Used 2021 BMW 7 Series

The 2021 BMW 7 Series is the large luxury sedan for tycoons who know how to drive around a track. Yes, it has all the textures and tech this class demands, an authoritative presence, power and comfort for hundreds of miles at a time, and enough rear passenger space for LeBron James to stretch out. Yet there’s also that special BMW streak of driver engagement that permeates everything the company makes.

The 7 Series is so good, it’s kind of surprising that it’s something of an off-beat choice. Which says a lot about the strength of the competition. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is traditionally the absolute ruler of this flagship sedan kingdom. A new generation debuts for 2021 and will be tingling with cutting-edge technology. The Audi A8 blends futuristic features with high style. The Lexus LS, meanwhile, is finely crafted, utterly silent, and utterly dependable. The closest rival to the 7 Series could be the Porsche Panamera, which has its own special driver appeal.

It isn’t necessary to be a driving enthusiast to appreciate the 2021 7 Series, but it helps. There’s the weight balance – distributed evenly from front to rear – and the standard air suspension with settings that span from “so comfortable it wouldn’t spill coffee while driving over cobblestones” to “let’s take the next corner faster.” And there are the engines, the beautiful engines.

The classic BMW configuration of six cylinders in a line is found in the 740i, turbocharged to deliver a healthy 335 horsepower.

The 389-hp 745e xDrive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) behaves much like a regular 7 Series, while bringing an electric-only range of 16 miles that can be reserved for around-town driving. That may not seem like much of an enticement for the additional cost ($6,100 over the 740i xDrive), but there’s also the benefit of extended overall range when driving the car as a conventional hybrid, along with fewer emissions.

The 750i xDrive’s twin-turbocharged V8 marshals its 523 horses to stampede from standstill to 60 mph in less than four seconds, which is sports-car territory. The M760i xDrive is one of the few ways of acquiring a new car with a V12 engine, whose twin-turbocharged 600 hp means a blast to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds.

The Alpina B7 is a tenth of a second quicker and has a top seed of 205 mph. Extreme enthusiasts may also prefer the B7’s V8. There’s slightly less weight up front than the M760i xDrive. Alpina is an independent tuner, but its creations are available from BMW dealers with a full warranty.

Amid all the leather, the 2021 7 Series puts a strong emphasis on technology. The driver information display measures 12.3 inches diagonally and is fully digital. A 10.25-inch screen on top of the dashboard is the hub for music, navigation, and communications functions. And the iDrive controller uses a touchpad to help users navigate through it all.

An Intelligent Personal Assistant can help find local restaurants and more. Software and navigation upgrades can be done over the air. A wireless charging pad for smartphones and Apple CarPlay integration are also standard.

Occupant space in the 2021 7 Series is generous throughout, and a standard panoramic moonroof adds to the expansive feeling. The default rear-seat setup is for three passengers, but the Luxury Rear Seating package replaces those with a pair of adjustable reclining/massaging chairs. Rear passengers may also enjoy dual 10-inch HD screens and a Blu-ray player.

Outward vision is excellent, thanks in part to the relatively thin A-pillars. Generous trunk space of 18.2 cu ft. (14.8 in the plug-in hybrid) can be accessed by moving a foot under the rear bumper and letting the powered lid do the rest.

A redesign for the 2020 model year gave the BMW 7 Series a more assertive appearance. A lot of that is down to the 40-percent larger grille sitting at a 90-degree angle to the rest of the car.

Fresh design elements take the shape of defined contour lines on the hood, character lines along the body, and vents behind the front wheels. Sleek 3-dimensional LED headlights are echoed by narrow 3D LED taillights, and there are chrome surrounds for the exhaust tips. Last year’s optional “Laserlight” headlamps are no longer offered.

The 740i and 748e models run on 18-inch alloy wheels. The 750i has 19-inchers, and the M760i has 20-inch rims as standard.

LUXURY REAR SEATING PACKAGE
The 2021 BMW 7 Series can coddle rear passengers in opulence. This package comes with powered adjustment, three levels of heat for the seats and armrests, plus ventilation and eight types of massage. Taking things even further, the Rear Executive Lounge Seating package adds a powered footrest, rear-seat entertainment, and a 7-inch touchscreen controller.

PLUG-IN HYBRID POWERTRAIN
The 2021 BMW 745e xDrive plug-in hybrid enhances the 7 Series’ ability to be many things to many drivers by packing plenty of torque (442 lb-ft, more than the 740i) and all-wheel drive into a lower-emissions package that can run for 16 miles on battery power alone. The battery is stored mostly under the rear seats to retain decent trunk space.

The most affordable 2021 7 Series is the 740i with a turbocharged inline-6 engine, rear-wheel drive, brake energy regeneration, selectable driving modes, keyless entry/ignition, remote start, adaptive LED headlights, and a self-leveling air suspension. The Active Driving Assistant consists of forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, active blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning, and speed limit information.

Standard leather upholstery covers 20-way power-adjustable front seats with 4-way lumbar support. There are memory settings for both front occupants, and the driver’s side includes the position of the side mirrors, power-adjustable steering column, settings of the quad-zone automatic climate control, and audio preferences. The now-standard Cold Weather package means heated front seats, armrests, and steering wheel. And there’s a powered rear window shade.

The Parking Assistant Plus steers the 7 Series into parallel and perpendicular spaces, and brings a 360-degree camera system plus front/rear parking sensors.

The infotainment setup includes a 464-watt/16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system, Apple CarPlay smartphone integration (Android Auto compatibility is not yet offered), wireless charging, two USB ports, navigation, satellite radio, Wi-Fi, plus voice and gesture control.

As well as all the other drivetrains, buyers of a new 7 Series may choose from a treasure trove of extras.

An Autobahn package reads the road ahead and adjusts the suspension accordingly, while including active roll stabilization, rear-wheel steering, and a variable-ratio steering rack.

Other extras include the aforementioned rear-seat packages and rear-seat entertainment system, plus quilted Nappa leather upholstery, a variety of wood trims, the Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof (simulating a star-filled night sky), a head-up display, remote control parking, the new Frozen Bluestone Metallic paint finish ($5,000) and a 1,400-watt/16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system.

The Driving Assistance Professional package is probably a must-have, adding adaptive cruise control with a stop/go feature, active lane-keeping, side-collision avoidance, automatic lane changing, evasive-steering assistance, cross-traffic alert, and partially autonomous driving with the Extended Traffic Jam Assistant.

The 2021 BMW 740i has a turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine producing 335 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. It’s the only 7 Series with rear-wheel drive (RWD). The 740i xDrive uses the same engine but adds all-wheel drive (AWD).

The 750i xDrive has a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine generating 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The M760i xDrive’s twin-turbocharged V12 makes 600 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. The Alpina B7 boosts the turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 to 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

Total system output of the 745e xDrive plug-in hybrid is 389 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine and an electric motor running off a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery. This plug-in hybrid’s system was improved for 2020, with more power and a higher range (now 16 miles) in all-electric mode.

All engines are connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Premium gasoline is required for all models.

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (740i, 740i xDrive)
335 hp @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
330 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (RWD), 20/27 mpg (AWD)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6/12-kWh synchronous electric motor (745e xDrive)
389 hp (total) @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
442 lb-ft (total) @ 1,500-3,500 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy: 22 mpg/56 MPGe (with 16 miles of electric-only range)

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (750i xDrive)
523 hp @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg

6.6-liter V12 (M760i xDrive)
600 hp @ 5,500-6500 rpm
627 lb-ft of torque @ 1,550-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/20 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (Alpina B7)
600 hp @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
590 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg