This new generation of 7 Series is an interesting one. It’s the most controversial looking BMW since the E65-generation, it has the most outlandish cabin of any BMW ever, and it’s also the most luxurious. However, it still does something that all 7 Series’ should be able to do—blast down the Autobahn at triple-digit speeds with ease. In this new POV video from AutoTopNL, we get to see the diesel-powered BMW 740d hit the famous unrestricted German highway and cruise at top speed like it’s no big deal.
The BMW 740d is one of the less expensive 7 Series models, packing a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine. While it’s plenty powerful, making 286 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, it isn’t exactly the sort of motor that excites many luxury car buyers. However, it should be. BMW’s straight-six diesel is not only powerful but it’s smooth and incredibly efficient. So not only is it capable of getting the 7 Series up to Autobahn speeds with ease but it’s quiet and comfortable all the way there, while also using less fuel than almost any other engine that’s capable of such speed.
In the video, you can see the BMW 740d reach a top speed of 255 km/h (158 mph) and it simply blasts down the highway at that speed with ease. Imagine using the new 740d for your daily work commute on the Autobahn? You’d be home in no time at all.
However, it isn’t just stable speed that the 740d is good at. Just look at its sensational interior and listen to how quiet it is inside. It’s among the most luxurious cars on the market, rivaling even the famed Mercedes S-Class. I drove the BMW 760i back-to-back with a Rolls-Royce Phantom and the 7 Series wasn’t as far off, in terms of refinement and sound insulation, as you might think. It wasn’t as good of course, but it was pretty dang close.
Traditional BMW enthusiasts might say that the new 7 Series is pretty far from the beloved 7ers of yore. And that’s true, it is drastically different. It’s soft, insulated, completely devoid of feel, incredibly high-tech, and it even offers a massive theater screen for rear seat passengers. The target audience for this 7er has changed drastically from the time of cars like the E38-generation 7 Series. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car, it just different. And if you’re looking for a monster Autobahn cruiser, it doesn’t get much better for the money.