2014 BMW 720i - The Economical Solution

[cawimmer430]

 Carspinners be like: "Shit, bro! My V6 Camry is faster than that!"


BMW 720i pops up on the company's German website, disappears immediately



An entry-level 720i version of the BMW 7-Series appeared on the company's German website but was taken down shortly.

Earlier this week BMW introduced a diesel 740Ld Xdrive in United States and now it seems the Bavarian marque has prepared a more affordable variant for its flagship in Germany. The model in question is a 720i version which was listed on BMW's German website but was pulled down very fast, yet not quick enough as a Jalopnik reader managed to grab a screenshot.

The engine in question is a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter which in the DE-spec 320i (xDrive including) delivers 184 HP (135 kW) or 170 HP (125 kW) in the 320i EfficientDynamics Edition.

At the moment, the cheapest 7-Series money can buy in Germany is the 730d priced from 74,200 EUR so the 720i would be closer to the 70,000 EUR mark.


Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/114012669298/bmw-720i-pops-up-on-the-companys-german-website-disappears

[2o6]

That would clearly be a livery vehicle....

[MrH]

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

[Raza]

[GoCougs]

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

Nailed it.

[2o6]

This is like a 2.7 Chrysler 300. Or the new Taurus Interceptor "detective" with the 2.0L 4cyl.

[veeman]

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

I think it's for all the Europeans who care more about the badge than they might admit to.  If you're embarrassed by your own success, why would you buy a 7 series which, outside of supercars/exotics, is about as showy as you can get.

[Galaxy]

I think it's for all the Europeans who care more about the badge than they might admit to. 

Those would buy a 320i without badges, and with cheap but large after market rims.

[veeman]

Those would buy a 320i without badges, and with cheap but large after market rims.

??

i'm not following this.  if someone cares about a "badge", why would they remove the badge?  isn't what you're describing an American thing popular with the young fast and furious crowd?

[mzziaz]

??

i'm not following this.  if someone cares about a "badge", why would they remove the badge?  isn't what you're describing an American thing popular with the young fast and furious crowd?

He's talking about the 320 badge, which tells it's a small engine.

[veeman]

The majority of Americans (perhaps also Europeans, although I don't know that) wouldn't know anything about the numbers.  A bmw is a bmw and a 7 series is a 7 series. 

This large severely underpowered 7 series would be bought by livery owners because their customers would like and pay extra that they are being chauffeured around in a large luxurious BMW.  It's appealing to the badge conscious consumer.  Someone who is ashamed or wants to hide their wealth would not want to be chauffeured around in a 7 series BMW because that car is very showy compared with a normal average joe car.  As an example, Alan Greenspan (former long serving chairman of the US Federal Reserve) would only be driven back and forth to work in a ford crown victoria.  He didn't want to project an image of being an elitist.  People who take off badges from their BMWs, at least in America, are usually fixated on a "clean" look. 

Some of them, true, may do it to hide that they bought a cheaper more underpowered model.

[mzziaz]

I dunno. In Norway it´s pretty common for the smaller engined cars to be ordered without the numbers

[NomisR]

No, this is made for all the Europeans who are embarrassed by their own success.

I thought they get V12 models and debadge them so they can pretend they only have a base model but want to pretend they have a higher end model..

[Xer0]

The majority of Americans (perhaps also Europeans, although I don't know that) wouldn't know anything about the numbers.  A bmw is a bmw and a 7 series is a 7 series. 

You have to remember that Europeans have way, way more engine options for their cars than Americans.  So while a 7 series in the states is either a 750 or 760 (and just recently we got the I6 740), in Europe there are at least 5 other engine options and prices that vary a lot, lot more than ours. 

What I've noticed in Europe is that people either debadge the base cars or the top of the line cars but for vastly different reasons. 

[mzziaz]

I thought they get V12 models and debadge them so they can pretend they only have a base model but want to pretend they have a higher end model..

Well, that happens too!

