Despite its status as top dog in enthusiast-friendly BMW’s portfolio, the 7-Series has never quite caught on with well-heeled buyers the way Mercedes-Benz’s iconic S-Class has. Perhaps it’s because BMW, while hardly considered a new player to the market, doesn’t have quite the history of the Stuttgart star – though the roundel comes close. Whatever the case, BMW hopes that its svelte ‘09 7 will build on the success of its controversial predecessor even as luxury car sales continue to slide.

Large luxury sedan buyers are about as loyal as they come, but a new generation of would-be buyers is ready to pony up upwards of $100,000 for a large sedan, even while the markets crumble around us, meaning that BMW could potentially gain some desirable market share.

What is it?
Occupying the top echelon of BMW’s sedan range, the 2009 7-Series will come to the United States first as the twin-turbo V8 750Li. Brimming with gadgets, the new 7 hardly represents a change in technological direction from the outgoing model. But don’t let the spec sheet fool you: The fifth-generation 7-Series has been reworked throughout to provide vastly improved dynamics wrapped in more elegant and less daring styling inside and out.

At the media launch, BMW only offered the long-wheelbase 750Li, the model expected to account for the majority of sales. A shorter 750i will also available when the 2009 7 hits showrooms in early March.

What’s it up against?
The S-Class has dominated the segment for longer than most buyers have been alive, but the last 20 years have brought a number of new players to the field. Put Lexus’ LS 460 and Audi’s A8 on your shopping list, but don’t count out the aging but dynamically impressive Jaguar XJ or the pricey but sensuous Maserati Quattroporte.

Any breakthroughs?
With an owners manual as thick as Manhattan’s phone book (before the Internet began gnawing away at the real yellow pages), rest assured that the 7 doesn’t want for innovative technology.

Let’s start with BMW’s latest generation iDrive. Though still daunting to new users, the system’s basic usability has reached the point where even devout technophobes won’t immediately give up on it. A large, high-resolution display, simplified menus, faster processors and, most notably, the inclusion of programmable console buttons, come thanks to an extensive development program BMW conducted across the world. The automaker sent prototypes to North America, Europe and Japan to test for cultural variations and the result is a vastly streamlined graphic user interface for controlling nearly everything the 7 offers. And, boy, does it offer a lot.

The widescreen display can be switched to an Autoliv-developed night-vision camera capable of detecting pedestrians. The sensing system warns drivers of potentially devastating impacts by flashing a yellow icon on the screen and in the windshield heads-up display. It only functions above 25 miles per hour, but the warning system could quickly become invaluable to those who live in congested European and Asian cities, even if its usefulness in North American suburbia is questionable at best.

As long as we can remember, BMW has offered an enthusiast-oriented Sport Package that takes the automakers generally capable vehicles a notch higher – and the new 7 does not disappoint. In addition to the grippy steering wheel, tuned suspension and unique wheels that we have come to expect, the 7’s Sport Package includes four-wheel steering designed to improve in-town mobility as well as highway stability.

Many of the upgrades will eventually make their way down the BMW pipeline eventually, so if something listed above strikes your fancy but not your budget, it might pay to wait.

How does it look?
That the new 7 had big shoes to fill in the styling department is a gross understatement.

The previous 7 wore Shaq-sized Reeboks thanks to its, erm, polarizing design. That 7, the first comprehensive production design penned by legendary, controversial and soon-to-be-former BMW designer Chris Bangle, alienated nearly as many buyers as it gained for the brand, though sales increases show that it was, by and large, a success for the Germans.

Though the new 7 was designed under Bangle’s leadership, credit really goes to new BMW Group design director Adrian Van Hooydonk. Drawing heavily from BMW’s existing designs in its detailing, the new 7 introduces few new elements yet still offers what is generally a fresh overall theme. Looking deceptively smaller than it actually is, the 205-inch long 7 is, in many ways, a return to BMW’s conservative past, even if it looks nothing like any of its predecessors.

A pronounced snout – be careful parallel parking – gives way to a rather bland midsection and, finally, a much more conventional tail than its predecessor, even if there’s a hint of Bangle to the way the tail lamps sweep around the fenders.

With safety, aerodynamics and manufacturing limits that afflict all modern cars, it’s not surprising that the 7 occasionally resembles some of its competitors. There’s a little Lexus LS 460 to its rump and a little Volvo S80 to its nose – but, Adrian, please don’t take our comments negatively. The 7 is sexy and sinuous, unlike the bulky S-Class and the sedate, Teutonic A8.

