G70 740i Test Drive Impressions Review (From a G12 M760 Owner)

[TrafficJam]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I love the new 7, but it's so expensive compared to the LCI G11 I have currently, that was leased for £550 a month the G70 is close to £1400 in the UK

For that much price difference, I will keep the G11 (still a wonderful daily driver!)

[sakson]

Originally Posted by TrafficJam

I don't want to offense anyone, but it is funny how all these people hating on the new 7 don't even own cars in this segment. As I went through their profile, most are driving sporty little bmws. No wonder why they don't like the new 7's design as they would probably think Rolls Royce look horrendous as well.

We are all car guys here. Just because someone drives a certain type of vehicle doesn't mean they don't appreciate other classes of cars. I think Rolls Royce looks very nice. I also love some of the previous 7 series BMWs. I just think, like many people, that this particular generation looks horrendous, especially the front end. It's a forum where people express their opinions, so nothing personal. Well, maybe it is personal for the BMW head designer, but that's okay.

[DB_Cooper]

Originally Posted by TrafficJam

I don't want to offense anyone, but it is funny how all these people hating on the new 7 don't even own cars in this segment. As I went through their profile, most are driving sporty little bmws. No wonder why they don't like the new 7's design as they would probably think Rolls Royce look horrendous as well.

You're right, it's hilarious that enthusiasts and many lifelong BMW owners dislike a design.

[BimmerXdrive]

I’ll just leave this here

[joeyjoejoejr]

Originally Posted by DB_Cooper

You're right, it's hilarious that enthusiasts and many lifelong BMW owners dislike a design.

Okay boomer. If it’s too scary, like the Frankenstein’s monster, maybe you’d prefer a Lexus ES or some kind of RV? A nice acid green Avalon hybrid?

I say this all with my tongue in cheek btw. I have fun with BSing. I don’t mean to offend, just having fun.

Seriously though…It’s not so much that you hate it but that you’re just echoing each other and it’s boring. Even the car mags and the smoking tire dudes are like “ewww.” Like okay the front sucks to a large group of people. It’s been the same crap for 20 years about the 7. If it’s not the ass it’s the tits. Give it some time and you’ll all be saying something different once some other brand copies it. That’s how progress usually works. The hate the e65 got was unreal. The car truly deserved the hate was the E60.

[AlteBMW]

Originally Posted by BimmerXdrive

I’ll just leave this here

That is hilarious. However, my real smiles come from driving my car. Hey, we all know it is a controversial design. The fact that a lot of people don't like it (and they are entitled to their opinions) isn't stopping a lot of people with different opinions from buying them.

[DB_Cooper]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

Okay boomer. If it’s too scary, like the Frankenstein’s monster, maybe you’d prefer a Lexus ES or some kind of RV? A nice acid green Avalon hybrid?

I say this all with my tongue in cheek btw. I have fun with BSing. I don’t mean to offend, just having fun.

Seriously though…It’s not so much that you hate it but that you’re just echoing each other and it’s boring. Even the car mags and the smoking tire dudes are like “ewww.” Like okay the front sucks to a large group of people. It’s been the same crap for 20 years about the 7. If it’s not the ass it’s the tits. Give it some time and you’ll all be saying something different once some other brand copies it. That’s how progress usually works. The hate the e65 got was unreal. The car truly deserved the hate was the E60.

lol @ boomer. I'm in my early 30s bro.

E65 is also hot trash.

After all these years I don't think opinion has changed much on that Bangle 7 just like it won't change on the newest 7.

We'll revisit this thread in 10 yrs. I'll still be right.

[joeyjoejoejr]

Originally Posted by DB_Cooper

lol @ boomer. I'm in my early 30s bro.

E65 is also hot trash.

After all these years I don't think opinion has changed much on that Bangle 7 just like it won't change on the newest 7.

We'll revisit this thread in 10 yrs. I'll still be right.

Still come off like Abe Simpson yelling at cloud, for all the good it does. And Bangle’s styling was def ahead of its time and whether you think so or not influenced car design forever.

