LuxuryCarMagazine En Luxury Car Review and News
As completely backwards as a long-wheelbase, German luxury sled with diesel power may seem to North Americans, it makes complete sense.
Review Overview
Styling - 7
Driving Pleasure - 6.5
Performance - 9
Driving Comfort - 9.5
Interior Space - 9
Fuel Economy - 9.5
Winter - 8
8.4
Of course, we have few problems with diesel power in our pickups—witness the popularity of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel—because diesels make big torque and can handle the big weights asked of them, from the curb weight of the truck itself, to that of the loads it has to haul. Heck, the 740Ld xDrive you see here weighs almost as much; why shouldn’t it get a diesel? That’s all without even considering how well big diesel sedans sell overseas, where every manufacturer seems to offer one. In Canada, only two do, and they’re both Germans: Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
So what’s BMW’s offering all about?
Well, for starters, there’s the power. That’s 413 lb.-ft. of torque at a lowly 1,500 r.p.m., enough to haul you and your cattle to–or away from–the ball, lickety-split. The horsepower figure isn’t quite as impressive at 255, but when you’re either shuffling ‘round town or taking to the highway, torque is paramount, and there’s plenty on tap.
It’s fed to all four wheels, in a 40/60 front/rear split most of the time, or 100 per cent to either axle if need be. It’s sent through an eight-speed automatic (your only choice), with shifts carried off with hardly a hitch or noticeable shuddering. Very smooth, this car.
While not quite as velvety as the transmission, the engine, coupled with smart active noise reduction and a well-insulated interior, does a pretty good job of hiding its diesel-ness. Of course, that kind of thing is why diesels get such a bad rap, so BMW knew that if it was going to put one in a $125,050 car, it was going to have to be refined. Indeed, unless you really listen for that telltale rattle, it won’t drone on and bother you. Yes, bursts of heavy acceleration do give away the diesel power under the hood, but in a comfort cruiser like this, I don’t know how many brake stand starts any chauffeur is going to attempt.
Of course, bystanders will know it’s a diesel, but there’s only so much you can do, really.
On the quick start thing: while it’s not really a car made for the stoplight grand prix, it’s interesting that BMW has still decided to provide a sporty driving mode. Most Bimmers have it, so it stands to reason, but still; I’m a fan of actually using the various drive modes cars provide pretty regularly and almost evenly, but I may have selected “sport” once during my week with the car.
Indeed, “ECO Pro” is probably more apropos for the 740Ld. It deadens the throttle input and how aggressively the transmission changes gears, all in an effort to get as much mileage as possible from the 80-litre tank.
Having said that, even when using “Comfort” most of the time (that’s one level above ECO Pro), we were rewarded with some sterling fuel economy figures: 7.3 L/100km on the highway, 10.7 in the city and 8.2 combined. That’s pretty impressive, considering just how hefty the 740Ld is.
Much of that heft comes from the interior accoutrements.
The seats are finished in some serious cowhide, the carpets are nice and think and the available tech is substantial.
You know that iDrive infotainment wheel up front that has made headlines since its inception? Well, in the 740Ld, back seat occupants get one, too, and their own screens (buttons mounted either side of the wheel determine which passenger is in control). It does come as part of the $3,500 Multi Media package, however. When you think about it, though, when a car already costs over 100 grand at base, you’d think a package like that would be an easy sell.
Of course, that’s just the beginning of the packages optioned on our tester; The $5,950 Executive Package provides niceties like soft-close doors, rear sunshade, active seats (whose side bolstering adjusts as you turn) and ventilated front seats. The $5,000 M Sport Package, meanwhile, provides special 20-inch wheels, special bumpers and rocker panels and ceramic iDrive wheel, which lets you spell out place names on its surface.
More than just interior and styling additions, M Sport also adds Dynamic Drive. This uses active stabilizers on both the front and rear axles. They add more direct steering, but more in-keeping with this car’s chauffeur-driven digs, they help keep the big sedan flat during cornering and when accelerating or decelerating. The result is a properly smooth ride, diesel engine or no.
In addition to the Multi-Media Package, back seat passengers benefit from $4,500 Rear Comfort Package which provides ventilated and massaging seats. Of course, they also get the benefit of an additional 137 millimetres of legroom—for a total of 1,124 mm–over non- “L” models. It really is cavernous in the back, but that’s where the size differences end; things don’t change up front, but the 1,048 mm you do get is generous nevertheless.
Really, “generous” is one of the best words used to describe the 740Ld; it’s got generous fuel economy, generous diesel torque and of course, generous room inside. Yes, it’s a little tougher to attach “generous” to the price tag—unless you’re talking about the consumer being “generous” to BMW—but you do get what you pay for, and if you factor in the costs savings associated with diesel power, well, the 740Ld makes a whole lot of sense.
