Here is a report of the road test we
conducted recently in the BMW 730Ld
BMW are recognized for their sharp handling
and sporty character, with enough power to shred the rear wheels to tatters
much to the pleasure of enthusiasts. But in the snooty segment where the 7
Series competes, these attributes are not high up on the list. During their
daily commutes, industrialists, bankers and policy-makers are not too keen to
have a trivial traffic signal face-off and mainly seek three things: luxury,
comfort and some more luxury. And that’s what BMW have done by tweaking their
flagship to suit the clientèle’s needs in this Life Cycle Impulse refreshed
version.
BMW
are recognized for their sharp handling and sporty character, with enough power
to shred the rear wheels to tatters much to the pleasure of enthusiasts.
This is the second phase of life given to
the fifth-generation 7 Series, though the visible changes are rather subtle and
you’ll have to look closely to differentiate between the older one and this.
But, thankfully, most of the changes are under the skin. The large proportions
and unique LED corona rings, with their top sliced off, distinguish the new
car. Now Adaptive Full-LED headlights come as standard, with a strip of LEDs
running below serving as parking lights and doubling as indicators. The new
bumper now holds a slightly different kidney grille, which now comes with
fewer, albeit bolder slats. A pair of sleek air dams suck air away from the
front tires and reduce resistance. The wing mirrors get new turn indicators
highlighted with thin chrome accents. Even the new LED tail-lamps are connected
with a chrome strip running across the boot-lid. Sitting about eight
millimeters lower, the overall design of the Seven after its facelift looks
classier and a lot better put together than the outgoing model.
BMW
730Ld side
We tested the locally assembled 730Ld,
which comes with a 2,993-cc diesel motor which was also seen in the older car,
but now has been re-tuned and optimized. The new set-up of the in-line-six,
with the combination of the common-rail direct ignition and a turbocharger with
variable turbine geometry help it churn out a peak power of 258 PS and a
maximum torque of 560 Nm, which is additional 13 PS and 20 Nm compared to the
previous generation. The engine now feels more refined and the power delivery
more prompt, without any trace of turbo lag. The biggest improvement is a new
eight-speed automatic gearbox, instead of a six-speed one, which performs smoothly
to offer almost imperceptible gear shifts. Having a couple of extra gears gives
it the advantage of shifting to higher gears so that the engine runs at lower
RPM even while cruising, boosting the new Seven’s fuel efficiency during longer
runs. It also comes with a range of features to aid this further, like the
Eco-Drive that changes gear shift points and optimizes climate control for
better efficiency and Auto Start-Stop function, which work together to return
8.5 km/l in city and 11 km/l on the highway.
The
large proportions and unique LED corona rings, with their top sliced off,
distinguish the new car.
The eight gears are closely spaced and
shift faster than the outgoing six-shooter. They also help in outperforming the
older car in the 0-100 km/h test and in the quarter mile run by shaving close
to a second off, while the top speed remains unchanged at 250 km/h. It’s
impressive how quickly this two-tone car gathers momentum and has no qualms
about transforming from a luxury limousine to a sports-saloon just with a tap
on the throttle. And since the hefty 560 Nm of torque is available right from
1,500 revs, it gives the BMW excellent mid-range adding to the convenience of
easy overtaking. There are several driving modes to choose from – Eco Pro, Comfort,
Comfort+, Sport and Sport+ – which alter the aggression of the gearbox,
throttle response, suspension and ESP accordingly. Driving the car with a light
foot, I found the power delivery to be a lot more tranquil, flowing more
fluently to suit the rich persona of the car.
The
unique LED corona rings add oodles of flare to the new version (left) - Taller
next-generation run-flat tires on 18-inch alloys are welcome change
