Bay Harbour: December 13, 2023

28 Bay Harbour News Wednesday December 13 2023
Biggest BMW yet built for distance
Motoring with Bob Nettleton
THOSE WHO love large super
‘size-me’ luxury European SUVs
will have their appetites satisfied
with the updated X7, the biggest
BMW on the planet, with an
equally stupendous price.
This time around if offers an
expanded range of standard
equipment and driver assistance
features, plus some subtle styling
changes, to help distract from
the fact that this model has been
around since 2019.
For our market two models
are available starting with the
$177,990 xDrive40d twin turbo
diesel provided for this road test.
Ownership is well north of that
figure for the high performance
flagship X7 M60i xDrive. Fitted
with a barn storming ‘big beastie’
4.4-litre twin turbo V8, it sports
an equally beefy $224,900 asking
price. Both models attract the
highest government clean car
fee of $6900, adding to the
purchasing pain of would-be
owners.
Styling changes are low-key
and unlikely to be recognised
by all except the most devout
X7 aficionados. The chrome bar
connecting the rear light units
is enclosed within a streamlined
glass cover. Optional 23-inch
light-alloy wheels are first for
a BMW model and perfect
for filling the vehicle’s gaping
wheel arches, when it’s shod
with smaller wheels. Styling
is unashamedly traditional
BMW. The front-end features
a modest revamp of the twin
circular headlights separated by
the company’s signature kidney
style grille. New matrix LED
headlights offer non-dazzling
high beam and adaptive light
distribution, while the front fog
lights are automatically activated
in bad weather and poor light.
The test vehicle’s 3.0 litre
in-line twin turbo diesel V6 is
the first BMW sold here with
48-volt mild hybrid technology
for improved fuel economy and
lower emissions. The maximum
output of the overall drive system
is 259kW, and a healthy 700Nm
of torque that increases to 720Nm
when the mild hybrid system
chips in. This latest modest form
of electrification comprises a
crankshaft-mounted starter
generator integrated into the
transmission and contributes an
additional 9kW of power.
The power train is supremely
smooth with negligible road or
engine noise in both town and
open road driving. For its size
and bulk it can shift itself in a
hurry with a claimed 0-100 km/h
sprint time of 5.6 seconds. Where
it really excels is effortlessly
scything through long distances
like few other vehicles I have road
tested. If high mileage point-to
point motoring makes up a
sizeable chunk of your driving,
and you want to do it in a vehicle
that’s imposing, powerful,
superbly appointed and exudes
quality, the X7 delivers.
An eight-speed transmission
with steering wheel-mounted
gearshift panels does a masterful
job of channelling the motor’s
considerable power and torque
on to the road, via BMW’s proven
xDrive all-wheel drive system.
I never felt the need to dabble
with the paddle shifter. On this
vehicle, this is largely rendered
obsolete by the X7’s excellent
automatic that offers the driver
no compelling reason to paddle
through the gears in search of a
more exhilarating drive.
The huge and lavishly
appointed cabin can be enjoyed
across three rows of seats.
BMW’s Live Cockpit Plus in
the new X7 is based on the
company’s Operating System
8 and integrates nearly into a
curved display, formed by a large
information and control displays.
These days iDrive is geared
towards touch operation and
gesture control as well as voice
activation. At times it seems
overly complicated – technology
for technology’s sake.
There’s more on-board comfort
and luxury in this updated model
with four-zone automatic climate
control, panoramic glass sunroof,
and comfort seats reserved
for the driver and front seat
passenger.
BMW’s Connected Drive
assistance system offers a
Driving Assistant safety package
comprising Lane Departure and
Collision Warning Systems. New
features include the extended
range of functions offered by
the front-collision warning
system, which now also reduces
the danger of a collision with
cyclists, pedestrians or oncoming
vehicles. An exit warning
function alerts occupants to
the risk of a collision when
opening the door. Parking
Assistant Professional includes
an advanced Reversing Assistant
that can now steer the vehicle
for up to 200 metres. It removes
the stress of backing out of long
driveways you wished you had
never ventured down in a vehicle
of this size. It’s great watching
the expressions of onlookers
anticipating a backing disaster,
when you make the job look so
easy, and they’re unaware it was
all technological slight of hand,
not your sublime reversing skills.
The adaptive two-axle air
suspension is standard with
electronically controlled dampers
to deliver superior comfort on
long journeys. All chassis systems
have been retuned for this take
on the X7, raising the already
lofty bar the previous model
set for handling and driving
comfort. It’s supported on this
front by an expanded selection of
automated driving systems.
In everyday motoring, the
electronically controlled full
Ratings out of 10:
Performance 8; Handling
7; Build Quality 8;
Comfort 8; Space 8;
Styling 6; Road test
average consumption
8.9L/100km; Value for
money 6; Safety – 5-star
ANCAP crash rating;
Clean car fee $6900
Overall points out of
10: 7.5
time four-wheel system drive
dispatches over half of the
engines power to the rear wheels.
The remainder is directed to
the front wheels. Over twisty
terrain body roll is confidently
controlled.
The test vehicle even with its
additional height and weight is
remarkably nimble and pleasant
but not unexpected, after all it’s
a BMW.
Slick and intelligently managed
ride and handling can be
explored and enjoyed by direct
and communicative steering,
although a bit on the light side
for my tastes. Limited ground
clearance rules out tackling
genuinely demanding crosscountry
terrain. A low-slung
front end is a likely target for
protrusions such as rocks and
tree stumps. However, this isn’t
the sort of place an X7 owner
is ever going to nose their king
SUV pride and joy into.
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