[Madman]

Sure, it's easy to poke fun a car like this.  But, when you step back and think about it, this car just might make sense for a certain type of buyer.  Let's say you want a big, luxurious car with all the bells and whistles but you're really not all that bothered about 0-60 times or high speed blasts down the Autobahn.  You just want a big, comfy car to cruise around in.  Well, why not a 720i?  After all, BMW already sells a 520i in Europe and it's not that much smaller than a 7 Series.  Besides, a modern, turbocharged 2.0 litre engine is more than capable of pulling a big car around without becoming a rolling roadblock for other motorists.  Why pay for a big engine when you don't need or want one?

It may not be the sort of car many of us would choose, but I can understand why the sort of person I mentioned above would do so.

[MrH]

Because the additional cost per mile for the same car that can actually get out of its own way is minuscule.  The bulk of your cost is in the depreciation of the vehicle, not fuel.

[veeman]

Sure, it's easy to poke fun a car like this.  But, when you step back and think about it, this car just might make sense for a certain type of buyer.  Let's say you want a big, luxurious car with all the bells and whistles but you're really not all that bothered about 0-60 times or high speed blasts down the Autobahn.  You just want a big, comfy car to cruise around in.  Well, why not a 720i?  After all, BMW already sells a 520i in Europe and it's not that much smaller than a 7 Series.  Besides, a modern, turbocharged 2.0 litre engine is more than capable of pulling a big car around without becoming a rolling roadblock for other motorists.  Why pay for a big engine when you don't need or want one?

It may not be the sort of car many of us would choose, but I can understand why the sort of person I mentioned above would do so.

True.  But at least in the US, there are other cars which don't have the badge cache or high entry price that a BMW 7 series commands which can do all that you mention equally well.  A volvo s80 for example.  Part of the reason that BMWs cost more is the engineering going in to make it the "ultimate driving machine."  Having a lackluster engine dampens a lot, not all, but a lot, of the ultimate driving experience. 

You're paying less to get a BMW 7 series because you want the badge and don't care so much about the driving experience.  And you know that most others will be none the wiser. 

If I were a livery owner it's a great deal.  Charge more because you're ferrying around people in a 7 series yet you save on fuel money, insurance, taxes, and initial cost.  Your drivers are less likely to drive real aggressive too. 

I don't know but I would bet the cost to the rider to get ridden around in a 7 series is probably twice that of a regular car.  I know in NYC it would be.  You hop in an S-class MB livery cab as opposed to a lincoln town car, you're paying a lot more.

Where someone could really get screwed is at a rental counter.  To rent a car in Europe is much more expensive compared with in the US.  I've rented before in Spain, Italy, France, and Scotland (Scotland was much more reasonable - but not obviously a similar comparison).  Let's say you really want to splurge and decide to rent a 7 - series.  If I got this thing, I'd be really pissed.  And probably totally powerless to do much about it.

I just did a check.  To rent a BMW 7 series (doesn't specify what engine type) in Malaga Spain for 1 day would cost you $881 dollars with mandatory insurance.  200 km mileage limit.  Hate to be the sucker that get's this engine model.

[MX793]

Sure, it's easy to poke fun a car like this.  But, when you step back and think about it, this car just might make sense for a certain type of buyer.  Let's say you want a big, luxurious car with all the bells and whistles but you're really not all that bothered about 0-60 times or high speed blasts down the Autobahn.  You just want a big, comfy car to cruise around in.  Well, why not a 720i?  After all, BMW already sells a 520i in Europe and it's not that much smaller than a 7 Series.  Besides, a modern, turbocharged 2.0 litre engine is more than capable of pulling a big car around without becoming a rolling roadblock for other motorists.  Why pay for a big engine when you don't need or want one?

It may not be the sort of car many of us would choose, but I can understand why the sort of person I mentioned above would do so.

"Economical Luxury Car" is an oxymoron.  Particularly when that economy is gleaned by putting an economy car engine under the hood.  (I give a pass to luxury hybrids because they still produce the power and get improved fuel economy via wiz-bang technology).  Luxury is about excess in all facets of the car.  Look at the golden age of luxury cars made between WWI and WWII.  I'm talking Deusenberg Model Js, M-B 770s, and Caddy 16s.  HUGE 6+ cylinder engines (sometimes supercharged) with several times the power of your average Model A or Austin 7 or 12.

