2023 BMW 740i review: Australian first drive

In addition to providing the ultimate in luxurious transport for its well-heeled buyers, the BMW 7 Series is literally a rolling showcase for the best technology, the most sumptuous materials, and the best powertrains the German brand has to offer. We’ve been to the launch of the 2023 BMW 7 Series to find out whether the seventh generation continues to fly the flag for the brand in 2023 BMW 740i specification.

We’ll get right down to it and confirm the 2023 BMW 7 Series is an expensive bit of kit, no matter whether you choose the petrol version (740i) or the electric (i7 xDrive 60). But, boy, do you get a lot for your money…

BMW is charging $268,900 (plus on-road costs) for the 740i specification, which is the 'entry-level' variant in the range. The 7 Series is now only offered in long-wheelbase guise in Australia.

Compared to its like-for-like predecessor, the 740i costs $23,000 more than before – the electric i7 is the first of its kind, so there is no direct price comparison.

The 740i is powered by a familiar, but updated, 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol inline-six-cylinder engine that produces 280kW and 540Nm. These outputs are boosted by a 48-volt mild hybrid system that adds an extra 9kW/200Nm under high load. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

There are simply too many features to list (you can check out the full equipment list here), but highlights of the 740i specification include 20-inch wheels, a curved dash display that incorporates a 14.9-inch infotainment screen and a 12.3-inch digital cluster, rear-wheel steering, dual-axle air suspension, adaptive LED headlights with Swarovski crystal highlights, glass roof, massage seats, automatic parking using your phone, Merino leather upholstery, and a 20-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system.

Those with an environmental conscience (or who simply want the range-topper) can opt for the BMW i7 xDrive 60. Power is provided by a 106kWh battery to a dual-motor, all-wheel drivetrain that outputs 400kW/745Nm. BMW says it’ll travel 625km on a full charge and sprint from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds (0.7sec quicker than its petrol-powered counterpart).

Both the 740i and i7 come with M Sport styling as standard, but the switch to Design Pure Excellence (which substitutes the M Sport’s sporty trimmings for elegant design touches) is a no-cost option.

For more information on the 2023 BMW i7, check out the separate launch review for that variant. This review will focus on the petrol-powered 2023 BMW 740i.

It’s hard not to be floored by the sheer level of luxury inside the BMW 7 Series. Starting at the front seats, the materials used are top-notch and the spaciousness is hugely impressive. But it stands to reason given how positively gargantuan the exterior body is. Even the tallest minority on the height bell curve will be more than comfortable slipping in through the wide front doors and slumping down into the cushy leather pews.

Every single touch point has been considered and subsequently covered in some kind of plush or fancy overlay. Whether it’s the crystal elements of the seat controls, the Merino leather upholstery, the considered plastics around the centre console, or the metallic finishes to the speakers – it all feels extremely high-end.

There is great storage about the centre console area including dual cupholders, a wireless phone charger, and a double-door centre console bin. The glovebox is opened using the BMW Interaction Bar that extends across the entire cabin; it also controls the air vents and houses a 'door open' button on the cars fitted with the power-operated doors. There were some instances of this bar not responding to touch inputs – you do have to be persistent with it.

Naturally, if you’re buying a 7 Series, there’s a good chance that the rear seats will get a proper workout and BMW has saved some of the best for the second row. The 7 Series provided to journalists were all specified with the astonishing 31.3-inch widescreen entertainment unit that is controlled by a small touchscreen built into each door. This is part of the ($27,900) Connoisseur Lounge package that adds the huge widescreen, 35-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system, rear-seat massage, executive rear seating layout, rear-seat ventilation, and automatic power-opening doors.

The screen is most easily utilised with the in-built Amazon Fire software, which can include access to all your favourite streaming services, though it does have a USB-C power port and HDMI input too.

Some of your favourite films may be shown in letterboxed format considering the 32:9 aspect ratio, but the array is hugely impressive nonetheless, and it’s a real selling point for those who see a lot of use of the back seat. Both the widescreen and its associated door-mounted control screen are touch-sensitive, and the latter can also handle your electric seat position, air-conditioning, blinds, and even the car’s sound system.

Cars on test also featured the Executive Lounge Seating option, which affords passengers the chance to fully recline and sink back into the seat for viewing that gargantuan screen. A one-touch command on the control screen contorts the front seat forward and out of the way so that the back seat can recline. You can then turn on the massage seats to complete the ridiculously relaxing experience. However, once the passenger seat is folded forward and the widescreen folds down, rearward visibility is extremely limited (and there's no digital rear-vision camera).

Even when the back seat is in its default position, there’s an incredible amount of legroom. The 7 Series has a fold-down centre armrest that houses USB-C ports and a wireless phone charger, plus a pair of cupholders. This is folded back up in order to use the fifth seat.

The boot is electrically opened using either the key or a recess on the boot lid. Cargo capacity in the 740i (540L) is larger than the i7 (500L) due to the size of the latter’s underfloor battery.

Interestingly, the 7 Series can’t really be construed as leading the BMW brand in the infotainment stakes alone, but pair it with the aforementioned rear screen entertainment, the sound system, the auxiliary screens and touch functions, and it becomes an impressive all-round package.

But the 7 Series features much the same infotainment as you’ll see about the rest of BMW's range, including the same 14.9- and 12.3-inch twin displays you’ll get inside the new 3 Series. It runs iDrive 8 software that includes provision for voice control. The system can also be controlled using the (crystalline) rotary controller synonymous with BMW infotainment.