I’m not going to sit here and say I think the front end of the M sport 7 looks handsome. I didn’t buy mine with that front end. The blacked out look is just not my thing and never has been. Plus they really should’ve done something a bit cleaner with the driving assistance equipment in the middle of the grill. I went with the chrome and i think it looks way better. I don’t like to buy boring or poorly made cars. This new 7 is neither. It’s sweet to drive and nicer inside than my old S63 coupe. Way nicer inside.

Hell, I’m glad it offends you guys so much. Makes me feel good, all perched in my comfy seat knowing my headlights and illuminated grill are irritating someone. 😘

[DB_Cooper]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

Still come off like Abe Simpson yelling at cloud, for all the good it does. And Bangle’s styling was def ahead of its time and whether you think so or not influenced car design forever.

I’m not going to sit here and say I think the front end of the M sport 7 looks handsome. I didn’t buy mine with that front end. The blacked out look is just not my thing and never has been. Plus they really should’ve done something a bit cleaner with the driving assistance equipment in the middle of the grill. I went with the chrome and i think it looks way better. I don’t like to buy boring or poorly made cars. This new 7 is neither. It’s sweet to drive and nicer inside than my old S63 coupe. Way nicer inside.

Hell, I’m glad it offends you guys so much. Makes me feel good, all perched in my comfy seat knowing my headlights and illuminated grill are irritating someone. 😘

Lol.

[BimmerXdrive]

On the other the hand the interior & tech is amazing!!!

[Rahul29]

Originally Posted by joeyjoejoejr

Yeah I’ll bet in the next 5-6 years they’ll probably bring out a facelifted g70 that looks just like an e38. Short wheelbase with a 6-speed, that wonderful tiny screen cd-rom based navigation system, and top it off with cd-changer in the back.

Tablet dashboard? They’ve had their screen in the same spot for 20 years dude. I’d say BMW has a done a fine job of avoiding the trend of tossing a portrait oriented iPad in the center console. It’s one of the reasons why I bought a 7 instead of the S.

The screen being where it is is not a problem for me. However, the one continuous slab from the center console to the instrument cluster just looks hideous to me, especially with the sharp edges all around.
The instrument cluster on my F97 looks perfect in my opinion as it fits in perfectly within the steering wheel when viewed from the driver’s seat. It doesn’t look stuck on.

The grill again was already too distractingly big in the last generation. But they had pretty headlights on either side to offset that. Now, it looks even bigger with tiny split headlights. You don’t need to go all the way back to E38 but I believe there is always a sweet spot in design which for the 7 series was a couple of generations back. The new one is definitely not something I would be able to live with. But to each their own I guess.

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by TrafficJam

I don't want to offense anyone, but it is funny how all these people hating on the new 7 don't even own cars in this segment. As I went through their profile, most are driving sporty little bmws. No wonder why they don't like the new 7's design as they would probably think Rolls Royce look horrendous as well.

Is there any scientifical point you want to make here?

I for once, bought a i4, but the grill is still as dreadful as it was before I bought it. It's just a very good car, but ugly it remains.

[2021BMW745e]

Originally Posted by sakson

Man this thing is ugly. Bmw head designer must be a troll.

The only troll is you. The target demographic of the G70 loves the car and sales are exceeding expectations at this point. I have a G12 BMW and it's only 2 years old, so I had no intention of getting a new one. However, after seeing the G70 and using the tech in it, I'm ordering one before the price increase. My spouse is strongly considering trading in his 840i xD as well for an i7.

The headlights thinning started with Rolls Royce & it looks a lot more like a Rolls than any other car. The BMW vehicles enthusiasts seem to like have old round headlights inside a larger frame, just like an early 2000's Hyundai Sonata. And yeah, the G70 doesn't look like that for a very good reason. It's a new car with a new design and people like it in the most important way, with their checkbook. People bad mouth the ginormous grill on my G12 here but IRL, I get compliments everywhere I go. Just because you don't like a car, or it doesn't look like a BMW you had or want, doesn't mean the designer is a troll. You are not the arbiter of taste and BMW doesn't have a contractual relationship with you to design cars as you see fit.