[cawimmer430]

"Economical Luxury Car" is an oxymoron.  Particularly when that economy is gleaned by putting an economy car engine under the hood.  (I give a pass to luxury hybrids because they still produce the power and get improved fuel economy via wiz-bang technology).  Luxury is about excess in all facets of the car.  Look at the golden age of luxury cars made between WWI and WWII.  I'm talking Deusenberg Model Js, M-B 770s, and Caddy 16s.  HUGE 6+ cylinder engines (sometimes supercharged) with several times the power of your average Model A or Austin 7 or 12.

Economical luxury cars did exist in Europe during the Golden Age of Luxury Cars. Mercedes-Benz for example was producing monsters like the 770K "Großer Mercedes" and 500K/540K while at the same time offering smaller 6-cylinder alternatives like a 320K or 370K. At the same time, there were the rear-engined 4-cylinder 130H, 150H and 170H models. These cars were aimed at the Volkswagen Beetle but since they were more expensive, they weren't very successful.

Fuel-efficient luxury cars have always been present in Europe from most manufacturers, especially after World War II. 

[MX793]

Not everything Mercedes builds, or has built, is/was a luxury car.  The 350/370, the rear engine 130/150/170, as well as the front engine 170 of the same era were not luxury cars.  There are only two marques today that only build luxury cars:  Bentley and Rolls Royce.  Everyone else markets at least one non-luxury vehicle.

[veeman]

the BMW 7-series is a luxury car.  Period. 

we're talking their flagship model. 

[cawimmer430]

Not everything Mercedes builds, or has built, is/was a luxury car.  The 350/370, the rear engine 130/150/170, as well as the front engine 170 of the same era were not luxury cars.  There are only two marques today that only build luxury cars:  Bentley and Rolls Royce.  Everyone else markets at least one non-luxury vehicle.

Yes, that was my point. Even in the 20s and 30s some luxury-focused marques went "downmarket" with more economical/cheaper cars.

[cawimmer430]

the BMW 7-series is a luxury car.  Period. 

we're talking their flagship model. 

There's a 4-cylinder option in the Audi A8: the FWD 2.0 TFSI HYBRID.

The previous generation Mercedes W221 had a 4-cylinder turbodiesel model: the S250 CDI. There's probably one planned for the current model.

BMW is just adapting to the competition and market demands.


Many years ago people were bitching about diesel engines in luxury cars. Now they're accepted and popular.

[MrH]

There's a 4-cylinder option in the Audi A8: the FWD 2.0 TFSI HYBRID.

The previous generation Mercedes W221 had a 4-cylinder turbodiesel model: the S250 CDI. There's probably one planned for the current model.

BMW is just adapting to the competition and market demands.


Many years ago people were bitching about diesel engines in luxury cars. Now they're accepted and popular.

Wow.  How much do you have to hate yourself to buy one of those?

[cawimmer430]

Wow.  How much do you have to hate yourself to buy one of those?

People who love pain. 

[Raza]

I dunno. In Norway it´s pretty common for the smaller engined cars to be ordered without the numbers

It's often an option (if not from factory, at the dealer) here as well.  Most don't.

[Raza]

Not everything Mercedes builds, or has built, is/was a luxury car.  The 350/370, the rear engine 130/150/170, as well as the front engine 170 of the same era were not luxury cars.  There are only two marques today that only build luxury cars:  Bentley and Rolls Royce.  Everyone else markets at least one non-luxury vehicle.

We're really going to call the Continental GT a luxury car?  I guess standards these days are dropping.  C'est la vie. 

[/snob]

[MX793]

We're really going to call the Continental GT a luxury car?  I guess standards these days are dropping.  C'est la vie. 

[/snob]

Yes, it's also GT car, but it's also extremely luxurious.  It's a luxury car inasmuch as a Rolls Phantom Coupe or Wraith is.  Or a Deusenberg Model J Coupe.

[Char]

We're really going to call the Continental GT a luxury car?  I guess standards these days are dropping.  C'est la vie. 

[/snob]

But a Golf is a sporty car.