What Is It?
2006 BMW 7 Series
What's Special About It?
It was raked over the coals since Day One for its controversial styling and complex iDrive system, but BMW never flinched and the current-generation 7 Series turned out to be the best-selling 7 Series ever.
Like clockwork, BMW is back four years later with a midcycle refresh that cleans up some of its more distinctive styling cues and injects it with even more power under the hood.
The previous 745i/iL models have become the 750i/iL. They now feature a larger-displacement V8 that bumps power to 362 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque while maintaining equivalent fuel economy according to BMW.
The rear track of all models has been widened by half an inch for added stability but it makes little difference visually. More noticeable is a cleaner set of headlights and a slimmed-down rear-end treatment that address some of the original design's most criticized traits.
Underneath the revised skin is a retuned suspension setup that is available in three different configurations — standard, Sport and Adaptive Drive. The top-of-the-line Adaptive Drive system combines electronically controlled dampers with variable antiroll bars to generate the smoothest ride possible while the Sport setup combines the variable roll bars with tighter dampers for optimum performance.
Another often criticized area was the 7 Series' iDrive interface. For 2006, the system was redesigned for better user-friendliness and cleaner display menus but we remain skeptical. New standard features include adaptive brake lights with two-stage illumination that glows brighter during emergency stops, white turn signals indicators and xenon headlights.
What's Edmunds' Take?
As controversial as the 7 Series was in 2002, it was still an exceptional sedan. With more power, sharper handling and a less ridiculous-looking rear end, it should remain a class standout. If they could have just made iDrive an option, we would have really considered this refresh a success. — Ed Hellwig
2006 BMW 7 Series
What's Special About It?
It was raked over the coals since Day One for its controversial styling and complex iDrive system, but BMW never flinched and the current-generation 7 Series turned out to be the best-selling 7 Series ever.
Like clockwork, BMW is back four years later with a midcycle refresh that cleans up some of its more distinctive styling cues and injects it with even more power under the hood.
The previous 745i/iL models have become the 750i/iL. They now feature a larger-displacement V8 that bumps power to 362 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque while maintaining equivalent fuel economy according to BMW.
The rear track of all models has been widened by half an inch for added stability but it makes little difference visually. More noticeable is a cleaner set of headlights and a slimmed-down rear-end treatment that address some of the original design's most criticized traits.
Underneath the revised skin is a retuned suspension setup that is available in three different configurations — standard, Sport and Adaptive Drive. The top-of-the-line Adaptive Drive system combines electronically controlled dampers with variable antiroll bars to generate the smoothest ride possible while the Sport setup combines the variable roll bars with tighter dampers for optimum performance.
Another often criticized area was the 7 Series' iDrive interface. For 2006, the system was redesigned for better user-friendliness and cleaner display menus but we remain skeptical. New standard features include adaptive brake lights with two-stage illumination that glows brighter during emergency stops, white turn signals indicators and xenon headlights.
What's Edmunds' Take?
As controversial as the 7 Series was in 2002, it was still an exceptional sedan. With more power, sharper handling and a less ridiculous-looking rear end, it should remain a class standout. If they could have just made iDrive an option, we would have really considered this refresh a success. — Ed Hellwig
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