Only a pair of seemingly extraneous chrome shmatahs affixed to the front fenders and doors seem out of place, though they do at least add some visual breakup of the otherwise simple side profile.

And on the inside?
The design offers few surprises inside, much unlike its rather unconventional predecessor. Drivers are greeted with a wrap-around design that, in terms of functionality, mimics BMWs of yore. No control requires a stretch from the driver’s seat because, like BMWs used to do, the instrument panel cants towards the driver.

The automaker’s awkward gearlever makes its appearance – why we need this joystick rather than a traditional gated or straight-back automatic lever, we’re not sure – trimmed this time in an optional ceramic that imparts a luxurious, upscale feel.

A new leather-esque covering wraps the dash tops on base models (full leather is optionally available). The covering looks decent, if a little excessively grained (think Ford graining), though it feels like the vinyl-ish material that it is. We couldn’t quite get BMW to tell us exactly what the material is, but rest assured that it’s a deurable, less-expensive synthetic alternative to leather.

The dash-top trim was the only eye-raising element we found in the otherwise pleasant and upscale cabin. Space is, as you’d expect by the exterior dimensions of BMW’s flagship sedan, acceptable from every seating position. The back seat, on Li models, includes a pair of footrests for those who prefer to be chauffeured.

But chauffeuring isn’t what BMWs have been about, so what’s it like from the driver’s seat after you’ve depressed the start button? Let’s find out…

But does it go?
The 750Li, the launch model for North America, features BMW’s potent 400-horsepower twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, though BMW says hybrid powertrains are on their way to all major markets (including the U.S. and Canada) and we wouldn’t be remotely surprised to see a more potent model eventually show up in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

In the meantime, 7 buyers will be impressed with the V8’s near seamless rush of torque, 443 lb-ft., available from a low 1,750 RPM up through 4,500 RPM. Thanks to the turbochargers, which are simply undetectable at any engine speed, the 7 has no trouble scooting away from a stop or merging onto a highway. Stop-to-60 comes in 5.2 seconds for the long-wheelbase Li (5.1 for the shorter car).

Curiously, the 7 “only” gets a six-speed automatic transmission, but it’s a generally solid unit, providing quick, smooth shifts during normal driving. Only when driven aggressively does the six-speed show an occasional reluctance to downshift into a lower gear; fortunately, with the prodigious torque on tap, the transmission doesn’t need to call upon lower gears too often.

We noticed a little gear whine during deceleration on all of the new 7s we drove; given these were early production models, we’ll assume BMW corrects the gremlins before paying customer models arrive in dealers.

Large 14.7-inch front rotors (14.5 out back) absorb kinetic energy to charge the battery, a small step towards efficiency. Those big brakes do an admirable job of forcing the heavy 7 to come to a complete stop.

BMW’s Driving Dynamics Control, a toggle button located just left of the joystick that puts the 7 into gear, offers four programs ranging from comfort to sport that adjust the shocks, throttle and shift response and level of steering assistance. We couldn’t detect a huge difference between the comfort, standard and sport modes, but the sport plus mode really stood out. Seemingly at odds with the luxurious nature of the 7, sport plus tightened up the suspension and steering and forced the transmission to hold itself in gear when not firing off firm and rapid-fire shifts.

We drove 7s equipped with both the Sport Package and the standard setup; the difference was remarkable with the Sport Package’s standard four-wheel steering. The rear wheels turn with the fronts at higher speeds, giving the 7 impressive stability and fast handling on the highway. Around town, those wheels turn in the opposite direction, making urban U-turns and tight parking spots a breeze. Mercedes-Benz, known for its tight turning radii, will be sent back to the drawing board once they’ve spent some time in the 7. We wouldn’t want to be in that engineering department meeting, that’s for sure.

Yet without the Sport Package the 7’s responses bordered on sloppy – far more so than base versions of the S550 and A8. Its ride quality advantage was almost imperceptible over the Sport Package model, too.

Why you would buy it:
You’re finally warming up to BMW after that “disastrous” last effort and you’re looking for something that delivers better handling than the German alternatives. Get the Sport Package – you won’t regret it.

Why you wouldn’t:
You’re turned off by the conventional style and you already miss BMW’s “fantastic” last effort.

Leftlane’s bottom line
The fifth generation 7 has what it takes to lure buyers alienated by the previous model back into the fold, but it delivers enough technology to keep the Electronista crowd hanging on. The 7 makes a strong showing – but only with the impressive Sport Package. It’s a must-see in this segment and we like the direction it takes BMW.

2009 BMW 750Li base price, $84,200. Destination, $825.

Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.

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