2015 BMW 7-Series

The proportions of the current 7-Series have always been right on the mark. If you even remember the multi-level decklid (the Bangle butt) that got the previous-generation model in trouble with BMW fans, try to forget that. As the current 7-Series is a knockout with a great stance and silhouette.

There's a lot of elegance in stance and shape (always hard to achieve in a long flagship) of the 2015 7-Series, and a nice kick in its tail. Whether you go for the standard or long-wheelbase versions (adding another 5.5 inches of back-seat legroom), the look is just as attention-getting.

At that time, the taillights also became more finely detailed, while a long chrome strip was added across the bumper.

The design of the cockpit is straightforward -- not chaotic and cluttered, as luxury cars can be -- with streamlined dash shapes and densely grained wood trim and ceramic-finished knobs. In the center of the dash is a new version of iDrive, which this year adds a touch-pad controller.

With the new reconfigurable info display introduced last year, it's much better coordinating and intuitive--as well as better-looking. Plus, models at the V-8 level and above now include the leather-wrapped dash.

For those who want performance without as much consumption, there's the ActiveHybrid 7, which will join the lineup later in the model year and now pairs the six-cylinder engine (not the V-8 anymore) to a system using electric motors and a special lithium-ion battery pack. In general, in BMW's other models, we've found this system lacking in smoothness, while not all that much quicker or more efficient than the normal six-cylinder versions.

All versions get an air suspension, plus Driving Dynamics Control, a system that governs shock firmness, steering heft, transmission shifts, and throttle response--but allows drivers to twiddle with the settings to fit their habits. BMW also offers optional active rear steering, which turns the rear wheels opposite the fronts in some situations to enhance turn-in--and does noticeably speed up the steering response. Across all of these systems the 7-Series would comport itself better than any of the large German luxury liners--if only the steering feel weren't so artificial.

Electronics are indeed both friend and foe in the 7-Series. Without its battery of electronics, this big sedan might feel like a land yacht, but altogether they dramatically broaden the 7's driving feel. Even in Normal mode, the 7er is unbelievably nimble for a car so lengthy and heavy. Although we haven't yet driven the significantly changed V-8 models, our drives of the current-generation 7-Series have always left us awestruck over how planted and stable it feels--whether at Autobahn-style limits or on winding parkways.

While those who appreciate the 7-Series' sport-sedan pedigree will be able to parse out (and appreciate) the finer differences between these models, across the board you'll surely find that the 7-Series models accelerate swiftly, with amazing grip and more poise from a vehicle this size. These are for the most part surprisingly satisfying sedans for the driver, although comfort, luxury, and tech are at the top--and that also shows more for some models than others.

New this year is the BMW 740Ld xDrive, which comes with standard all-wheel drive and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. That engine produces 255 horsepower and 413-lb/ft of torque, good for a 0-60 sprint in 6.1 seconds. This is one of the most efficient ways to pick up a 7-Series, with an EPA rating of 23-mpg city, 31-mpg highway, and combined fuel economy of 26-mpg.

The 2015 BMW 740i and 740Li are the base models in the lineup; they come with a version of BMW's twin-turbo in-line six, making 315 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. In this form, the 7-Series is probably as quick as you'll need or expect in a luxury cars--about six seconds to 60 mph--and the smooth, linear character of the powertrain makes it just as enjoyable churning out the torque quietly at low revs or rocketing along on back roads with the revs racing. These models are more than 200 pounds lighter than V-8 versions, so you might find handling more nimble and enjoyable as well.

750i and 750iL models step up to V-8 engines that were all-new last year. The twin-turbo, 4.4-liter V-8 now makes 445 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, and these models can charge to 60 mph in an automaker-cited 4.7 seconds.

The 760Li might sound like one of the performance leaders of the group--and it is, with 537 hp from its twin-turbo V-12--but you might enjoy the other models over this one if tight, curvy roads are your norm (you do feel the extra weight of the V-12). It weighs a portly 4,800 pounds but can dash to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds to 60 mph.

The true athlete of the 7-Series lineup is the performance-focused Alpina B7, which has a special version of the V-8 underhood that makes 540 horsepower and 538 pound-feet. In addition to that, you get a suspension that's firmer than any of the other models can manage in Sport mode, as well as bigger brakes, and other enhancements. The 0-60 mph time is just 4.5 seconds here.

Throughout the lineup, you can also get an M Sport package that provides a body kit; 19- or 20-inch wheels; and Active Roll Stabilization, as well as a sport steering wheel.

