Driving Impressions

In terms of driving dynamics, there's no controversy here. BMW's 7 Series has been widely lauded for its outstanding performance and ride. It's hard to rave about a vehicle that drives so well. There are only so many ways you can say great, and the 7 Series does everything extremely well. The first thing we noticed about the BMW 745i was its wonderful, magic-carpet ride. This car smoothes out bumps, even speed bumps, to a point of astonishment. It's incredibly comfortable, yet the driver does not feel completely isolated from the road. The 745i senses when it's being driven hard, retuning the suspension appropriately for improved handling. BMW's Active Roll Stabilization, a system of computer-controlled active anti-roll bars, increases roll resistance in hard cornering to keep the body flat in turns. At the same time, the system maintains enough suspension compliance to keep the tires planted on the road. Bumps in the middle of a high-speed corner do not upset the handling balance one whit. Several factors are at work here: a near-perfect weight distribution of 50 percent front and rear, which means neither end of the car is more prone to slide than the other; a highly rigid chassis that allows precise suspension tuning; and minimal unsprung weight, thanks to lightweight aluminum wheels, brake calipers and aluminum suspension components. Remember: weighing up to 4900 pounds, depending on equipment, the 7 Series is not a small, lightweight car. But in some respects it feels smaller than it is. Anti-skid technology makes adjustments to maintain handling balance whenever grip is lost to any one tire. By applying braking force to individual wheels, it almost seems to bend the laws of physics. Just steer this thing where you want to go and the 7 Series takes you there. I felt this on a fast, greasy corner over a sharp crest that un-weighted the suspension. All four wheels lost grip, but we simply motored around the corner, drifting just slightly wide of the intended line. I never lifted my foot off the accelerator pedal nor made any adjustments in the steering. No special action on my part was needed. The 745i did all of that for me. The anti-skid system is transparent, in that you can't feel it kick in and out. BMW's system is less obtrusive and more performance-oriented than similar systems found in Mercedes and Lexus automobiles. Steering the 7 Series cars is a joy. The rack-and-pinion steering is super sharp and precise. It's very light at low speeds for parking lots, but firms up at higher speeds for improved driver feel. It also steps up response by 10 percent as the wheel is turned off center, which means that the more you turn the wheel, the faster the car responds. With this steering system, it's easy to drive with extreme precision on winding roads at high speeds, placing the tires exactly where you want them. When hitting bumps, there's little or no kickback to the steering. The drivetrains, V8 and V12, are absolutely silky when cruising around. The new six-speed automatic transmission is extremely smooth, yet it's among the most responsive we have ever experienced. Hit the accelerator pedal and the transmission drops a gear or two without any of that hesitation found in so many automatics. The additional gearing of the six-speed allows a lower first gear for quicker performance off the line, closer ratios in the middle gears for better mid-range response, and taller top gears for improved fuel economy. The 745i has a feature allowing the driver to downshift manually using a pair of buttons on the steering wheel, but I found that feature to be superfluous. With a transmission as responsive as this one, manual shifting seems more of a toy than anything else. Even on a racetrack, I'd probably put it in Drive and leave it there. The 4.4-liter V8 engine is superb. It's very smooth when cruising. Combine the smooth drive train with the smooth ride and

Final Word

The 7 Series is so smooth that full days behind the wheel are not taxing, and it's very comfortable in heavy commuter traffic. It's easy to drive this car well and few luxury sedans can keep up with it at high speeds. And the interior is sumptuous. The 7 Series models are soaked with cutting-edge automotive technology, and with it all there's a steep learning curve. Dynamically, this may be the best car in the class. And that's no small feat, given that the competition includes some of the best cars in the world. New Car Test Drive editor Mitch McCullough is based in Los Angeles.