2018 BMW 7 Series

The 2018 7-series BMW comes with four engine options distributed across all trim levels. The traditional base variant M740i comes with a 3-liter V6 which works just fine. The debutant 740i Performance packs a plug-in iDrive electric motor along with a smaller 2-liter V6 engine. The 4.4-liter V8 powered 750i steps up the game with the sweet balance between comfort and performance. At the top of the range is the monster M760i with the mammoth 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine which is all performance and comfort.

The base 740i variant is packed with a 3-liter V6 turbocharged engine to produce a maximum power of 320 hp. A level up on the stairs, 750i adds a few additional standard features and steps up the engine to a turbocharged 445-hp 4.4-litre eight-cylinder one. An option of all-wheel drive(AWD) is offered with both trims.

Trims	740i	740i Xdrive	750i	750i Xdrive
MSRP	$83,650	$86,100	$96,400	$99,400
Key Features	18-inch wheels	Includes features similar to the 740i but has AWD drivetrain	Adds to or replaces features offered on 740i:	Includes features similar to the 750i but has AWD drivetrain
	LED Headlamps		14-Way Power Driver Seat
	Leather Upholstery		14-Way Power Passenger Seat
	Emergency Braking Assist		Front Ventilated Seats
	Four Zone Climate Control		Driver Seat Thigh Extension
	Multi-Level Heating Driver Seat		Premium leather
	Driver Seat With Power Adjustable Lumbar Support		19-inch wheels

 

The 740e xDrive plug-in hybrid features a 2-liter V4 turbocharged engine and an eDrive electric motor to produce a maximum power of 322 hp. The beast M760i xDrive is powered by the humongous 6.6-litre turbocharged 12-cylinder engine that churns out 601 hp. These two variants are only available in default all-wheel-drive (AWD).

We Recommend

The mid-level eight-cylinder turbocharged BMW 750i hits the perfect balance of looks, performance, and price. We'd recommend a buyer to let go of the luxurious rear lounge seating package unless he also hires a chauffeur. In place of the executive lounge seats, one would rather add the Autobahn package which includes the remarkably comfortable air suspensions, adaptive cruise control and active steering which will be quite helpful in long commutes or trips.

"Equally smart is the 8-speed automatic transmission that is tied into the navigation system. This link allows the transmission to anticipate sudden changes in the road ahead, adjusting its shift patterns to be more responsive." - Kelley Blue Book

Engine and Transmission

The 7-series comes with 4 engine options which depend on the trim variant. The 2018 BMW 740i base variant comes loaded with the 3-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine which produces a maximum power of 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. It is backed up by the 8-speed automatic transmission which is the only option in all variants.

Models	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
MSRP	$83,100	$82,500	$89,900	$75,000
Engine	3.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder Engine	3.0-Liter TFSI 6-Cylinder Engine	3.0-Liter  V6 Biturbo engine	3.5-Liter Twin-Turbo V-6 engine
Transmission	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	9-speed automatic	10-speed automatic
Power	320 hp	333 hp	362 hp	416 hp
Torque	332 lb-ft	325 lb-ft	369 lb-ft	442 lb-ft

Despite its high price and same sized engine as that of its competitors, the 740i hits rock-bottom in the segment when it comes to power and just ahead of Audi A8 in terms of torque. Well, luxury and craftsmanship come at some cost.

Acceleration

Despite its poor performance in terms of torque and power, the sedan steals the show when it comes to acceleration. The BMW 740i pulls up from 0-60 in just 5.4 sec which is pretty good a figure in the segment and fastest after Lexus LS 500. Even after using a smaller engine than Lexus, BMW beats it and become the segment topper in the quarter-mile mark.

BMW has also taken care of the environment while crafting this beast, the 740i has the lowest emission levels in the segment that too by a fair amount of marks.

