Cars - BMW 7 Series

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	Cars - BMW 7 Series

The BMW 7 Series is a luxury saloon made by BMW. It replaced the "New Six" models in 1977. It is BMW's flagship car.

There have been four generations of the 7 Series:

BMW E23 (1977–1986)
BMW E32 (1987–1994)
BMW E38 (1995–2001)
BMW E65/E66 (2002–present)

E23 (1977–1986)

Models offered were the 725i, 728, 728i/iS, 730, 730i, 732i, 733i, 735i, 745i Turbo, 745i South Africa, and L7. (More information about the BMW E23)

E32 (1987–1994)

Models offered were the 730i, 730iL, 735i, 735iL, 740i, 740iL, 750i, and 750iL.

E38 (1995–2001)

The E38 generation (1995-2001) had a five-speed automatic or manual transmission. The engine variants in Europe were 725tds, 728i, 730i, 730d, 735i, 740i (4.0 and 4.4 L), 740d and 750i (with a 5.4 L 322 bhp engine, as was used in the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph).

In the Americas, the models were sold as the 740i, 740iL and 750iL. The 740i and 740iL share the same 4.4 L V8 engine. The 740iL is essentially a long-body 740i (hence the "L" in the model name). The considerably rarer 5.4 L V12-powered 750iL was only available as a long-body; there was no E38 750i in the US lineup. The 750iL was BMW's flagship sedan.

A performance-enhancing sport package was available in the 740i as well; cars with this package are called the 740i Sport. A separate sport package was finally offered in the 740iL and 750iL in 2001, the final year of E38 production.

Features of the E38 7 Series included high-pressure headlight washers, auto-leveling Xenon low-beam headlamps, power moonroof, a six-CD changer with 14 speakers and four subwoofers, onboard navigation and rain-sensing wipers. Other features included an automatic climate control system with full left/right controls and a luxury seating packing that featured the Active Seat, an innovation in which a pair of bladders installed beneath the seatraise and lower the hips from left to right in order to impart a walking motion to the hips and lower back. The seat also included a 3-position memory system for the driver’s seat, safety-belt height, steering wheel and outside mirrors. Front side airbags and a Head Protection System (HPS) were also standard. The car featured an all-leather interior with burl walnut trim.

The 5-speed automatic transmission came with Adaptive Transmission Control, Sport and Manual modes for responsive handling.

The base prices in 2001 were US$62,900 for the 740i, US$66,900 for the 740iL and US$92,100 for the 750iL.

740iL and 750iL Protection Line light-armored vehicles were built from 2000-2001, and cost US$99,100 and US$124,400, respectively. These models included body armor, bullet-resistant glass and run-flat tires (probably modeled after the 750i featured in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies).

A rare executive V12-powered stretch limousine was also produced, called the BMW L7.

E65/E66 (2002–present)

The current 7 Series is available on two different platforms: the standard-wheelbase E65 (2990 mm, 118 in) and the extended-wheelbase E66 (3130 mm, 123 in).

This car was also the first production BMW to be styled by Chris Bangle. The styling has been controversial and has received mixed reviews.

The E65/E66 7 Series features BMW's iDrive system, consisting of a video screen in the dashboard and a controller mounted on the center console that is used in a similar way to a computer mouse. Using a system of eight menus, most of the car's climate, audio, navigation, suspension and communication settings are controlled via iDrive. However, the system has been criticized by some for being too complex and for distracting the driver from the road.

The car is available in ten variants:

*0–62 mph
**Performance numbers for the 735i and 735Li are identical, and those for the 745i and 745Li are identical.
***All roadgoing BMWs have an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Also, note that in the Americas, only the 745i, 745Li, 760i and 760Li are sold and that the 740d is only available in mainland Europe.

2005

The 7 Series was refreshed for 2005 with tweaked styling and a new, more powerful V8 engine.

*0–62 mph
**All roadgoing BMWs have an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

The 4.4 L V8 was replaced by a 4.8 L unit producing 360 hp (269 kW) and 360 ft·lbf (488 N·m). The new model with the enlarged engine is now known as 750i and 750Li (for the long wheel-base model). The 750i and 750Li replace the 745i and 745Li in all world markets. The 745d, powered by a 4.4 L diesel producing 295 hp (220 kW), replaces the 740d. As before, a six-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic is standard on all models.

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