Road test - BMW 740d

Author: Ian Strachan

There are several superlatives you could use to describe the BMW 740d and all of them would be deserved. This car is simply magnificent – an awesome combination of style, performance and efficiency.

There are several superlatives you could use to describe the BMW 740d and all of them would be deserved. This car is simply magnificent - an awesome combination of style, performance and efficiency.

The latest big beast from BMW is stuffed full of technology to make it more efficient, more powerful, safer and more comfortable. But being a BMW, its heart is its engine - and this one's a cracker.

A three litre , twin-turbocharged, 306 bhp, six cylinder engine produces superb performance, with a 0-60 mph time of not much more than six seconds and a top speed - where allowed - of 155 mph. The engine uses the latest common rail technology to fire fuel into the cylinders at exactly the right pressure for optimum performance and economy. Despite its size this car can still return more than 40 miles to the gallon in mixed driving.

The 740d, with its sleek profile and deep front end grille beneath the famous kidney radiator, and beautiful alloy wheels, takes some holding back. Put your foot down, even at low revs, and you get a neck-snapping surge of power. Yet the ride is so smooth you get little sensation of speed and have to make frequent speedometer checks to stay within legal limits. A head-up display shows your speed relative to the speed limit of the road.

My M Sport test vehicle was equipped with a super-smooth six speed automatic gearbox, which is standard on the 7 Series. You also get BMW's advanced Dynamic Driving Control system which allows you to adjust the set-up of the car by changing between comfort, normal, sport and sport+. The technology adapts the car's steering response, throttle and gear shift speed.

Handling, despite this being a big car, is superb, thanks to a double wishbone front suspension and multi-link suspension to the rear.

Inside the 740 is at its classiest best. A spacious interior is trimmed in soft leather with the iDrive control system enabling you to adjust a wide variety of settings using centrally mounted buttons. These include four-sone air conditioning system, the standard satellite navigation system and the superb sound set-up which allows you to store up to 11 albums on the car's hard-drive.

The rear is, if anything, more comfortable than the front, with rear seat passengers given plenty of room to spread out in cosseted luxury.  

Equipment levels are every bit as good as you would expect. My test car included all-round electric windows, mirrors and sunroof, programmable electric seats, cruise control, parking sensors and parking cameras to the rear and in the front corners, all-round airbags, automatic xenon headlamps, keyless ignition, and an electronic park brake.

Nice touches include a fully electric opening and closing boot - which is bigger than you expect - and doors which close automatically if you haven't shut them hard enough.

This technology and luxury doesn't come cheap. The car comes with a price tag of £67, 465.

But this BMW is a superb machine, both to drive and to look at. You'll get used to the admiring glances.