Models	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
0-60 MPH	5.4 sec	5.5 sec	5.4 sec	4.6 sec
Quarter mile	13.4 sec @ 104 mph	13.8 sec @ 101.3 mph	13.8  sec @ 102 mph	13.8 sec @ 102.8 mph
Engine	3.0L	3.0L	3.0L	3.5L
Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	7.4	8.1	8.1	8.3

Lexus LS 500 is the fastest to 60 Mph, and by quite a margin. It is a whole second quicker than the others, but then slacks off towards the top end, finishing last in the quarter mile run. The other cars here post similar acceleration and quarter mile figures.

Handling and Ride Quality

The sedan can be called a corner master when it comes to steep turns at higher speeds. The 740i provides amazing feedback and moves around quite easily without making the driver feel like he's driving a 4600 pounds sedan.

The suspension can be manually adjusted to sport or comfortable. In sport mode, the suspension becomes firm and ride quality is affected to improve handling. In case of comfortable mode, the cabin has minimal vertical movement and quiet enough to make a baby sleep. Another noteworthy feature is the terrain-active transmission mode where the shifting characteristics and gear ratios change according to curves and terrain based on the data acquired from the navigation system.

Braking

The 740i's braking matches with its acceleration and performs extraordinarily as compared to its competitors in the segment. The car can come to a halt from 60 mph in just 112ft. The ABS works seamlessly and the sedan maintains its stability and composure even when the driver goes hard on the pedal.

Model	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
Brake Front(in)	17.7	15.0	13.2	14.0
Brake Rear(in)	14.5	14.0	11.8	13.1
Curb Weight(lbs)	4195	4464	4630	4707
60-0 MPH (ft.)	112	118	-------	113

The Beemer is the lightest car here and enjoys strong braking performance due to that. The Lexus is the heaviest here and does not sport the biggest set of discs, yet still posts phenomenal braking figures.

The BMW 740i runs 21 miles in city traffic after a meal of 1-gallon fuel. It has a mileage of 29 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg combined. As a luxury sedan, 740i puts up quite a good figure in terms of mileage.

Model	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
MPG (City)	21	19	19	19
MPG (Highway)	29	29	28	30
MPG (Combined)	24	22	22	23

BMW tops the segment in this field while all others are just short by a figure or two. None come close to the 7-Series in terms of city efficiency, although Lexus wins the highway efficiency.

"Build quality is top-notch and refined, with high-quality materials throughout. There's incredible interior space, and the extra-long doors make it easy to get in and out of this big sedan. Controls are easy to locate and use, and the iDrive technology interface continues to improve." - Edmunds

Seating and comfort

The interior exhibits premium aesthetics with exquisitely stitched diamond leather, as expected from BMW. Heated armrests in front and rear, ambient carpet lighting and futuristically designed customizable dashboard don't just look amazing but also works fluently with every move of the passenger.

Apart from aesthetics, the 2018 BMW 740i dwells more space than any of its competitors and we can't emphasize this enough because the balance between luxury and sport is quite rare and this sedan just manages to reside in this sweet spot. The car can easily accommodate five passengers and offers them comfort with ample legroom and headroom in the front and rear cabins.

Model	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Passenger Volume(ft cube)	122.3	121.9	122.5	116.3
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg)(In.)	39.9/59.2/41.4	37.2/59.1/41.4	39.7/59.7/41.4	37.3/58.8/41.0
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg)(In.)	38.9/57.7/44.4	39.1/57.8/42.9	37.4/59.1/34.1	37.3/56.4/38.9

Audi A8 L offers the most interior space, especially in the back. It does fall short of the BMW though, primarily due to its smaller wheelbase. The Merc and Lexus, have a lot less room in the rear seats, noticeable if you decide to stretch your legs.

Cargo Volume

Though the battery impinges on the trunk, the 2018 BMW 7-Series is still the segment topper when it comes to trunk volume. With a volume of 18.2 ft cube, the BMW provides more than enough space to host small luggage, picnic baskets, etc.

Model	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
Volume (ft cube)	18.2	14.2	16.3	16.95

The A8 L has a disappointingly small boot and offers cargo space comparable to a small sedan. S450 and LS500 have much better trunks, but nothing compared to the 7-Series.

