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By Glen Waddington
First drive

Big sports saloon or limo? Actually, the long-wheelbase BMW 7-series aims towards the genuine limo class. And it's huge. Huge enough to make you wonder if a 3.0-litre turbodiesel could ever be enough to shift you in VIP-style haste.

So is the BMW 7-series a great limo to spend time in?

From the driving seat you'll soon forget the 'L' on the boot badge. It's all standard 7-series up-front, and that means supportive seats, a great driving position and the expectation that you're going to enjoy yourself. Get in the back, however, and you’re treated to more legroom than a basketball player could reasonably need.

Problem is, the 7-series is getting on a bit now. An - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER – that will also spawn a baby Rolls-Royce – will be launched at the 2008 Paris show this autumn. That means we've all had long enough to get used to the way this cars looks (it was the first Bangle Beemer to be launched) and, while you wouldn't say it's dated outside, the dashboard is feeling its age.

Ergonomically it's a mess. The i-Drive system is cumbersome. The arrangement of column stalks is confusing, so much so that you're bound to try and turn the wipers on with the transmission selector and the wipers with the cruise control. And the slot for the cartridge key with its accompanying Start button looks like the tacky afterthought it is.

Material quality ain't so hot either, with some distinctly ordinary plastic surfaces to be found surrounding the glossy veneers. And the twang when you slam the doors is a surprise, and a detail that the competition from Ingolstadt would never get wrong.

Okay, but what about the drive?

If you can forget all that, then you'll enjoy punting the big Beemer along. It certainly doesn't lack poke, and the straight six diesel growls encouragingly too. The automatic gearbox is pretty lazy in Comfort mode but much more eager in Sport, or you can select Manual and shift yourself with the (slightly awkward) steering wheel buttons.

The steering is quick and precise but utterly numb, and there's great fluency as you pile through a series of bends. Yet there's a 'but' coming.

Who buys a limo to go hunting out the best backroads? This car should be all about cosseting its passengers, and that's where it goes wrong. Yes, there's an acreage of lounging room in the back but your rear seat guests are going to get queasy. Put simply, the ride just isn't up to scratch. It thumps with much greater resolve than it should over surface lumps, and wallows over the longer-wavelength stuff too. You'd accept some firmness to the ride in a standard-wheelbase car because it's the BMW of big saloons, the kind of car a captain of industry would choose to drive himself. But, unless you've got some seriously lanky kids to cart about, you're not going to choose the Ld as your own personal wheels.

Verdict

BMW must be aiming at a tiny niche with the 730Ld. A £55k limo needs to ride better and just forget any pretensions to being a sporting saloon. Make your mind up, BMW.











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Readers' rating

The Artist

wow.. horrible looking car..
the new 7er cant come soon enough.it should have came 1 week after they released this car..

Tycoon

While 3.0d engine is a great one and not thirsty, i don't think it's doing a good job in 7er. The car is simply too big for that engine. I know it since i drove my friend's 730d several times. And it's not even LWB. Minimum TT diesel in 7er.

Thanks, ree.

ree

This is were you and I are different!! I still love the old style of the 7-series!! Especially in silver in looks absolutely great!!

ree

I have never driven a 7-series, but I can imagine that!! I don't understand, why BMW doesn't offer the LWB for the 745d!!

Tycoon

You mean offer, right?

No idea and honestly, i had no clue there isn't LWB 745d...

ree

Sorry, you're right!! I thought "offer" and wrote "over" - still influenced by the german language!!

Tarek

I have to agree with Artist,the car is horribly boring looking.I really hope the next one share alot with the goegeous CS concept

speed_kills

Poor 7er, time has really done him bad...looks very unatracctive...
There is no 745Ld because of the weight of the engine, it would be too heavy acording to BMW
The 3.0d does a fine job, but the 35d would be alot better

CorpusCallosum

Time to retire old girl. This car has done it's job and will be remembered long after the current A8 and S Class are forgotten. Either for good or for worse depending on your opinion, this car has changed BMW forever...