There is so much content to the new software system and the navigation between menu systems is not as fluid as BMW iDrive systems of old. You still get shortcut buttons around the shifter for key functions such as navigation, media, and a home button, but there are pages' worth of apps and functions embedded into the menus that can overload the driver.

Some will be enthralled with the amount of content on offer, but for those that find it too much, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality is available. BMW now offers 'My Modes' in place of driving modes, which also change up the car’s screens with matching visuals. Those with simpler tastes will be happy to learn the you can still have individual drive modes with changeable dynamics too.

The 740i comes with a 20-speaker, 665W Bowers and Wilkins sound system as standard, but our car on test featured the upgraded i7's 36-speaker, 1965W upgrade. It sounds incredibly impressive playing anything from your favourite tunes to a blockbuster movie from the widescreen. The system is also eminently customisable. A nice touch is the 4D sound effect that vibrates the seat along with the speaker outputs – this is a fantastic phenomenon when you’re watching any kind of movie on the rear screen.

Safety? Look at it, it’s an absolute behemoth! But unfortunately the 2023 BMW i7 and 740i do not get an ANCAP rating. However, read on to find out about the level of included safety technology.

The BMW 7 Series comes standard with the Driving Assistant Professional suite of technology, which includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert, rear collision prevention, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go.

It also gets a 360-degree camera, exit warning, a drive recorder, automatic speed sign assist, and seven airbags (including central airbag between driver and front passenger).

In practice these systems work hand-in-hand with the driver rather than hinder unnecessarily. The adaptive cruise-control system keeps an appropriate distance to a leading vehicle and is quick to react to sudden acceleration or deceleration. The lane-centring, too, is very proficient at staying within a lane.

The BMW 740i features ISOFIX child seat mounts in the rear seats – lucky kids!

As is tradition for the BMW 7 Series, it’ll compete primarily against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8 long-wheelbase saloons. While its price increase of $23,000 over the old BMW 740Li sees it pushed further from Audi’s A8 50 L TDI Quattro ($222,700 plus ORCs), it does compare with the Mercedes-Benz S450L ($268,491 plus ORCs).

By this point in the review, you’re hopefully beginning to understand what $268,900 gets you for the 740i, but there’s more to it still.

To help with running costs, BMW has rolled in a five-year BMW Service package for the 740i. The service intervals are condition-based; the car will tell you when it needs maintenance.

BMW now offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in line with its rivals.

As one of the first vehicles to be launched in the new year, insurance quotes using our comparative insurer are unavailable.

On test, the BMW 740i returned a fuel consumption of 14.2 litres per 100km. This is over double the fuel use that BMW quotes on a combined fuel cycle. Granted, this car had just under 350km on its odometer and was from a launch drive, so this figure would likely come down as the vehicle completes its run-in period.

Still pushing a smooth 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six-cylinder internal combustion powertrain, the BMW 740i drive experience is as smooth and powerful as has been tradition with the flagship 7 Series model.

With 280kW/540Nm on tap, there are ample outputs to move the 2090kg body along, especially when the 48-volt mild hybrid system fires up to add an extra 9kW/200Nm. This extra power can be called upon using a single steering-wheel-mounted 'BOOST' paddle that provides the extra oomph for 10-second durations.

While the power on tap makes it feel surprisingly sprightly in a straight line, there is no hiding the enormous 5391mm-long body. It feels tricky to place on single-lane roadways, only becoming more manageable once on highways and dual-lane carriageways.

I pity the poor person who has to navigate the 740i's nose through an underground parking garage – this really is more of a valet-only type of operator. However, the 740i does include rear-axle steering, which turns the rear wheels in opposing direction to the front wheels at speeds of up to 60km/h, and they turn the same way as the fronts at speeds above 60km/h.

Steering feel is very light for the size of the car, which makes manoeuvrability simple, but there is no feel to the steering system.

A change of direction is handled well despite the car's sizeable dimensions and weight. However, though there are dynamic changes (such as the suspension firming up and the powertrain becoming more responsive) made to the car when in its Sport 'My Mode', there's not a hugely noticeable difference. At the end of the day, this is still a gigantic luxury sedan.

Rightly so, that's exactly where the 740i excels. The ride comfort is phenomenally plush over all but the most brittle road imperfections. Even then, there are no harsh, hard edges felt communicated through to the cabin. Between the soft seats and the air suspension, the 740i delivers a lovely and luxurious ride experience.

It's also very quiet, as you'd expect. Road roar is all but absent and no wind is heard through the single-pane glass windows.

For a model that has come to represent the best of what BMW can offer, the 2023 BMW 740i is about as cutting-edge as they come. It may not stock the futuristic all-electric powertrain of the i7, but the petrol-powered 740i is every bit as clever and technologically forward as its EV alternative.

Shoppers at this price point are unlikely to be penny-pinching, and it's for this reason that we recommend doubling down and optioning the wild $27,900 Connoisseur Lounge package, which gives the best rear-seat experience in its class. Especially if you or your passengers plan on spending extended periods of time in the second row, it's an immersive experience like no other and is arguably one of the car's best selling points.

It's serenely smooth to drive and is exquisitely appointed, which is ideally what the model sets out to achieve. Some of the technology may be over-the-top and it might not be the easiest car to handle around town, but it is a theatric experience every time you do take it for a drive.