Latest news with #BMW7-Series
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
BMW 740i road test: the flagship sedan redefining luxury and outshining SUVs
The BMW 7-Series ticks all the right boxes. Image: Willem van de Putte You've probably seen that meme with a turtle on a fence post and wondered how it got there, followed by a politician's face asking how they got into the position they occupy. That's pretty much the same way I feel about SUVs. When did the world decide that saloon cars aren't a thing anymore and turn their attention to ubiquitous boxes? Perhaps I'm just being old fashioned but an SUV should be a rugged vehicle used for adventures and exploring not a flashy wannabe Camel man transporter. This was the discussion I was having with my mate around a braai fire while I had the BMW 740i on test. He's a long-time BMW fan having owned a couple of 3-Series and was fortunate enough to have owned a fifth generation 7-series with a V12 turbo-charged engine. Like many people he's not a fan of the big signature kidney grille and while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think it befits the rather large 7-Series flagship, but not so much on some of their other models. Luxury interior There are no polarising opinions on the interior, though, with everything worthy of being classified as the 7 luxury sedan. It's like sitting in a luxury Bordeaux villa in a comfortably soft La-Z-Boy with so much modern technology you'll have to own the car for months before you've managed to get to grips with everything. It has BMW's curved display digital screen that combines a 12.3-inch driver's display and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that uses BMW's Operating System 8 and can be controlled either through touch or voice control. The BMW 740i has a curved display digital screen that combines a 12.3-inch driver's display and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Image: Supplied Big screen TV The real star of the show, though, is behind the front seats. Apart from the impressive amount of space and the fully reclining seat with a footrest behind the front passenger seat, there's a 31.3-inch 8K screen that folds down from the headlining! You can be entertained via Amazon Fire TV, stream videos, play games or listen to music thundering through on the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. It's operated by a 5.5-inch touch control display in the rear doors, and as someone put it when they climbed into the back, it's like having your phone in the door. When you select Theatre Mode, window blinds cover all the glass in the back, cocooning you in the lap of luxury. Engine The 740i is powered by BMW's popular 3.0-litre turbo-charged engine that in this iteration provides 230kW and 450Nm of torque, coupled to an eight-speed automatic ZF gearbox. They've made some technical changes to improve the set-up including a 48-vault mild hybrid system that adds 8kW when needed while the integrated starter generator supplies power to keep the electrics running and it suits the car perfectly. Space It was fortuitous that I had the car over a weekend we had planned to spend at Kaapsehoop in Mpumalanga. It proved to be the ideal testing ground for the 740i with about three and a half hours of driving open roads, most of it in good condition. With my one overnight bag and my partner's more than one overnight bag, the enormous 540-litre boot made short work of it, with ample room to spare. Here, I'd like to point out that the 740i's SUV sibling, the X7, has only 300 litres with the rear seats up. See what I did there SUV driver? Fancy some TV in the back of your car? The BMW 740i has you covered. Image: Supplied Driving The 7 The 740i is a magic carpet ride. I can't remember when last I drove a car that's so incredibly comfortable and easy to pilot despite its size and two ton kerb weight. The chassis, adaptive two-axle air suspension and Active Roll Comfort function combine brilliantly to provide an almost Rolls Royce-type experience. Adding to the ease of driving is the 7's level 3 autonomous driving system, which means, if legislation allows, it can drive itself. Once we had turned onto the N4, I activated adaptive cruise control, and from there, it basically did everything itself with my hands and sometimes only a finger gently on the wheel. It's impressive to see how it keeps between the lines on some of the twists and turns, and while I wouldn't advocate it for everyday use considering some of our fellow drivers' road manners, it's certainly something I can get behind, especially in a luxury sedan. There's no denying the imposing stance of the BMW 7-Series. Image: Willem van de Putte But as they say, that's not all. My partner suffers from chronic lower back ache, and for her to say that it's the most comfortable and plush seat she's sat in, considering all the cars I've tested over the years, is a massive compliment. It was no doubt also aided by the various message options activated via the touchscreen. It proved to be a massive hit in the tiny village, with visitors filming the car and lots of selfies taken over the weekend. Consumption Being that big and heavy, you'd expect a massive fuel bill, but it came in under BMW's claimed 7.9l/100km with consumption figures of 6.8l/100km on the way there and 7.3l/100km back to Pretoria. You'd probably get close to 9l/100km with a combined cycle but I'll settle for that any day. The BMW 740i isn't a bulk seller, and more's the pity, but it's heartening to see that the company still considers it to be their flagship, and if I had R2 359 104 and was shopping around, I'd scratch every SUV off my list. Willem's star rating: 5/5 Star Rating Scale: 5 Stars: Exceptional A best-in-class car with outstanding features, no major flaws, and excellent value. 4 Stars: Very Good Highly capable with minor shortcomings. A great choice for most buyers. 3 Stars: Good Decent performance, comfort, or safety but lacks standout qualities or has notable drawbacks. 2 Stars: Below Average Some significant flaws, like poor value, outdated features, or compromised safety or comfort. 1 Star: Poor Lags behind competitors in most aspects, with serious deficiencies in key areas.
India.com
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- India.com
Watch: Akash Ambani spotted in his bulletproof Range Rover after..., viral video
Watch: Akash Ambani spotted in his bulletproof Range Rover after..., viral video One of the richest men in the world, Mukesh Ambani and his family are always in the limelight and make headlines for their philanthropic works or their style. The Ambani family's love for cars is not hidden, and their car collection always astonishes people. Antilia has an entire floor dedicated to luxury cars. But it's very rare to see any Ambani drive their own car; generally, the family members are seen sitting in the passenger seat, enjoying the comfort. Like father, like son, Akash Ambani loves luxury cars and doesn't hesitate to try his hands on them. Recently, he was seen behind the steering wheel, driving his new bulletproof Range Rover. His mother, Nita Ambani, was also spotted sitting in the front seat beside her elder son. Both the mother-son duo were seen leaving the cricket stadium after the IPL match of their team. The video of the mother-son duo leaving a stadium in Mumbai after their team's match was shared on Instagram by Voompla. In the clip, Akash and his mother, Nita Ambani were seen sitting in their luxury white Range Rover and leaving the stadium with their Z+ security. Their convoy consisted of several layers of armed security along with police personnel. The video also shows Nita Ambani's silver bulletproof BMW 7-Series, which can be seen parked on the side at the stadium. The white Range Rover with the VIP registration number '1' then made its entrance. For those who are unaware, the white Range Rover Vogue is Akash Ambani's latest ride. The vehicle is fully bulletproof. Watch The Video Here View this post on Instagram A post shared by Voompla (@voompla) In the viral clip, Akash can be seen sitting on the driver's side opening the door, following which Nita Ambani sat in the front seat beside her son, ditching her bulletproof BMW 7-Series. Following a security detail including several luxury SUVs and MPVs, such as Range Rovers, Land Rover Discovery 4s, MG Glosters, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Toyota Fortuners equipped with jammers, and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUVs, both individuals departed the stadium. This is not the first time that Akash Ambani has been seen driving one of his cars. Last year, he was seen driving his ₹10 crore Ferrari Purosangue luxury SUV. This particular SUV is finished in the popular shade of Rosso Corsa, which we all know as 'The Ferrari Red.' Notably, this is not the first time Mukesh Ambani's elder son, Akash Ambani was seen driving one of his cars. In 2024, he was spotted trying his hand on the Ferrari Purosangue luxury SUV, a Rosso Corsa (Ferrari red) model valued at approx Rs 10 crore.
