2024 BMW 7-Series

At the front, a large, almost overwhelming version of the 7’s twin-kidney grille dominates an upright design. On some versions, BMW paints it black to create a Joker grin that also lacks subtlety. The headlights are split into upper and lower units and the lower air intakes sit at the corners like a square jaw. Swarovski crystals are available for the headlights. 

The angular, blocky look plays out along the sides, where chrome trim outlines the lower body and the windows. Add chrome wheels and the car can have too much bling. At the rear, the trunk sits up high in now-traditional BMW style, and the high-set taillights give the car an unfashionable Buick vibe. 

Even the otherwise beautiful interior can get a little ostentatious as the numerous materials can clash a bit. Materials such as leather, stainless steel, and wood work well together, but the pattern of the metal speaker grilles and the changing colors of the faceted BMW Interaction Bar on the dash add a little too much extra. When unlit, the Interaction Bar looks like a simple crystal trim piece, but it also integrates controls for fan speed and opening the glove box and it lights up as part of the ambient lighting and to act as a visual cue for incoming calls and safety alerts. BMW plays off of it with some other crystal controls, and makes other unique materials choices that add warmth and style, including cashmere upholstery and open-pore wood trim. The instrument cluster and infotainment screens are connected to provide a central technology hub.

Only the 740i and i7 eDrive50 models have rear-wheel drive, while other versions come with all-wheel drive.

How fast is the BMW 7-Series?

It’s fast with its inline-6, faster with its V-8, and faster yet with its electric powertrains.The base engine in 740i models is a 3.0-liter inline-6 that makes 375 hp and launches the car from 0-60 mph in a tidy 5.1 seconds. The 760i xDrive model employs a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that produces 536 hp and motivates the car from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Both engines have plenty of power across the rev range, and have plenty in reserve for passing moves. A smooth-shifting and responsive 8-speed automatic transmission serves both gas engines well, making power readily available whenever needed. We have not yet driven the 750i xDrive hybrid.

The 7-Series controls its size and weight well, and combines luxury with sportiness. An air suspension is standard, as are adaptive dampers. Both team up to create a smooth ride while making the 7 agile and responsive to driver inputs. It doesn’t lean as much as expected, and the standard rear-axle steering helps reduce the turning radius in parking lots and stabilize the car in fast cornering. While quick, the steering is overly light, which can mean annoying corrections are needed in corners. 

BMW i7 performance

We’ve also only experienced the i7 xDrive60 and not the newer i7 M70. Both are very powerful, and the M70 only has more of a good thing. The i7 xDrive60 has a pair of motors, one on each axle, to produce the same 536 hp as the 760i xDrive. While it adds 950 pounds compared to its gas counterpart, it needs only an extra 0.4 second to reach 60 mph, with a time of 4.5 seconds. The power is available more readily from a stop than the gas version and comes on smoothly, but the gas model feels stronger at freeway speeds. Drivers have the option to let the car coast or use a B mode that enables one-pedal driving. 

The BMW i7 M70 ups the output to 650 hp and drops the 0-60 mph time to just 3.5 seconds. We’re looking forward to experiencing it.

The i7’s extra weight with the battery pack down low creates a different driving experience than the gas model. It’s not as naturally athletic, but BMW uses front motor brake regen to shift the weight up front which helps the car turn. This is supplemented by friction brake torque vectoring. BMW also blends the regen with the friction brakes well to create a natural pedal feel.

Rear seat passengers don’t have it bad either, with lots of headroom and legroom, and enough width to sit three across. An Executive Lounge package makes the rear the place to be, with 42.5 degrees of seat tilt, a foot and calf rest, and a front passenger seat that moves so far forward that an average-size male adult can stretch out without their feet touching the front seatback. 

The trunk is small for a full-size car at 13.7 cubic feet in gas models and 11.4 cubes in i7 models.

Some notable interior materials that help justify the 7’s high prices include stainless steel speaker grilles, open-pore wood trim, and brushed aluminum. You’ll be hard pressed to find a finer cabin.

The standard safety equipment on the 7-Series includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors with steering assist, lane-departure warnings, intersection assist to prevent turning left against oncoming traffic, rear parking sensors, adaptive automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a safe-exit system. 

Active lane control, which can be standard on compact SUVs, is optional, as are automatic lane changes, emergency stop and crash evasion assist, a surround-view camera system, automatic parking, and a system that handles controls on the highway hands-free at up to 85 mph.

Every 7-Series is expensive, but the base model has good power and so much equipment that we don’t see a reason to go beyond a $97,395 740i, unless you want the all-wheel-drive 740i xDrive for $100,395. Both come standard with synthetic leather upholstery, heated power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, remote start, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster joined with a 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, Bowers and Wilkins audio, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof, and 20-inch alloy wheels.

How much is a fully loaded BMW 7-Series?

The i7 M70 runs $169,495. It’s loaded with rear-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars with road preview to smooth out bumps, full Merino leather upholstery, massaging front and rear seats, reclining rear seats, acoustic glass glazing, a panoramic sunroof, cooled rear seats, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, soft-close doors, ambient lighting, and 21-inch wheels.

7-Series infotainment

Drivers are presented with a lot of screen real estate. The infotainment system has been consistently one of the best on the market with a lot of features and quick reactions. The home screen is arranged like a smartphone so users will have a level of familiarity. This year, it adopts the latest operating system with a new zero-layer principle that places most functions on a single level so users don’t have to delve into submenus. Widgets on the left side of the screen make functions easy to access. 

BMW gives rear riders two 5.5-inch touchscreens with controls for the climate settings, seat adjustments, sunshades, audio system, and, when ordered, the rear-seat entertainment system. The entertainment system comes the closest to providing a home theater experience. It has a massive 31.3-inch screen with 8K resolution and the ability to stream Amazon Fire TV. It drops down from the ceiling, blocking the driver’s view to the rear, however, and, strangely, BMW doesn’t make a rear camera mirror available to combat this issue.

With a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8, the 760i xDrive is rated at 18/25/20 mpg. Both gas engines are more efficient than their power ratings thanks to 48-volt mild hybrid systems.

A full hybrid is available this year in the form of the eDrive50. It has an estimated 35 miles of electric driving range from its 14.4-kwh battery pack, but EPA fuel economy ratings aren’t yet available.

The i7 eDrive50 tops out at 321 miles of range with the base 19-inch wheels, and is rated at 2.7 miles per kwh. The xDrive60 gets up to 317 miles of range and 2.6 mi/kwh. At the top of the heap for power is the M70, which has up to 291 miles of range and gets 2.4 mi/kwh. 

Every I7 uses a 101.7-kwh battery pack that BMW says can DC fast charge at up to 195 kw and recover from 10-80% in 34 minutes. A full charge takes 10.5 hours on a 240-volt outlet at 11 kw.