I was looking at the wheelbase of the new 750i and iL, and the current short wheelbase is equal to the long wheelbase of the third gen 7, only 8 years ago. And the weight now even the ’smaller’ 750il is 4,600 lbs, while the third gen started at 4100, and the first and second were below 4,000 or well below 4,000 lbs.

No one needs a V12, but they are very smooth and great engines”

Sure, and nobody needs a v8 either, today’s i-4s make 190 and some over 200 HP, back in 1991, the Mercedes 300 SEL made a mere 177 HP from an I-6 3 lt engine!

But I am intrigued with something David Davis wrote a while ago, that every auto enthusiast should have a chance to drive a V12 car once in his or her life.

“Most V12s at least back in the day in Ferraris they were small engines. Most 4 to 4.5l or smaller.”

Some much smaller, Ferrari even had a 2.0 lt v12 (!!!) if I remember well, on one of its tiny original race cars.

Today’s 60 is the new 40, and the new V12 is the Veyron’s 1,001 HP W 16!

LOL…

I believe it is the Lexus LS that has an 8 speed auto, the BMW and if I am not mistaken the Mercs have 7 speed autos, which is also plenty. My old v8 has a 5-sp auto which is perfectly adequate. I don’t know if it had the lexus gearbox it might get 26-28 instead of 22-24 highway, but this is a minor improvement. I wish it had the DIESEL it is offered with in Europe, then it would get 30+ MPG Highway even with the 5-speed auto. Plus this 5-sp auto has a feature where you can force it to keep it in the present gear, so on the highway you can force it to stay in 5th instead of slippoing back to 4th, and improve fuel econ-if you care. OR keep it in 4th gear as you go faster and have better performance. I must say I never used it, the 5 sp auto is perfectly adequate. Nor did I shell out $150 or $250 as a friend suggested, so that my HP can go above 300 by some electronic chip modifications.

“well, that new BMW better go above 200 miles per hour or its going to be really disappointing.”

I have a hardbound brochure from the dealer for the new 7 (750 i and il only, no 760 v12) it is a whole book, and it states that, as I expected, the speed has a limiter at 150. This is an agreement between Merc, BMW and Audi. Only Porsches do not have a limiter, among top German dogs. But older 7s had much lower speed limiters, 128 MPH if I am correct. Which still should not be a big constraint in the 65-80 MPH speed limit USA.

Now, that new BMW 7 series has an 8-speed automatic, isn’t that a bit too many? well, that new BMW better go above 200 miles per hour or its going to be really disappointing.
It does kind of sound like a Phantom on a BMW body (not to say that RR Phantom is really a BMW) I mean a V-12 twin turbo – 8 speed- luxury fiil options car but a bit cheaper than a RR!!!

Smart buyers will then just wait a few years and buy a “pre-owned” for half the cost of a new one, right?”

They will probably go for the cheaper but still plenty powerful at 400HP and 450 lb-ft, 750i or iL. And If they wait 7 years, they can get one for as little as 1/5th to 1/10th of the cost of a new one.

Note that the original 750iL v12 had 300 HP, a lot for the time, (1987 or so) but today’s v8 is 33% more powerful than that old V12!

“# Chuck Grenci Says:
October 26th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Most if not all high end BMW drivers are not really concerned at the price point of a vehicle.”

Many of them may get it for free, as a company or Government car anyway!

But I agree, even those that have to pay to get one new, usually have plenty of dough and even pay cash.

My recent visit to a BMW showroom left me with the impression that not just the $100k-$140k 7, but everything, even the most lowly, small, and sure not luxurious BMW there, was way overpriced.