Being the flagship-model for BMW, the 7 series is meant to embody everything BMW is known for: style, luxury and plenty of power. But for the price $84,300, does the 2012 BMW 750i deliver in all of these aspects? In this review we will go over all of the basics and then some to fill you in on BMW’s flagship model.
Walking up to the 2012 BMW 750i, it feels like you are walking up to a smaller 3-series even though the length of this 7-series is identical to last years. The shaping of this model just seemed to throw us off a bit. Also, the tires are an inch bigger, with a size of 19 inches, compared to last year’s 18 inches. Of course the exterior has the same BMW look that we have all become accustom to.
Having a great exterior is always a plus, but BMW likes to focus more on the interior and what’s under the hood. And BMW did deliver quite well in the interior department. The 20-way multi-contour seats were very welcome, giving the driver a customized fit. Also, an option that will make your rear-end that much more comfortable is the option to add heating, cooling and massaging to the seats. While seated, you will notice that the center console and buttons are laid out very well, easily allowing the driver to have all buttons within arms-reach. Some buttons, however, were redundantly placed on the steering wheel. Controlling iDrive, BMW’s computer system that controls the car’s secondary systems like music and navigation, is much easier to do this year compared to last year. In the iDrive is the ability to control music, navigation, car settings, the heads-up display, and the vehicle status reports. Displayed in the status reports are the current condition of the tire pressure, brake fluid, engine oil, brake pads and also tells you when you the car is due for an inspection. Night-vision is also available for the 750i, but unfortunately our model was not equipped with it.
The other aspect which BMW always excels at is the quality of the drive. The first unique option that I noticed in the car when backing out was the optional side view cameras which gave me a great view of everything beside me and when paired with the rear view camera, you can get a panoramic view of the rear. Once the car was put into drive, that’s when the real highlight of the car came out. The 2012 BMW 750i has more than enough power under the hood. With a twin-turbo V-8 that cranks out 440 hp, this car gets moving very quickly. The 750i goes 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, which is quick for such a large sedan. While the power was there, the handling and smooth ride was not. When taking a turn, you really feel all of the 4,288 lbs being thrown around. This model offers 4 different suspension modes: comfort, normal, sport and sport +. No matter what mode you were in, the suspension was a bit stiff. In comfort mode, the suspension is softened only a little bit from normal mode, still revealing bumps in the road. In sport mode, the suspension is stiffened, which offered a bit more of an aggressive ride but not overly aggressive. This also applies to the sport+ mode, the harshest of them all, because while the suspension was dramatically stiffened, it was not over uncomfortable allowing you to be aggressive but still help some comfort. The Sport + mode also turns on the Dynamic Traction Control which does not completely turn off the traction control, but instead makes it less prevalent.
Of course this year’s 750i had its ups and down, but all in all this is quite a remarkable car. We would have liked to have seen more trunk space, maybe a tad more room in the back, and maybe a bit smoother of a ride. We would like to commend the 750i on its power, interior layout and the quiet drive it provided. Also, the heads up display was brilliant. The HUD can be adjusted so it does not interfere with your driving. It lets you focus on the road, but at the same time keep an eye on your speed in a beautiful fashion. With all of the technology and power, this car left us quite satisfied, but not completely satisfied.
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