynchpin behind the sedan's exemplary drive characteristics is the Active Roll Stabilization (ARS) system, which works to reduce body roll under various situations. During moderate cornering below 0.3g's, body roll is completely eliminated. As cornering speeds and g-forces increase, ARS allows roll to increase incrementally, a feature the engineers designed to remind the driver that the "basic laws of physics still apply."
This system kept us quite flat even through aggressive cornering, which was a little mind-blowing. In most sedans of this size, we'd expect all sorts of lateral acceleration during sporty driving. Combine this with the fact that the new 7's steering feels nearly as responsive as that of the much-lauded steering of the 3 Series, and you've got a 4,376-pound sedan that feels like a 3,200-pound coupe. Outstanding.
Satisfied that the 745i fit the bill as a driver's car, we turned our attention to the controversial iDrive. Critics of the electronic system say it's too complicated and too technical and will be above the capabilities of many drivers. To this, we say "p'shaw." If you can operate a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, you can operate iDrive. It's essentially a computer system that controls the telephone, navigation system, stereo and climate control. It can also be used to access a "help" menu that explains the system's functions, or to link to BMW roadside assistance, or to activate and deactivate vehicle functions such as stability control, traction control and set the clock and instrument settings. All is displayed on a three by eight-inch LCD screen. The screen also displays the Park Distance Control system that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects in front of and behind the car. At low speeds, a diagram of the car is displayed, and any object that comes close is shown in waves of alternating color.
iDrive is operated via an aluminum mouse, called the "Controller", which sits on the center console between the front seats. We used iDrive to take advantage of the fantastic 13-speaker 420-watt premium audio system and to adjust the climate controls. We also used iDrive to operate the navigation system, which is no more or less complicated than similar systems offered by other luxury marques. However, BMW improved the interface by adding a second set of directions on a screen in the center of the tachometer dial, which ends the need for furtive sideway glances and allows the driver to concentrate on the road.
If you don't want to use iDrive, you don't always have to — many of the functions controlled by iDrive can also be accessed via switchgear on the dash and steering wheel. We like the system, though, and are confident that if we had the car for more than a few days, it would become second nature. We don't agree with critics who say BMW has moved too far too fast.
Based on recent sales figures, it's hard to fault the marque. In 2001, BMW sold 213,500 cars in the United States, up 12.5 percent from 2000 and a new all-time sales record. About 13,500 of those were 7 Series models. According to Purves, the company hopes to improve on that figure, perhaps surpassing the previous 7 Series' sales record of 18,500 cars in 1997.
The fresh face of the flagship should help, as will the technological and engineering innovations that make it one of the most sophisticated and esoteric cars around. Sales of the regular wheelbase model began in late January 2002. The traditionally more popular long-wheelbase model, which adds 5.5 inches of rear legroom, goes on sale in March 2002. And late in 2002, a 6.0-liter 408-horsepower V12 model will arrive that should set the luxury sedan market on its ear.
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