With this new generation of BMW 7 Series, the Bavarians seem to have had technology at the forefront of its priorities. Just a minute inside the big 7er and it’s evident that BMW wanted it to be the most technologically impressive car in its class. And it is exactly that.
Say what you want about it not being as luxurious as the Mercedes-Benz S Class, but the 7 Series has the S Class beat, in terms of technology. Whether that’s a good or bad thing in your eyes, that was BMW’s objective and that objective was met.
In this new video from Carwow, Mat Watson reviews the new 7 Series and shows off all of its impressive technology. Whether that tech is worth the high price tag is up to you, but it’s certainly impressive to see.
The car Watson is driving is the BMW 740d xDrive with the M Sport package. That means his car is packing the 3.0 liter turbocharged diesel engine that makes just over 300 hp and can get from 0-60 mph in just over 5 seconds. Yet it will also return a realistic 40 mph (on the extremely generous EU Cycle). So it’s both quick and economical.
His tester is also fully loaded, to the point of being ridiculous. This particular 740d has nearly every option box ticked, if not every single one, and it seems it. The interior is overloaded with features, gizmos and gadgets. The ability to open and close all of the sun visors, including the moonroof, with the press of one button from the built-in Samsung tablet is remarkable. The B-pillar-mounted LED reading lights are also a nifty feature. It even has massaging rear seats that come with video instructions on how to keep muscles fresh over long journeys. Insane.
Some of the features can feel a bit gimmicky, though. Gesture Control, for instance, seems to be completely superfluous. I love dumb little gadgets but I honestly can’t see myself ever using Gesture Control.
However, there are some downright helpful features as well. For instance, the self-parking feature that can be controlled from the key fob is just incredible. Tight parking spot? No problem, just get our first and park the car with the remote. Some Jackass park too close and block your door in? Don’t worry about it, just back the car up via remote. So cool.
But, despite how cool all of the 7 Series’ features are, it’s still a BMW. So how does it drive. Well, Watson keeps it in Comfort Plus mode the entire time, which is its softest and most comfortable setting. It’s the setting that most replicates the Mercedes S Class’ ride. However, it still can’t match the pillowy plushness of the S Class. Which is why Watson should have put it in Sport to see if it was any better to actually hustle along.
Nevertheless, he did feel that it drives well, if not as perfect as the S Class, and has a great interior. While its price tag can become ghastly quickly, thanks to its option heavy spec sheet, it’s still a superb luxury car that packs more tech than any other car in its class.