[2021BMW745e]

Originally Posted by BimmerXdrive

I’ll just leave this here

Do you think that looks like a G70? Have you considered getting your eyes checked? It's like saying every car with split headlights looks like the G70. The car is great, the backlog is large and the sales will exceed first year sales for the G11/G12. You're hating it doesn't change a thing, though you are free to hate it. But it's already a sales success and BMW isn't going to change the direction of their design house.

[sakson]

Originally Posted by 2021BMW745e

The only troll is you. The target demographic of the G70 loves the car and sales are exceeding expectations at this point. I have a G12 BMW and it's only 2 years old, so I had no intention of getting a new one. However, after seeing the G70 and using the tech in it, I'm ordering one before the price increase. My spouse is strongly considering trading in his 840i xD as well for an i7.

The headlights thinning started with Rolls Royce & it looks a lot more like a Rolls than any other car. The BMW vehicles enthusiasts seem to like have old round headlights inside a larger frame, just like an early 2000's Hyundai Sonata. And yeah, the G70 doesn't look like that for a very good reason. It's a new car with a new design and people like it in the most important way, with their checkbook. People bad mouth the ginormous grill on my G12 here but IRL, I get compliments everywhere I go. Just because you don't like a car, or it doesn't look like a BMW you had or want, doesn't mean the designer is a troll. You are not the arbiter of taste and BMW doesn't have a contractual relationship with you to design cars as you see fit.

You're right. The car is absolutely beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous. It will go down in history as an all time great. What E38?

[Maverik259]

God almighty that front end is just awful. Makes the M3 pig nose look stunning. Fml.

[2021BMW745e]

Originally Posted by sakson

You're right. The car is absolutely beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous. It will go down in history as an all time great. What E38?

The truth is that it's not likely to go down in history as an all time great exterior design, but it won't go down in history as anywhere near the worst. It's just not so bad that people need to troll forums about the car, on topics unrelated to the looks, to share how ugly the car is (or in some cases, how ugly the OP's car itself is). Just because a BMW built 25 years ago is beautiful in your eye doesn't man that BMW has a contract with you to design vehicles to your satisfaction. It's not worth getting angry over and it's pretty clear that a lot of the G70 (and i4/M3/M4 & iX) hate is actual and literal anger. It's not worth. And if it didn't make you angry, you wouldn't be posting in the forum of a car you'd never buy to repeatedly tell people how ugly it is.

My advice? Just let it go. BMW designed a car for an intended market. I own a G12, I'm in the intended market and the G70 is great. I work in tech, software architect. The tech in these cars is insane and it's the fastest infotainment probably ever. This car was never meant for enthusiasts. It's an amazing piece of technology with an engine, ride & handling for enthusiasts -- and that's it.

[TXSTYLE]

Still Fugly!

[Johsonweks]

Originally Posted by TrafficJam

So I brought my vehicle to the dealer for services & repairs and saw the brand new G70 7 series on the lot. Since the car was available and I also got enough spare time, why not go for a test drive? I am not sure how many new 7 dealers are getting, but I am happy that they didn't make things complicate for a test drive. Just a simple form to filled and bang, sales hand us the key and we are good to go. Since it was a very new car, the salesperson hope us don't take it too far away. We definitely listened to him and tried to make things easy for both. In the end, we got about 10 minutes of drive on public roads. Although the time was short, but the new car is so different than the old one that 10 minutes of drive already gathered enough info / feelings for me to share, here they comes:

1. Exterior: G70 Wins. Many people hate the new design, but I am not one of them. I think the new 7 looks better than our G12. The whole car is bigger and the tall & huge grill just make it looks even bigger and aggressive. It looks so special and commanding almost to the point of a RR Ghost. Overall the G70's exterior definitely serves its flagship role better than our G12. Unfortunately I didn't have the G12 parked next to it. But I've seen pictures online with two cars park ed together. The new G70 makes our G12 (especially pre-LCI) looks like a 5 series.

