BMW 740Li

It’s the 7 Series we love

- Anand Mohan

IT’S BEEN ABOUT A year since the 7 Series was launched in India. It was so good that from an enthusiast’s point of view, the S-Class wouldn’t appear anywhere on the radar. I am not even talking about the engine here because we drove the 730Ld diesel. Our only grouse with BMW’s flagship was this engine. Agreed Indians prefer diesel engines over petrol, but for the brand’s most technologically advanced set of wheels, an oil burner just shouldn’t cut it. It needs a refined petrol engine that’s unobtrusive to its occupants, and when you hear it, the sound should be a pleasant one.

You’d argue that a 750Li was already there in the line-up so why the 740Li, after all, if you have the money, you should buy only the best. But you know what, I think the 740Li is best suited to this sedan, and with the introduction of the M760Li, the V8 isn’t the top dog anymore. The Seven is a luxury barge without any M treatment, which means its primary duty is to carry your buttocks on rose petals for your morning meeting and carry your golf clubs in the boot for networking over a 9-hole course. You don’t need a V8 to do that if the straight-six can do it well enough. But can it?