2024 BMW 7 Series

We admire the way BMW stirs things up. Not content to produce a conservative by-the-numbers flagship sedan, the company has created something remarkable. Yes, it’s still luxurious, tech-rich, and spacious. Yet it blazes an individual trail with its styling. And not many members of this class have such driving talents, the main rival in this respect being the Porsche Panamera. We hate to use marketing jargon, but the 7 Series really is a disruptor.

Like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the only 7 Series variants sold in the United States are of the longer-wheelbase variety. That means plenty of space for rear passengers.

This is the seventh generation of 7 Series, which was all-new last year. The all-electric i7 luxury sedan is reviewed separately.

All-wheel drive, known as xDrive in BMW-Land, becomes an option for the 740i model. And a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) joins the lineup this year — the 750e xDrive.

For comparison, the Lexus LS starts in the high 70s. The Audi A8 and Genesis G90 begins in the high 80s, while the Porsche Panamera kicks off in the low 90s. However, the most successful flagship sedan, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, is priced from about $115K.

For anyone considering a plug-in hybrid variant, the new 750e xDrive is about $14K cheaper than its S-Class rival.

Before buying a new 7 Series large luxury sedan, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values may be of little importance to someone who can afford a ride like this, but the LS, Panamera, and S-Class all tend to do better.

The BMW 740i features a 375-horsepower turbocharged 6-cylinder engine that will propel this tremendous machine to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The Mercedes-Benz S 500 is a bit quicker, the Audi A8 a tad slower, but we’ve found them all more than powerful enough for effortless merging and passing.

And just like those others, the 7 Series can be super-luxurious, extremely comfortable (an air suspension is standard), and can lay on all sorts of gadgetry to help pass the time on long trips. Yet it’s always had an edge, a different personality waiting to come out whenever the accelerator pedal is pressed hard and the steering wheel is turned with a bit of gusto. Select the Sport driving mode, and the responses and agility of the 7 Series seem more like those of the compact 3 Series than the anticipated attributes of a 2.5-ton palace on four wheels.

In fact, about half of 7 Series buyers open their wallets even wider to take full advantage of those capabilities. The 760i xDrive has a 536-horsepower V8 that can deliver 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and sound glorious doing it. If you’re going to drive a flagship luxury sedan in such a manner, the BMW is the one you want.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of full-size luxury cars, including the 7 Series.

Successive generations of cars tend to grow larger. We did a little digging and found that this generation of 7 Series actually has about an inch less rear legroom than before. But 43.3 inches is still a lot of real estate in which to stretch your legs.

Everything is put together in a suitably high-class manner. This cabin is the place where fine leather meets smart tech (which can change the mood of the entire car), then gives everyone a comfortable place to sit. Who needs a Rolls-Royce? The 7 Series offers self-closing doors and some of the best massaging seats on which we’ve ever rested our weary bones.

This is also the most screen-tastic 7 Series ever. A large unit up front (the BMW Curved Display) contains a section for driver information as well as an infotainment touchscreen. Even the rear seats have screens in the door panels for climate control.

The BMW Individual Composition program offers buyers a wide range of leathers and wood trim to personalize their new 7 Series to a greater degree.

Trunk space is 19.1 cubic feet, one of the biggest in the class.

Love it or walk away slightly mystified, the 7 Series definitely has its own look going on. It works for us. All in black, with black wheels and a black grille, we could imagine such a car being a star turn in a high-budget Netflix thriller series set in Germany. Other color choices include Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic (for around $5,000) and 2-tone paint schemes.

Size-wise, the current 7 Series is about five inches longer than its predecessor, about two inches higher, and almost a couple of inches wider. It’s big and imposing.

iDrive 8.5
This is the latest iteration of BMW’s excellent and user-friendly infotainment operating system. The 7 Series comes standard with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, and over-the-air update capability.

Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof
A standard feature in the 7 Series, this is a huge glass roof with thousands of LEDs set inside, offering a series of interesting patterns.

Luxury rear seating
Even though the 7 Series is enjoyable from the driver’s seat, this kind of car is expected to provide lavish accommodation for rear passengers. An optional package brings heated/ventilated/massaging seats with powered adjustment.

Bowers & Wilkins audio
It’s an expensive option, but this 1,965-watt/40-speaker surround-sound system (including speakers set into the front headrests) is beyond superb. “Loud and clear” only begins to describe it.

Theater Screen
Dropping down from the ceiling, this massive 31.3-inch, high-resolution display is a must-have option for VIPs ensconced in the rear seats. It’s compatible with streaming services and Amazon Fire TV, comes with the awesome B&W sound system, and has a rear window shade that closes automatically when the screen is deployed.

Parking Assistant Professional
This optional self-parking feature includes a 360-degree camera system, an illuminated grille, plus a drive recorder and a remote theft recorder.

BMW vehicles are renowned for their handling, yet BMW engines are also excellent. One of the company’s hallmarks is a 6-cylinder unit, with those cylinders all in a line (as opposed to a V formation). That’s the 740i’s setup, which coaxes a turbocharged 375 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque from a 3.0-liter displacement.

This amount of power is beyond adequate, while balancing class-leading and relatively reasonable fuel economy. Some rivals start out with more power, some have less.

At its most affordable, the 740i deploys rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive becomes an option this year.

Another addition for this year is the 750e xDrive plug-in hybrid. This time, a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 is joined by an electric motor to make 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque (which isn’t quite as powerful as the S-Class plug-in hybrid, but gutsy enough). Drive goes to all four wheels as standard. Using just the battery, it can travel for around 35 miles.

The twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 in the 760i xDrive is a thing of mechanical beauty, endowed with 536 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.

All engines connect to an 8-speed automatic transmission, and premium gasoline is required throughout.

Safety Ratings

Big luxury cars are not usually crash-tested by independent agencies, but there’s plenty of standard safety equipment — such as forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, Active Blind Spot Detection, adaptive headlights, and lane departure warning. The optional Driving Assistance Professional package is worth the investment, adding assistance for changing lanes, evasive steering, and emergency stops, plus a hands-free highway driving feature.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

BMW covers its vehicles and powertrains with a warranty lasting four years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. This is typical for German luxury car makers. There’s also roadside assistance for the first four years, with unlimited mileage.

Test Vehicle

We’ve driven a few different examples of the latest BMW 7 Series, including the 760i xDrive seen here with a sticker price of $162,045 (view window sticker).