2. Interior: G70 Wins. The car we tested wasn't highly optioned. I believe the MSRP was 102K or something. There was no fancy TV, first-class rear seats (actually this specific car's rear seat can't even be adjust), or the diamond 3D stereo . But even at this trim, the interior is great. First of all, the design is light years ahead. Unlike the G12 (which borrowed a lot of its interior design, layout, and buttons from the F02), the G70 borrowed nothing from the G12, every single piece in this interior was new and amazing(especially the diamond looking ambient light strip). Secondly the build quality, fit, and finish are better. Although G12's interior quality wasn't bad, the new car brought it to a new level. Third, the material is better. Base vs. Base, the new car's "Veganza" material feels much higher quality than the old entry level Dakota (or whatever leather). It was soft and smooth, almost as good as the Nappa.

3. (Seat) Comfort: G70 wins. G70's seats blow G12's seat out of the water. It was so much softer and more comfortable, truly felt like a luxury sofa. In contrast, G12's seats were no where near as soft or comfortable. Comfort-wise, I believe G70's seats can easily compete with the new S-Class (can eventually surpass). Also, rear seats' position were better in this car. It gave a sense of fall into a soft sofa vs. G12's siting on a high chair.

4. Ride: G70 wins. The car was on 21" wheels and it was noticeably smoother than my 20" (both are not on run-flat). Most importantly, the car behaved much better when hitting a pothole. At the same time, the car wasn't as floaty as the G12 in Comfort Plus. Insolation on this car was also better (noticeable, but not by much).

5. Handling: G12 wins. The G70's suspension set up was better. It did control the body-roll better. However, this car's steering was super light, super loose, and super dead. It made me feels like I am playing a simulator. The steering was numb and indirect. The car took time to react to steering input, and I had no idea where my front wheels are going. Although my M760's steering was also a bit numb, it was fast, direct, and have a hefty feeling. It felt like a performance car's steering compare to G70's (maybe the 4-wheel steering helps?). Compare to the new 740, driving the M760 still feels like a driving a car instead of a simulator.

6. Drivetrain: I can't compare the engine since I got the all mighty V12, but the new 740 was very good for what it is. The engine was smooth and linear. The power was more than enough (can even be peppy if you put it in sport). The 48V mild hybrid made the throttle feel superb. The transmission was even more smoother than before.

7. Something I don't like about the car: The iDrive 8 system. It was so complicated, almost like an Android tablet. I must went over awful amount of apps on the menu to find an adjustment such as the lumbar support. It is just so so so complicated. Another thing I wasn't impressed was the BowerWilkins Surround Sound system. It behaved just the same as my M760's BW. From a driver's perspective, sound was coming from the very front and there was no surrounding feeling. I guess I may change my opinion after I spend more time play with the stereo on this car...

8. Other random findings: I felt the interior space of G70 was narrower than G12's. Not sure if it was because of the car being taller...


Overall, I am super impressed with the car. I've driven W223 and new A8 (both in 6 cylinder base trim) already and I always felt like the G12 wasn't on the same level as those two. It was just not as comfortable. But with the G70, things have change. It is much more comfortable than the previous 7, and has a much better exterior and interior than its competitors (A8's interior is just out of fashion, W223's interior quality sucks, and both look boring from the outside). Also, pricing on this vehicle is reasonable as well compare to S-Class. I have high expectation on this car's sale and I think it is the best 7 series in the past 20 years.

I love the interior The steering is so sweet and the wheels lovely, 😁

[joeyjoejoejr]

Originally Posted by Maverik259

God almighty that front end is just awful. Makes the M3 pig nose look stunning. Fml.

Haha did you drop a “fuck my life?”

Look at all you real funny and clever guys stumbling in here from the four corners of the roundel, all feeling a certain way. I think that’s the point intentionally polarizing design. At least the thing doesn’t look like the EQS.

[E66er]

Originally Posted by DB_Cooper

lol @ boomer. I'm in my early 30s bro.

E65 is also hot trash.

After all these years I don't think opinion has changed much on that Bangle 7 just like it won't change on the newest 7.

We'll revisit this thread in 10 yrs. I'll still be right.

The E65 was a smashing sales success, so who's opinion are you talking about . We'll see how the G70 fares.

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by E66er

The E65 was a smashing sales success, so who's opinion are you talking about . We'll see how the G70 fares.

At least the e65 (which I also owned) looked like a BMW.
This thing looks like a hodge podge of incohesive other brands.