With the introduction of the 2003 760Li, the price tag of BMW's most expensive sedan jumped from about $78,000 to nearly $120,000. What do you get for this $42,000 increase? A little silver badge on the side of the car that reads, "V12." Oh yeah, and you also get one of the smoothest engines ever built, an extra iDrive controller and nearly every option offered on the standard eight-cylinder model.
What does it feel like to drive a 7 Series sedan that makes 444 pound-feet of torque? Well, the most amazing thing is how quiet it is. Step on the gas and you get an immediate thrust yet — wait a second! — where's the accompanying clamor of spinning pistons and valves? The engine barely seems to take an extra deep breath or even stretch its muscles. It's effortless. Formidable. Wonderful.
But is it worth $42,000 more than the standard model (granted, there are other improvements throughout)? Well, to some the answer will be a resounding yes. But those answering with such a response will be those who have no limits to their financial resources. In fact, this may be the ultimate car for a CEO since the powerbrokers of business often exert their influence silently. This car matches that method of management.
But the all-aluminum V12 power plant is more than just a thrill ride. It actually posts some impressive efficiency ratings that seem to contradict its ability to reach 60 mph in just a whisker over 6 seconds. On the highway it gets an estimated 23 mpg, while Mercedes' 12-cylinder can't even muster 20 mpg. This combination of power and efficiency is accomplished by injecting gas directly into the cylinders, a method that allows for more accurate monitoring and controlling of the combustion process. This engine is the first production V12 to use such technology. Additionally, the engine uses BMW's own Valvetronic intake system that eliminates the traditional throttle system in favor of infinitely variable intake valves.
The V12 is coupled to a six-speed transmission that shifts with silky smoothness, seemingly increasing the amazing torque range of the big engine. Shifts are so hard to detect that, along with the silence of the engine, it almost feels like you're driving an electric car. However, upshifts are not as positive in the Standard mode as they are in the Sport setting. Steering wheel-mounted buttons also allow for manual up- and downshifts.
One reservation we had about the transmission came from the occasional rough downshifts. While gliding to a stop, the tranny dropped into the lowest gear with an abrupt bump strong enough to make us look to see if we were rear-ended. Some drivers on staff argued that this was intentional to let the enthusiastic driver know what gear the transmission was in for a quick start. However, others thought shift action should have been more refined in this model.
Although the suspension of the 760Li is set up just as in the 745i and 745Li, we ran the top sedan through the slalom to remind ourselves of the immense capability of the 7 Series. As one driver put it, "When you push this car, it seems to get smaller." Furthermore, the car's movement was easy to predict and control. The standard 19-inch tires, which feature a unique tread pattern specific to the 760, afforded plenty of grip and still produced little highway road noise.
When hitting the brakes hard in the 760Li, some vibration was felt in the antilock braking system. However, there was minimal dive and it tracked straight as it came to a stop in as little as 111 feet from 60 mph, a remarkable distance for a sedan of its size. The pedal pressure was progressive and little fade was detected between runs. In stop-and-go traffic, the brake pressure was predictable and easily modulated for smooth stops. When stronger pressure is applied, the emergency braking assist feature — which applies extra braking power for panic stops — seemed a bit too intrusive. However, in a true emergency, this feature could prove to be valuable.
While the 760's exterior is virtually identical to the standard 7 Series, the two-kidney grille is wider and augmented with chrome vertical slats. More chrome accents are added to the bumpers and roofline. As with other 7 Series cars, the 760's styling immediately sparked controversy among Edmunds.com staffers. The back end of the car was especially criticized for the way the trunk opening went through a character line. One editor, who has an especially trained eye, said, "It looks like the trunk from another car was just slapped on." This reviewer didn't feel that way at all. When parked at the curb, the car struck him as impressive with a powerful athletic stance.
The interior of the 760Li has some changes that add — if you can believe it — even more of a luxury feeling to the cabin. The Alcantara suede headliner, gray in the model we drove, wraps the driver and passengers in elegance. It's hard to stop yourself from running your hands over it. Nice little touches are everywhere you look. Take the wood dash strip for instance, with its different wood panel sections connected by inlay patterns. In other places, brush chrome offsets nicely with the gray suede.
New to the 760Li are massaging and ventilated seats. The massaging only occurs on the lower section of the seat and not the backrest. While it is a welcomed way to break up a long drive, it really does little to knead tired muscles. The ventilated seats didn't seem to noticeably cool the driver's back and the fan noise was somewhat annoying. However, the seats, with 20-way power adjustment, are wonderfully upholstered and molded to the body; even very large people are likely to be comfortable here.
Finally, we come to the ill-conceived iDrive system. It appears that no rethinking occurred between the release of the 745 and the 760 models. In fact, as if flaunting its lack of concern about the usability of the system, BMW placed an iDrive controller in the backseat. We really did try to figure it out, and we really did try to find shortcuts through the murky navigation of this complex system. Nothing we did seemed to make it any easier. Furthermore, we kept hearing about systems in competitors' cars that were described thusly: "It's like the BMW's iDrive — but this actually makes sense."
