Automobile Blog

BMW announces super 7-Series

Styling gets revised, and the result is a toned-down appearance that’s actually appealing. Either that, or we’ve gotten used to the wacky design cues that BMW has been using for almost half a decade.

A new 4.8-liter V8 engine supplants the old 4.4-liter motor, creating 750i and 750iL models where before there were 745s. The new V8 makes 360 horsepower, 35 more than before.

BMW and supertuner-partner ALPINA have created a high-performance model for M-starved 7-Series customers - the BMW ALPINA B7.

New Reviews of the BMW 7-Series include Consumer Guide’s® up-to-date road test, ratings, specifications, photos, retail and invoice pricing, and safety information.

A new 4.8-liter V8 engine supplants the old 4.4-liter motor, creating 750i and 750iL models where before there were 745s. The new V8 makes 360 horsepower, 35 more than before. Also, BMW says that the iDrive system has been made simpler to use, suspension changes will improve stability and handling, and that a new Brake Force Display taillight design will warn other motorists whether the 7-Series is braking softly or hard. Slightly revised interior panels and new exterior colors summarize the changes for 2005.

Consumer Guide’s® Used Reviews are the most comprehensive on the Web. Each Used Review of the BMW 7-Series includes yearly changes, road tests, specifications, recalls, repair costs, trouble spots, and prices.

Advantages of the 2006 BMW 7 Series:
Incredible performance on back roads
Incredible comfort on highways and city streets
Impressive quality of cabin materials

Objections to the 2006 BMW 7 Series:
Fussy iDrive control system
Befuddling ignition, gear selection and turn signal functions

The heart of the 2006 BMW ALPINA B7 is a supercharged version of BMW’s 4.4-liter V8, delivering 500 hp through a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 500 hp V8 makes 516 ft-lb of torque at 4,250 rpm, hustling the big sedan from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds.

Archived Reviews of the BMW 7-Series are Consumer Guide® new-car reviews that have been “frozen in time.” Archived Reviews are invaluable sources for specification and equipment listings of older models.

To go along with the extra power, ALPINA upgrades the rest of the 7-Series with the B7 aero kit, a sport-tuned suspension with Active Roll Stabilization, and 21-inch ALPINA wheels.

The BMW ALPINA B7 will be released in July, but only 200 B7s are coming to the U.S. in 2006.