The new benchmark BMW

There's been a lot of dispute about Bavarian Motor Works' latest creation - the new 7-series prestige car. The dispute is, to be honestly blunt, that the new-look car is ugly.

The criticisms have been fairly uniform across the motoring media spectrum, but in all honesty, we quite like the new look Beemer. Sure, it may look less like a BMW and more like an Audi, but it's good to see the marque going for something fresh.

As you can see from the photos, the new-look BMW is quite a departure from the tried-and-tested BMW styling of olde. The new 7-series model is definitely more modern, with smoothly scultped surfaces and a minimalistic rear-end.

Sitting on a choice of either 18 or 19-inch alloy rims, the 7-series footwear is more than up to the task of handling the vast bulk surrounding them.

Apart from the obvious styling changes for the 2002 7-series range, the new BMW has also been given the world's first six-speed automatic gearbox, BMW's interesting i-Drive control system and Australian buyers get two choices of engine.

Other new features worth mentioning are airbags for the knees, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC III), Automatic Stability Control (ASC+T) and Park Distance Control (PDC) for both the front and rear.

To ensure that the new 7-series vehicles drive smoothly, an all-aluminum suspension setup was chosen, along with Automatic Ride Stabilization (ARS) and continuously adjustable Electronic Damper Control (EDC) is standard. Though the acronyms are running thick and fast around the BMW offices, they do mean something.

For instance, the ARS works to keep the car as stable as possible when cornering. It does so by forcing the car to keep a flat stance until its sensors detect .5g of cornering force. When this occurs the system induces up to 4-degrees of of body roll to let the driver know that the level of grip is decreasing. The idea is that drivers will acknowledge reduced traction before it happens.

Perhaps one of the new vehicles' most intriguing features however, is the i-Drive system. In essense, the system is aimed at making driving much simpler. BMW believes that many of automotive staples are becoming obsolete.

The i-Drive system basically centralises all controls vital to driving, in a bid to reduce distractions to the driver. As such, almost all of the cars' features are accessed via a central dial, The Controller. Located in the centre console, with a display mounted in the dash, it allows drivers to fiddle with anything from GPS information to Internet access.

The new 7-series BMW aims to make driving much more than just a mundane task, but whether or not it achieves this remains to be seen.

As far as power goes, the BMW will be releasing two variants of the 7-series in Australia. Drivers can choose from a 3.5-litre and 4.5-litre V8, with the latter fetching a higher price. The 735i, fitted with the 3,600cc V8, is capable of some 200kW @ 6200rpm. Completmenting the impressive power figures are 260Nm of torque @ 3,700rpm.

The big-boy 4.4-litre V8 puts some 245kW to the ground @ 6100rpm, while expressing an equally impressive 450Nm of torque @ 3,600. This propels the 745i to 100km/h in roughly 6 seconds - surprisingly quick for a luxury car.

Both 32-valve engines make use of a number of engineering advances, such as BMW's bi-VANOS dual variable valve timing, which ensures more efficient power delivery across the rev range. Valvetronic is also responsible for an increase in power, thanks to continuously variable intake runners. The result is more power while improving economy by some 14 per cent.

As mentioned earlier, the new 7-series make use of what BMW claims is the world's first six-speed automatic transmission. It incorporates shift-by-wire technology and is operated via a quick-shift lever on the steering wheel.

The new BMW 7-series is quite possibly the most technologically advanced vehicle money can buy. But that doesn't always mean its the best car on offer. Oftentimes, the more technology, the more wiring and computer circuitry you add to a vehicle, the more it can play up. This has been the case with many cars over the years, but let's hope BMW has hit the nail on the head with its new 7-series and especially the new i-Drive system.

And for those who think the 735i and 745i don't offer enough poke, BMW may be launching its new 760iL in the near future. Packing a 6.0-litre V12 powerplant, expect it to push close to 300kW.

Pricing:

735i $174,500
745i $207,600