2001 BMW 750 Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The short wheelbase 740i is hardly a runt, riding on a 115.4-inch wheelbase and stretching 196.2 inches from stem to stern. It has those BMW trademarks, the dogleg C-pillar and the classic double-kidney grille flanked by quad-headlamps served under glass. The 7 Series is distinguished from smaller Bimmers by kidneys wider than tall, though still with the obligatory vertical slats.

The 4.4-liter V8 that powers the 740i (and the 740iL) produces 282 horsepower. Swiss watches should have the same engineering elegance. Bosch HFM-Motronic M5.2.1 fuel injection with adaptive knock control and VANOS variable valve timing improve torque at lower rpm (324 pounds-feet at 3700 rpm). The V8 engine provides good acceleration performance and is certified for the government's LEV, or low emission vehicle, standard.

All 7 Series models come equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The 740iA Sport Package ($2800) adds Steptronic transmission control. This transmission allows the driver to change gears using a semi-automatic mode. After sliding the shifter to the left, the lever can be moved rearward to select a lower ratio; moving it forward shifts it into a higher gear. Steptronic can be overridden; sudden full throttle will cause it to downshift, and it will upshift when maximum revs are reached.

The Sport also has a shorter final drive ratio, 3.15:1 instead of the usual 2.93:1, for quicker acceleration. It also includes a torque converter with a higher stall speed for a quicker jump off the line. Underneath, the 740i Sport retains the basic 7 Series suspension: double-pivot strut-type front suspension with forged aluminum lower arms, and four-link independent rear suspension with twin-tube shocks, and anti-roll bars front and rear. But the front suspension is lower by 0.8-inch, springs are 10-percent and 25-percent firmer front and rear while shocks are twice as firm as on the standard 740i. The 740i Sport Package also gets a bigger front anti-roll bar - 22 mm vs. 20.5 mm.

The sharp-eyed may notice the lowered front end and Shadowline exterior trim (matte-black replacing chrome around the side windows, body-side molding and windshield washer jets). The most obvious external cues to the Sport Package are the elegant 18-inch M Parallel Spoke wheels, eight inches wide in front and nine and a half inches at the rear. The front rims are mounted with 235/50ZR-18 performance tires while the rears are wrapped with fantastic 255/45ZR-18 performance rubber.

Interior Features

It's obvious to anyone who slips into either front or rear seat that the 740iA is a luxury car, something that adding performance bits won't change. Back-seat passengers in the shorter 740iA won't get the legs-out-straight room or footrest of the longer L models, but the 740iA offers room enough for three authentic adults to be comfortable in back.

The Sport Package has its own version of sport front seats that, in addition to providing lateral support for enthusiastic driving, have an articulated backrest that flexes up to 27 degrees for more or less shoulder support as desired. Thigh support - the forward portion of the seat cushion - may be extended up to 2.4 inches. Including the other 14-way power adjustments, including 4-way lumbar adjustment, that's a total of 18 adjustments and more accommodation to one's physique than a waterbed. Full leather is standard. Appropriate to this executive hotrod, the interior is warmed with Vavona redwood trim in place of the usual burl walnut.