2011 BMW 740i Full Test by InsideLine

InsideLine delivers an interesting review of the BMW 740i. This six-cylinder vehicle is said to be at the top of the 7 Series sales as of the moment. In fact, the demand for this 7 Series continues to remain high. What does this vehicle have that makes it popular for the high-send segment? Learn why on this excerpt:

Plenty Fast in 2011, Too

This still leaves a comfortable margin between the 2011 BMW 740i and the 750i, which hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in 13.5 at 103.7 mph.

But the 740i leaves V8 sedans like the Hyundai Equus and Lexus LS 460 for dead. It’s also a bit quicker than the 2011 BMW 535i (with the single, twin-scroll turbo N55 engine), even though the latter weighs 300 pounds less.

Porsche is the only other manufacturer with the gall to put a straight-up gasoline six-cylinder in a large high-end sedan (Mercedes-Benz has been discreetly slipping V6s into hybrid and diesel versions of the S-Class), and the 740i matches the performance of the lighter but less powerful Panamera V6.

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So, Turbo Six or V8?

Of course, there are compelling economic reasons to choose a 2011 BMW 740i over a 750i. Take fuel economy. There’s nothing earth-shattering about the 740i’s EPA rating of 17 city/25 highway mpg, but it’s enough to avoid the $1,000 gas-guzzler tax that the 750i gets thanks to its 15 city/22 highway mpg. Also we averaged 19.7 mpg over 600 miles in the 740i. That’s not much of a sample size compared to the 28,867 miles we put on our long-term 750i, but there’s little doubt we’d surpass the V8 sedan’s 17.3-mpg average over the long haul.

Equally, it’s tough to ignore the up-front savings you get with the 2011 BMW 740i. For $81,625, we’re basically driving around with the same lavish furnishing and amenities we had in our old 2009 750i, which cost nearly $90 grand. We should note, however, that BMW has leveled a $500 price increase since our test car rolled off the line. Additionally, civilian customers are obliged to buy the $1,200 Cold Weather package (not equipped on this car) with the M Sport package. Also, we still don’t understand why we’d have to fork over another $1,800 for the Audio package to have a USB input.”

Source: InsideLine