BMW 730Ld - Pure Indulgence (Part 2)

Interestingly, BMW have moved away from their trademark firm and sporty ride, with the scale now tilting more towards comfort, for the 7 Series feels more placid and at peace on Indian roads. The next-generation run-flat tires with taller profile on 18-inch alloys and adaptive suspension offer a surprisingly good ride quality. The soothing ride may make hardcore fans crib about the softer set-up biting into the car’s sportiness, especially in the ‘Comfort’ mode. The steering also gives the feeling of having a lot more electronic intervention and isn’t as direct as that in the smaller BMWs. Switching to the ‘Sport’ mode does improve the dynamics, but it never becomes as sharp as its sibling and intentionally so. Since the average 7 Series buyer is not looking at driving it to the limit and probably has an M5 carbon parked in the garage, just for that. The limousine’s prime objective is to transport the owner from point A to B comfortably and in the lap of luxury. Something the upgraded Seven does discerningly.

The in-line six feels more refined and the power delivery more prompt, without any trace of turbo lag

The other aspect that hit the sweet spot for me was the improved sound insulation. Unlike some of the other models from the German company, you can hardly hear the oil-burner within the cabin; it hums away busily doing its duty. The cabin itself has been given a fair amount of facelift, with the use of new material and texture to make it look grander. There are new chrome accents, including a strip that now runs on the dashboard to give it more character. The latest iDrive system finds its way to the new 7 Series along with a new instrument cluster. There are front and rear parking sensors, but I still struggle with the iDrive and wish navigating through the system could be simpler. There are steering wheel-mounted controls for the entertainment system, but no paddle shifters; the gear lever can be used to change gears manually. You can easily access the CD-changer, which is neatly concealed by a lid just above the glove-box. There’s even a new 10-inch LCD display along with 3D navigation maps that are pretty accurate.

Unlike some of the other models from the German company, you can hardly hear the oil-burner within the cabin; it hums away busily doing its duty.

BMW have shifted focus to the all-important rear seats as the new front seats have been made slimmer to improve the view for the back. The plush rear seats are also adjustable and make full use of the long wheelbase version’s additional 140 mm by improving rear leg-room. Pick the optional rear seat entertainment package and you’ll get two individual seats with full control of pretty much all the car’s functions and features. There’s a memory button on the door panel for your tuned-to-perfect seat position. Then you have the in-built massage option and controls for the window blinds. Each passenger gets their personal 9.2-inch display, which is fixed behind the front seats, and has iDrive controls on the center arm-rest. Concealed in the middle is a refrigerator to store tit-bits, but it eats into valuable space of the luggage compartment. A useful pair of collapsible trays to work on are nicely integrated into the back of the front seats.

BMW have shifted focus to the all-important rear seats as the new front seats have been made slimmer to improve the view for the back.

The premium segment the BMW competes in has strong competition with Audi’s new and well packaged A8 and the soon-to-be launched Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which is poised to take the luxury segment to the next level. Besides, a completely new 7 Series should be introduced in the next couple of years. But for now the latest iteration of the BMW 7 Series remains a well-rounded product and a worthy successor to its predecessor. The flagship has been well resurrected.

BMW 730Ld