2011 BMW 7-Series

The cockpit is a win, too, with the chaotic mix of buttons, screens, and knobs reduced where possible, and regrouped into a more logical mien. The clutter has a more organized feel, at least, and the dash shapes have been streamlined so that the 7-Series' cabin "reads" more easily and more cleanly. The instruments can be completely blacked out when needed; otherwise they glimmer softly amid densely grained wood trim, ceramic-finished knobs, and the futuristic controllers that direct the transmission and driving dynamics, as well as the iDrive system.

We've had extensive experience driving the 750i and 750Li, the sedans outfitted with BMW's big twin-turbo V-8. The 400-horsepower, 4.4-liter twin-turbo powerplant provides a rush of torque as low as 1750 rpm, with just a faint whistle from the turbochargers. Tag-teaming the tires via a six-speed automatic transmission with a sport-shift program, the 750Li has a company-pegged 0-60 mph time of about 5.0 seconds, and a top speed of 155 mph. Fuel economy checks in at a middling 15/22 mpg for the 750i, 14/21 mpg for the 750Li. All-wheel drive is now an option on these sedans, and it's a sophisticated setup that can split up to 20 percent of the torque to the car's front wheels for better traction. These V-8 cars--at least the rear-drive ones--also can be fitted with a new M Sport package that brings with it a body kit; 19- or 20-inch wheels; and Active Roll Stabilization, as well as its own sport steering wheel.

At the top of the prestige scale is the twelve-cylinder 760Li, a long-wheelbase-only edition fitted with a 537-hp twin-turbo V-12. It's a rear-driver only, and it gets a new eight-speed automatic. Even though it checks in at 4,800 pounds, it zaps drivers from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, while it slurps premium fuel to the tune of 13/19 mpg. The V-12 is an uncommon test car; we haven't driven it, but will update this review when it's available.

Next to last on the nine-member 7-Series family roster is the most technically complex version, the ActiveHybrid 7. By teaming the V-8 engine with lithium-ion batteries and electric motors, BMW promises fuel economy of 17/24 mpg and a 0-60 mph time of about 4.6 seconds--what it says is the fastest hybrid in the world. However, it's one of BMW's first hybrids, and it shows. There's a bit too much regenerative force when the driver lifts off its throttle below 25 mph, and the car can shudder when the engine is restarted in the course of its stop-start fuel-saving cycle.

Finally, there's the Alpina B7, a specially tuned version of the 7-Series. The direct-injection V-8's power soars through the miracle of tuning, from 400 hp to 500 hp; the transmission and adjustable steering and shocks are tightened up. The net is an acceleration figure that falls to 4.4 seconds to 60 mph, and considerably tauter handling than even the standard cars can manage in Sport mode.

Ah, for the electronics. Without them, the big 7-Series could feel like a real land yacht--but with them, even in their less refined-feeling modes, the electronic gadgets and assistants dramatically broaden the 7-Series' driving feel. In even Normal mode, across the lineup, the 7er is unbelievably nimble for a car so lengthy and heavy. From our first tests of the V-8 to our most recent drives in the Hybrid, the 7-Series has always felt planted and stable at low speeds and at Autobahn-style limits. While it weighs plenty, the 7-Series' lightweight control-arm independent suspension front and rear gives its responses an airier touch.

The electronics take charge for a sometimes maddening feel. Active Roll Stabilization engages anti-roll bars to limit excessive body motion; there's an air suspension on the 750Li and 760Li. All versions get Driving Dynamics Control, a system that governs shock firmness, transmission shifts, steering heft, and throttle response--but allows drivers to twiddle with the settings to fit their habits. In our experience with the 750Li, it's best to leave the 7-Series in automatic modes and to trust the transitions to its transistors. BMW also offers optional active rear steering, which turns the rear wheels opposite the fronts in some situations to enhance turn-in, which does noticeably speed up the steering response. If only the actual steering feel weren't quite so artificial, the 7-Series would comport itself better than any of the large German luxury liners.

