Road Test: 2010 BMW 750Li xDrive

[svgallery name="2010_BMW_750iL"]

Seven x four

Does adding traction to all four of its wheels hurt or hinder BMW's V8 luxobarge?

By John LeBlanc I’m sure if we all lived in some kind of civilized climate—like say the more humid American south, the warmer Mediterranean, or the drier Middle East—the concern of having traction at all four wheels of your car would be supercilious. But if you live and drive in Canada, having to deal with rain, sleet and snow, more often than not, almost begs for all-wheel-drive and a proper set of snow tires. Especially in such a large and heavy vehicle as BMW’s flagship 7 Series luxury sedan. Since its introduction in 1977, the 7 Series has steadfastly been a rear-wheel-drive-only proposition. However, all of its rivals offer AWD. So for 2010, the German automaker has capitulated, now, in addition to the rear-drive 750i I first drove in Germany, offering BMW’s xDrive AWD system as a $3,400 option on both the regular-length wheelbase $105,200 750i and the long wheelbase $113,200 750Li. In BMW’s stretched 7 Series hierarchy, my $116,600 750Li xDrive tester sits one rung under the top-of-the-line $186,000 760Li—which gets its alpha-dog turbocharged V12, but sticks to rear-drive only. With $19,700 worth of Executive, M Sport and Technology packages, let’s just say my 750Li xDrive press fleet vehicle wasn’t exactly lacking in amenities. But then customers footing the bill expect five-star accommodations, and hey, at least the car’s Carbon Black Metallic paint was free, and overall price competitive with the likes of the soon-to-be-updated $100,000 Audi A8L (all starting prices), $103,150 Lexus LS 460 L AWD, $123,500 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, and $120,300 Porsche Panamera 4S. If you need the additional rear passenger room the 14 centimetre-longer 7 Series L models offer over the shorter wheelbase regular editions, you won’t be disappointed. In all interior measurements, the 750Li is roomier than any of the above-mentioned competition—especially in the rear lower limb department. Cargo space isn’t as generous, though. Its 396 litres of trunk space can’t match the more capacious S Class (509 L) or Panamera (440 L.) To keep up with the Joneses in this top-dog sedan class, the 750Li xDrive comes with plenty of high-tech kit as well. For example, our tester’s $5,500 Technology package added lane departure warning, active blind-spot detection, and 3D thermal night-vision, among other features. Perhaps the most impressive part of the latest 7 Series’ interior compared to the last generation, though, is its higher level of craftsmanship. For example: slide your hand inside the door pull and you’re greeted with a soft rubberized finish. And for the first time, in addition of the traditional wood or brushed aluminum, BMW is offering ceramic finishes; part of the $6,500 M Sport package that also includes sportier trim pieces both inside and out and the more functional active-roll stabilization suspension system. Overall, the new Seven is the most luxurious-feeling interior from BMW yet, and its higher standards have already started to filter down to the new 5 Series models as well. Although it can’t beat the Panorama 4S’s rush from zero to 100 km/h (5.0 seconds), according to BMW’s numbers, the long wheelbase 750Li xDrive with its turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 (400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque) is only a tenth of a second behind the regular length AWD 750i: 5.4 versus 5.3. But that’s two-tenths quicker than the outgoing midsize BMW 550i sedan—with a manual transmission. Fuel consumption in this class isn’t anything to write to David Suzuki about. For the record, the big Bimmer is rated at 14.4L/100 km city, 9.1L hwy. I saw a combined 14.5L during my week with the car. Yet I can’t help but dream of the European-market 730d, with the 425 lb-ft, 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel found in the Canadian-market 3 Series and X5. Yes, it takes 1.8 seconds longer to get to 100 km/h than the V8, but the diesel 7 also sips at a rate of 7.2 L/100 km. C’mon BMW, even the rich like to save money… BMW has always marketed its rear-wheel-drive 7 as the limo for the person in the driver’s seat as well as for those being chauffeured in the back. Fitting all-wheel drive to a big rear-drive car, however, can run the risk of upsetting driving dynamics. But for its new flagship, BMW tweaked its xDrive substantially and the results won’t disappoint those who enjoy the feel of a rear-drive-biased car. Working from the last generation xDrive, the revised system found in der neu 7 adds what BMW calls Performance Control—a torque-vectoring system already featured on the rear-wheel-drive models that applies light braking to the inside rear wheel while adding power to the outside rear wheel. And it works. The big sedan’s xDrive almost negates understeer, while the steering is impressively alive and delicate, especially for a car that weighs 2,205 kg—only 25 kg less than a BMW X5 SUV. The only difference between the 750i and 750Li is a rear air-suspension system that’s tuned more for the long wheelbase model’s potential chauffeuring duties. But combined with the first-ever-for-a-BMW multilink double-wishbone setup up front, and Integral Active Steering (a new option that adds rear-wheel steering to the previously available variable-ratio front steering) our 750Li xDrive feels and drives like a mid-size sedan. In corners, the big sedan’s weight melts away faster than a globally warmed glacier. While its steering is accurate, has loads of feel, and very progressive from turn in until the corner exit. Fresher than its traditional rivals like the S Class, A8 and LS, the 2010 BMW 750Li xDrive is the driving enthusiast’s choice in sporting limos. While its excellent steering alone would make it an easy choice over the better performing Panamera 4S. And now that BMW has added the option of traction at all four wheels, it’s an even easier pick, whether you live in Monte Carlo or Montreal. Road Test: 2010 BMW 750iL xDrive WHAT I LIKE: Exceptionally roomy interior; drives like a smaller sports sedan; conservative styling. WHAT I DON’T: No diesel option Base price/as-tested: $116,600/$136,300 Type of vehicle: Full-size, luxury sedan Engine: 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 Power/Torque: 400 hp / 450 lb.-ft. Transmissions: Six-speed automatic Fuel consumption L/100 km: 15.4 city, 10.0 hwy, 14.5 as tested Competition: Audi A8 L, Lexus LS 460 L AWD, Porsche Panamera 4S, Mercedes-Benz S 550 4MATIC

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