The 7-Series remains the futuristic and tech-centric flagship of the BMW lineup; but you might not know it from within the cabin. These are models that are for the most part remarkably clean in design and devoid of excess buttons and switchgear. Much of that, of course, is replaced by the complex and sometimes frustrating iDrive interface—which gets a new touch pad this year.

Especially at the entry end of the lineup, we're surprised at how stark a lightly optioned 740iL can feel compared to some of its rivals, like a Jaguar XJ. But if you're willing to ante up option packages and you get top-notch materials, including beautiful wood and leather, with fit and finish easily on par with Rolls-Royce.

Between the longer and shorter wheelbases, there is a difference worth parsing. While the Mercedes-Benz will remain offered exclusively in its long-wheelbase form in the U.S., the BMW 7-Series if offered in those two lengths. The extended-wheelbase ('Li') versions add 5.5 inches to overall length—and almost all of that goes straight to rear legroom. In these versions, entry to and exit in back is definitely easier, too.

With 2013's refresh, the 7-Series got a thinner, more contoured design for the front seats—mostly without extendable thigh bolsters this time. While we still haven't had the chance to test these out on a long road trip and assure you they're as good as the seats they replaces, the 7-Series has quite a reputation for keeping trouble-prone backs well supported on the long haul. And we'll venture to say that the 7-Series remains one of the top picks for tall drivers.

2013's round of changes also brought redesigned back seats; and you can still choose from bench seats or, with the Luxury Rear Seating Package, individual bucket-style seats with integrated massage and ventilation functions. With a four-zone climate control system, this is one of the top picks with which to transport very important passengers.

The refresh last year also brought new ambient lighting, more sound insulation, and other small changes to the interior make it a more comfortable, engaging place to travel. We still haven't revisited the 7-Series since then, but we hope to soon update those with proper 2015-model-year impressions.

A Driver Assistance Package remains available, bundling 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.

Standard safety equipment in all 7-Series models includes rear-seat side airbags, front-seat active head restraints, and knee airbags. 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.

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

The one potentially safety related item we might go without is the head-up display. Even though it's better done here than in some other vehicles, it does tend to clutter the view of the road ahead.

Get the Driver Assistance Package and you'll have side and top camera views, as well as the Head-Up Display in all-wheel-drive xDrive models. 

Front and center, iDrive remains the central interface point in the 2015 7-Series last year it added a new navigation system with faster, smoother operation, a more powerful processor, and 3D graphics. But perhaps more important, there's a revised menu system, as well as expanded voice control--including voice-to-text features and other voice editing tools.

Last year, BMW also added a touch pad to iDrive, that allows you to trace out letters and numbers; it's something that BMW stubbornly resisted in the past, but a sign that the brand is finally willing to provide redundant controls rather than a single 'right way' to find functions. Separately, BMW has rolled out its apps services, full smartphone integration, and remote services in all 7-Series models this year.

Options, even on the 760Li, include night vision, massaging rear seats, adaptive cruise control, and a choice of various materials and wood veneers. And an Executive Package includes soft-touch doors, a power trunk, and multi-contour seats.

Truth is, you could easily add $20k or more in options. Especially as you move up the model line, to the 760Li (which can top out at over $160,000), the 7-Series' features tend toward absolute comfort and ultra-luxury upgrades. And if you're a tech maven, there's plenty of opportunity to express that, too.

The driver needs to select ECO PRO mode, but it functions mostly unobtrusively, managing powertrain behavior and programming of the heating, air conditioning, heated seats, and exterior mirror heating to maximize efficiency. With it you also get a coasting mode that can decouple the engine from the transmission, allowing extended coasting at speeds of up to 100 mph. And in some conditions in the ActiveHybrid 7, the engine completely shuts off during coasting mode, restarting only when you reaccelerate.

It's still good if you get the 740i or ActivHybrid 7 models, the 7-Series returns gas mileage that's at the high end of the luxury norm--as good as 19 mpg city, 28 highway for the 740 (even if you get xDrive all-wheel drive), or 22/30 mpg for the Active Hybrid 7.

Thanks to the new V-8 engines, fuel economy numbers are up by about 2 mpg this year for the entire 750i lineup--at 17 mpg city, 25 highway, or 16/24 mpg with xDrive all-wheel drive. That said, it's still not the choice for green shoppers.

The same 16/24 mpg rating is applied to both the short- and long-wheelbase twin-turbo Alpina B7, the high-performance edition of the 7-Series, while the V-12 760Li gets just 13/20 mpg.