2005 BMW 760i Published 03/03/2005

For all but a limited few, the BMW 760i will remain an aspirational vehicle to be dreamed about but never obtained. Standing at the pinnacle of automotive excellence only a limited number of competitors enter the arena accompanied by price tag exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.

In this market where reliable, comfortable and fun cars are produced at one-fifth the price, how can anyone justify the $116,000 MSRP price tag of my fully loaded 2005 BMW 760i test vehicle?

I can tell you flatly, this is not a car for the masses. Even being super rich doesn't necessarily mean that you will be a candidate for this vehicle. In order to possess this car, very high expectations must motivate the obviously affluent potential owner.

This is not just a car. The 2005 BMW 760i is a work of art, a beautiful sculpture to be interpreted by the admirer. Unlike a static painting hanging on the wall or sculpture in a garden, this art can literally move you in a physical sense. To the automobile aficionado the 760i represents the ultimate expression of automotive engineering and design. Many have criticized the current design but J. D. Power and associates ranked the 7 Series, the most Appealing Premium Luxury Car in their "Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study. I would agree, but only you can be the ultimate judge.

At this level a conundrum is faced, whether to produce a simply elegant car or truly a technologically advanced vehicle. Potential buyers of a hundred thousand car, are often business people who have little interest in learning about new computers and technology. They don't want to go to school to learn to drive a car they simply want excellence and elegance. But BMW took a risk.

BMW built the 760i for the lover. To appreciate this car you must have a passion for performance and driving. The owner of this vehicle seeks the very best in safety and control. Technology is a friend rather than a feared obstacle to the BMW 760i. Luxury is deeply integrated into the design and value is an intangible knowledge that you are driving one of the very best automobiles available to mankind.

It's easy to look at the specifications and be awed with the 438 horsepower 12-cylinder engine producing almost as much torque as a Ford Powerstroke Diesel. How can you not get excited when this two and a half ton luxury machine smoothly motivates from zero to sixty miles per hour in less than five and a half seconds? It is truly amazing for a car of this class to accelerate from zero to sixty and brake effortlessly back to zero all within the space of a highway acceleration ramp.

The 2005 BMW 760i represents the sportiest and most exciting version of the 7 series lineup. The BMW numbering system is fairly intuitive and easy to grasp. BMW Sedans are available in three distinct series starting with the 3 Series entry-level sedan available for about $30,000. The 5 Series considered by many to be the standard by which performance sedans are judged are available between $40,000 and $60,000. Flagship status is conferred on the largest and most advanced 7 Series available from $60,000 to over $120,000. The 745i equipped with a 4.5 Liter V8 which will be upgraded to a 5.0 liter V8 in 2006 making this model the 750i in the future. Both the 745i and the 760i models are now available in the sport version or the long wheelbase version. Wheelbase is stretched and over 6 inches of rear seat legroom is added in the long version.

There is simply not enough space to adequately describe the features of the 2005 BMW 760i that I recently drove. I can tell you that I actually like the controversial iDrive system. As with the rest of this vehicle a first look and limited test drive may overwhelm but value becomes apparent when driving and exploring the vehicle daily. The heated steering wheel, adaptive headlights and aluminum suspension systems are just a few examples of the advanced technologies making the 2005 BMW 760i a great vehicle.

If you think of a car as a necessary evil, just a way to get from home to work you may never aspire to own a 760i. For those struggling with the expenses of daily life the BMW 7 series may always remain an aspirational vehicle. But if you have the financial resources and you want the very best the 2005 BMW 760i simply is the Ultimate Driving Machine.

2005 BMW 760i
6 Liter V12 engine
Rear Wheel Drive
Large Luxury Performance Sedan

Base MSRP $110,595

Price as driven $116,270

EPA MPG 15/23

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