Infotainment System

The 2018 BMW 740i comes with a  10.2-inch infotainment screen with navigation and BMW's iDrive. Other infotainment features include:

• A touchpad controller with gesture control
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity
• A wireless Qi charging station
• A 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
• An array of Internet-connected features that work online or with special BMW apps.
• Apple CarPlay (Optional)
• Android Auto (Optional)
• MirrorLink (Optional)

The sound output produces an immersive surround sound experience which is pretty amazing as compared to its competitors.

“The 2018 BMW 7-Series’ looks can range from nerdy to butch, but all trims are closer to elegant than most anything else on the road.” - carconnection

Dimensions and Weight

The 7-Series styling is exclusively elegant, the wedges and swirls just show BMW's efforts over decades in this field. Use of glass and sheet metal gives a premium finish to the sedan. The headlamps provide an aggressive look to the front face of the car which is fairly assisted with the traditional dual grill which also serves as the airflow vent.

The 2018 BMW 740i is shortest in the segment but there is still ample headroom in the cabin. The car comes with the largest wheelbase and ground clearance and hence all its competitors fall far behind when it comes to legroom in the rear cabin.

Model	BMW 740i Sedan	Audi A8 L	Mercedes-Benz S 450 Sedan	Lexus LS 500 RWD
Curb weight(lbs)	4195	4464	4630	4707
Length(in)	206.6	207.3	206.5	206.1
Width(in.) (w/o mirror)	74.9	76.7	74.8	74.8
Height(in)	58.2	57.9	58.7	57.5
Ground clearance(in)	5.8	4.9	5.0	6.5
Wheelbase(in.)	126.4	122.9	124.6	123.0
Track width(in.) F/R	63.4/64.6	64.7/64.4	63/63.2	64.2/64.2

The sedan is 190 pounds lighter than its predecessor. The credit goes to the optimal use of high strength steel, die-cast aluminum and reinforced carbon fiber plastic. This is the secret to this monster's top-notch acceleration and agility yet uncompromised stability and safety.

Exterior Features

The exterior features consist of the following:

• Adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beams
• Automatic windshield wipers
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Power-closing doors
• Panoramic Moonroof
• Auto-dimming electric rear-view mirror

The 2018 BMW 740i comes with all the essential safety features as per standards. The features include:

• Front and rear Head Protection System (HPS)
• Seat-mounted front side-impact airbags
• Front safety belts with automatic pretensioners
• 3-point safety belts with force limiters and head restraints at all seating positions
• Active Front Headrests
• Automatic-locking retractors (ALR) on all passenger-seat safety belts
• Adaptive Headlights
• Post-Collision Safety System
• Stability Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring

The NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings aren’t available as luxury automobiles like the 7-series rarely see the crash test but rest assured because a brand like BMW won’t compromise with the safety of the passengers.

BMW 7-Series vs Mercedes-Benz S Class

The Mercedes-Benz S Class comes packed with a 3-liter V6 Biturbo engine which produces a max power of 362 hp and 369 torque which is way ahead of BMW  7-series, however, the latter beats the former at fuel economy, cabin space, acceleration, handling and all of this at 5 grand less.

BMW 7-Series vs Audi A8 L

The Audi A8 L has a more powerful engine with greater torque but BMW basically one-ups Audi in all the rest of the parameters, be it features such as intelligent cornering lights, moonroof or cabin with futuristic instrument panel or the fuel economy.

BMW 7-Series vs Lexus LS 500

The Lexus LS 500 priced at $75000 is the greatest competitor of the 2018 BMW 7-Series for it has a bigger 3.5-litre engine with the 10-speed automatic transmission which churns out better power and torque. But soon, the price difference between Lexus and BMW starts to make sense when one looks at the fact that 7-series provides additional features, fabulous aesthetics and more premium and spacious interiors. But still, if there's a competitor to the sixth revision of this Bavarian beast, its none other than Lexus LS 500.

 

The 2018 BMW 7-series perfectly blends luxury with sport and offers driving pleasure along with chauffeur-driven experience. The sedan not only looks futuristic but also provides a similar experience when it comes to driver-assistance and terrain guidance system. Though it has got heavily expensive upgrades, the base package itself looks complete enough unless you want to go with something fancier.