Our long-term 2009 BMW 750i is crammed full of technologies that are expressly intended to make its would-be owner's life (and those of his/her family) as coddled as possible.
For example, there are detents that hold the doors in any position you choose; cooled cupholders; rear wheel steering; sideview cameras; active stabilizer bars; active dampers; active steering; active headlights; crotch coolers and electrically-operated thigh supports in both front seats; in the backseat there are heated seats and dual-zone climate control... you get the idea.
Even opening the trunk is made easy--press any of the three different buttons and the lid swings all the up.
The downside is that this mechanically-assisted opening feature cranks up the effort required to close the trunk. You've really gotta put some back into it to whing that sucker down, and if the latch doesn't catch, the decklid just whips all the way back open.
Not the end of the world--it's just that the rest of the car had me prepared for a trunk that had a GPS-linked laser proximity array triggered by brainwave activity. You mean I gotta use my *gasp* muscles??
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor at 8,373 miles.
creeper says:
02:50 PM, 05/11/09
3 different buttons to open the trunk, yet no power close? really? really? not that you need power closing trunk lid on a sedan, but c'mon bmw, i thought this was a fully featured vehicle.
canadaphant says:
03:03 PM, 05/11/09
Haha, just shows that you'll always want more toys and coddling in any car you own.
tizzyd says:
03:28 PM, 05/11/09
it does come with a power closing feature, my dad's has it. maybe you're just not hitting the power close button??, because it is hard to close if you're not letting the power function close it.
nsbio1 says:
03:42 PM, 05/11/09
Crotch coolers??? Pictures, please.
mercedesfan says:
03:58 PM, 05/11/09
tizzyd- I don't think the power-close feature is standard, this is a BMW after all.
subytrojan says:
04:31 PM, 05/11/09
It depends if the LT 7er has the convenience package or not.
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2009/7/750iSedan/Features_and_Specs/750iSedanPkgsandOptions.aspx
According to the long-term introduction, the car doesn't.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/LongTerm/articleId=145067
lazyhater says:
04:32 PM, 05/11/09
A $90k 2009 750i don't have power opening/closing trunk lid? That is shocking! Why own a 7-serie if everything is not power operated?
lazyhater says:
04:37 PM, 05/11/09
A 750i without power trunk lid is like an off roading Range Rover without 4WD, or an American muscle car without a big V8. It is missing the point.
lazyhater says:
04:39 PM, 05/11/09
I should have used an example of an off roading Hummer H1 without 4WD instead of a Range Rover.......
roadburner says:
04:43 PM, 05/11/09
The power trunk lid on the B7 was a sure-fire crowd pleaser.
creeper says:
05:36 AM, 05/12/09
point is, do you really need a power open or close on a sedan? it's not like an suv's tailgate where the five-foot-nothing driver can't reach it to close it. it's a sedan. you must be at least 3.5 feet tall to reach it, yet you need power. redamndiculous.
CycloneRcr says:
06:17 AM, 05/12/09
Yes, you need a power-close on a sedan because it is so convenient. And your hands are also kept clean.. Especially when the inside handle requires a lot of pulling power to close the trunk like the sedan BMWs of today..
lazyhater says:
09:38 AM, 05/12/09
creeper, if you talk about need, all anyone need is a Tata Nano for transportation. I am not talking about height, being able to reach the open trunk lid, it is about convenience, effortless, total luxury. That is the point of a very expensive luxury car. From your point of view, every single features on the 7-series is not necessary, if anyone just want a large sedan, just spend $25k on an Accord or Avalon, why spend $90k on a 750i?
brian_k says:
07:43 PM, 05/12/09
No power close? And goose neck hingles to rob you of space in the trunk? My 07 A8L has power close trunk, as expected in this class. My company car- 07 CHEVY IMPALA has the compact hinges!!!! It is a POS and has a better trunk closure than a $90k BMW!?