Though a few puzzling issues prevent us from giving the 760Li a flat-out rave review, one thing is certain, this is an attention-grabbing, cutting-edge car with a strong road presence. And did we mention that it comes with a V12?
What does it feel like to drive a 7 Series sedan that makes 444 pound-feet of torque? Well, the most amazing thing is how quiet it is. Step on the gas and you get an immediate thrust yet — wait a second! — where's the accompanying clamor of spinning pistons and valves? The engine barely seems to take an extra deep breath or even stretch its muscles. It's effortless. Formidable. Wonderful.
But is it worth $42,000 more than the standard model (granted, there are other improvements throughout)? Well, to some the answer will be a resounding yes. But those answering with such a response will be those who have no limits to their financial resources. In fact, this may be the ultimate car for a CEO since the powerbrokers of business often exert their influence silently. This car matches that method of management.
But the all-aluminum V12 power plant is more than just a thrill ride. It actually posts some impressive efficiency ratings that seem to contradict its ability to reach 60 mph in just a whisker over 6 seconds. On the highway it gets an estimated 23 mpg, while Mercedes' 12-cylinder can't even muster 20 mpg. This combination of power and efficiency is accomplished by injecting gas directly into the cylinders, a method that allows for more accurate monitoring and controlling of the combustion process. This engine is the first production V12 to use such technology. Additionally, the engine uses BMW's own Valvetronic intake system that eliminates the traditional throttle system in favor of infinitely variable intake valves.
The V12 is coupled to a six-speed transmission that shifts with silky smoothness, seemingly increasing the amazing torque range of the big engine. Shifts are so hard to detect that, along with the silence of the engine, it almost feels like you're driving an electric car. However, upshifts are not as positive in the Standard mode as they are in the Sport setting. Steering wheel-mounted buttons also allow for manual up- and downshifts.
One reservation we had about the transmission came from the occasional rough downshifts. While gliding to a stop, the tranny dropped into the lowest gear with an abrupt bump strong enough to make us look to see if we were rear-ended. Some drivers on staff argued that this was intentional to let the enthusiastic driver know what gear the transmission was in for a quick start. However, others thought shift action should have been more refined in this model.
Although the suspension of the 760Li is set up just as in the 745i and 745Li, we ran the top sedan through the slalom to remind ourselves of the immense capability of the 7 Series. As one driver put it, "When you push this car, it seems to get smaller." Furthermore, the car's movement was easy to predict and control. The standard 19-inch tires, which feature a unique tread pattern specific to the 760, afforded plenty of grip and still produced little highway road noise.
When hitting the brakes hard in the 760Li, some vibration was felt in the antilock braking system. However, there was minimal dive and it tracked straight as it came to a stop in as little as 111 feet from 60 mph, a remarkable distance for a sedan of its size. The pedal pressure was progressive and little fade was detected between runs. In stop-and-go traffic, the brake pressure was predictable and easily modulated for smooth stops. When stronger pressure is applied, the emergency braking assist feature — which applies extra braking power for panic stops — seemed a bit too intrusive. However, in a true emergency, this feature could prove to be valuable.
While the 760's exterior is virtually identical to the standard 7 Series, the two-kidney grille is wider and augmented with chrome vertical slats. More chrome accents are added to the bumpers and roofline. As with other 7 Series cars, the 760's styling immediately sparked controversy among Edmunds.com staffers. The back end of the car was especially criticized for the way the trunk opening went through a character line. One editor, who has an especially trained eye, said, "It looks like the trunk from another car was just slapped on." This reviewer didn't feel that way at all. When parked at the curb, the car struck him as impressive with a powerful athletic stance.
The interior of the 760Li has some changes that add — if you can believe it — even more of a luxury feeling to the cabin. The Alcantara suede headliner, gray in the model we drove, wraps the driver and passengers in elegance. It's hard to stop yourself from running your hands over it. Nice little touches are everywhere you look. Take the wood dash strip for instance, with its different wood panel sections connected by inlay patterns. In other places, brush chrome offsets nicely with the gray suede.
New to the 760Li are massaging and ventilated seats. The massaging only occurs on the lower section of the seat and not the backrest. While it is a welcomed way to break up a long drive, it really does little to knead tired muscles. The ventilated seats didn't seem to noticeably cool the driver's back and the fan noise was somewhat annoying. However, the seats, with 20-way power adjustment, are wonderfully upholstered and molded to the body; even very large people are likely to be comfortable here.
Finally, we come to the ill-conceived iDrive system. It appears that no rethinking occurred between the release of the 745 and the 760 models. In fact, as if flaunting its lack of concern about the usability of the system, BMW placed an iDrive controller in the backseat. We really did try to figure it out, and we really did try to find shortcuts through the murky navigation of this complex system. Nothing we did seemed to make it any easier. Furthermore, we kept hearing about systems in competitors' cars that were described thusly: "It's like the BMW's iDrive — but this actually makes sense."
Though a few puzzling issues prevent us from giving the 760Li a flat-out rave review, one thing is certain, this is an attention-grabbing, cutting-edge car with a strong road presence. And did we mention that it comes with a V12?
Add A Comment »