New BMW 730Ld India review, test drive

Bavaria’s new oil-burning flagship, like its petrol counterpart, is a technological marvel and a hoot to drive.

Published on May 09, 2016 10:35:00 AM

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Where the 7-series previously only used air suspension on the rear axle, now it’s fit to all four wheels, and this has made a huge difference to the ride quality. It no longer feels clunky and inconsistent over sharper bumps, and instead feels pillow-soft in Comfort mode, ironing out bumps well. In fact, there is also a ‘Comfort Plus’ setting, but all that seems to do is add more float over undulations. It’s impressive how much more tied down the car feels in Sport mode, but this does come at a cost – you feel a lot more up-and-down movement inside the cabin here. Overall, it’s a commendable improvement over the previous car, but the constant movement doesn’t quite give you that perfect sense of calm and isolation that a car in this segment should.

The 7-series has always managed to belie its mammoth proportions with good-old-fashioned chassis, steering and suspension tuning and perfect weight distribution. Trouble is, with the last car, that compromised the comfort and ease of use. That’s changed now, with a steering that’s much lighter yet still as accurate, and a much faster-reacting air suspension system. So while you miss some of that heft from the previous car, it’s still incredibly sharp around corners, and once again proves that BMW can turn anything into a fine-handling machine. The upshot is it’s also better at being a luxury limousine in the process.

Should I buy one?

In the last few years of its life cycle, it was hard to recommend the previous 7-series over its newer, more accomplished rivals. The only reason left to buy one was the throway prices they were offered at in the run-out phase. The new 7-series, however, puts BMW back in the super luxury game with its superbly appointed cabin, truckload of tech and a new level of interior quality. Its chassis too is now better geared to a luxurious experience than ever before, and though the ride perhaps lacks that last degree of finesse of an S-class, it is still great. The new 730Ld is a far improved limousine to be chauffeured in, and in case you occasionally happen to drive it yourself, it’s still a lot of fun too.

GAVIN D’SOUZA