Braking is exceptionally strong, as we've come to expect, with many electronic controls to prepare, dry, control, and unlock brakes in extreme circumstances.

With all that space, only a badly scuplted set of seats would make the 7er uncomfortable. They're not. We've sat in the 7er's multi-adjustable front seats for hours, on long stretches of smooth and rough roads. Every time, with just a few clicks and nudges of the seat controls, we've always found a soothing seating position with plenty of headroom, shoulder room, and legroom. That stands true for most of our editors, all of whom are more than six feet tall.

In the long-wheelbase 7-Series, there's even more room in the back seat, though the standard car is no slouch. Whether you're riding in back in the "base" car or in the version that adds 5.5 inches of rear-seat legroom, you'll be able to ride behind a tall passenger sitting in front--and still cross your legs at the knee in back. Depending on the model and the options packages, the rear seats can be a bench or a pair of buckets, and they can be fitted with ventilation, heating, a massaging function, or bathed in warm or cool air via a four-zone climate control system.

The 7-Series' fit and finish is easily the equal of a Rolls-Royce, with high-quality materials--beautiful leathers and woods--melded for a low-gloss, high-content sheen. We do think the techno-driven styling of some controls draws down the cabin's serene statement, but wind and engine noise are extremely low, and all cars we've examined up close had faultless build quality.

The 7-Series' extreme helping of safety gear also earns our respect, along with the big score. Every 7-Series gets standard front, side, and side-curtain airbags; rear-seat side airbags; front-seat active head restraints; and knee airbags. Each copy also has standard anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control. And BMW also fits a rearview camera, a front-view 180-degree camera, and parking sensors to assist drivers in keeping the 7-Series clear of parking-lot trouble.

The options offered on the luxury sedan will appeal to technophiles and safetyphobes, too. A Driver Assistance Package bundles together blind-spot detection, a lane-departure warning system (which vibrates the steering wheel when the car drifts from its lane) and automatic high-beam headlights.

Something we'd opt out of is the available head-up display. It's a nifty tech piece that projects navigation instructions, vehicle speeds and other functions into the driver's view, but it clutters up our view of the road ahead. The same goes for night vision, a principle we think is better left to the military from whence it came.

All-wheel-drive 7-Series sedans have standard hill descent control--in this case, not for amazing off-road traction, but for controlling the car on icy, messy roads.

Other features are more intuitive, and downright lush. Chief among them is BMW's voice-activated navigation system, which outputs its data on a wide, gorgeous 10.2-inch high-resolution display, and stores its maps on an 80GB hard drive. If you're tired of wading through iDrive, you can always Google a destination and send it to your car's GPS live from the Web.

We're always happy to listen to BMW's audio systems, which now have the firepower to match the best luxury vehicles on the planet. The head unit in the 7-Series will play DVD-etched music files, and also has built-in HD and satellite radio hardware. An iPod/iPhone media kit allows the car's controls to take over the functions of the Apple device. A rear-seat entertainment system is optional on V-8 cars, and standard on the most expensive 7ers.

The uppermost model, the 760Li, makes almost all of these features standard. Options remain, including night vision, massaging rear seats, adaptive cruise control, and a choice of wood trim.

Right behind them is one of the most expensive and complex 7-Series sedans, the ActiveHybrid 7. Like the six-cylinder cars, it comes in a choice of short- and long-wheelbase editions, and both are rated at 17/24 mpg.

From there, fuel economy slides more perceptibly. In the V-8-powered, rear-drive, short-wheelbase 750i, gas mileage is set at 15/22 mpg. Adding a few inches to the wheelbase tips the scales heavier, which trims the numbers to 14/22 mpg in the 750Li.

The same 14/22 mpg rating is applied to both the short- and long-wheelbase twin-turbo Alpina B7, the high-performance edition of the 7-Series.

Adding all-wheel drive to the stock V-8 sedans exacts its own penalty, with the 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive both earning EPA ratings of 14/20 mpg.

Finally, at the low end of expectations, the V-12-powered 760Li checks in at a not unrespectable 13/19 mpg.