2009 BMW 750i: California Road Trip MPG

Not a flattering picture to the car, but I agree the rear end treatment is better on this car than previous Bangle-butts. I think it looks better in silver (from a guy who hates silver and gray cars).

Aside from the previously-posted note about where the side-marker lights are, I think it is good looking from every direction but the front. I think it has a very piggie-nose.

Hate the wheels, looks like something you'd get at Dirty Sanchez' Autobody & Imports LLC.

And the rear quarters are pretty flattering on these vehicle, but those fugly pigsnout nostrils out front need to be teleported into whatever dimension Bangle's living in now. Totally unbecoming of this otherwise sleek flagship.

The back would look so much better if the chrome strip was body-colored.

For 90 large that car is a total snooze. And FW is right...good mileage for a truck...rotten for a car.

Wow, that's awful mileage. Guess I'll remain happy with my 22 MPG average on my 335i.

Personally, compared to the S, LS and A8, the 7 is sorta the bee's knees in the looks department.

I think the F01 7-series is a beautiful car. And I'm certain it's appealing to the higher end market that it was designed for, as I continue to see more and more of them on the road here in Houston. It only looks better in person, in fact, I can't help but stare at the one parked in my office garage everyday. It has an awesome presence. And of course those wheels aren't going to appeal to the Honda/Nissan middle of the road crowd here.

love the wheels. would hate to clean 'em, though...

I usually like gunmetal colored wheels but not on a luxury car. It just doesn't look upscale enough. The boring design of the wheels doesn't help either.

BMW should have went with a slightly more aggressive design with less spokes yet with a brighter (satin?) finish similar to what Audi uses.

I like the sleekness of the body but the wheels make it a BMW with too many spokes and too dark a color.

we get about 20-22 on our LS460.

the throttle response on the lexus is not the best. it seems like it is set on economy, and sometimes lunges suddenly when try to get more power.

by the way, if you are spending 60-90k on a luxury car, a sports car, or a suv, you're typically not caring about the mpg.

no one is going to be comparing a ls, 7 series, or a s class mpg to a honda accord.

if you can afford the gas, don't buy the car.

That mileage seems perfectly reasonable to me considering the car's weight and power. Around town I usually average anywhere from 15-17mpg in my S550 so the Bimmer seems right on par. On extended highway drives, however, I almost always average 24-25mpg when cruising at 70-75mph. It wasn't until the car reached 20,000 miles that it started getting this great mileage, but it has remained consistent for the last 50K.

Secondly, I too feel that the new 7 is a beautiful car and far more elegant than its predecesor. I think the 760Li wheels are a big improvement as well.

I think the car's best to date is about 22mpg. Plus, I've been driving around Sacramento, CA where the traffic is much lighter than where the car normally lives (Los Angeles) so even the worst numnber above may be a pipe dream for some. If MPG is important to you, you're most likely not looking for a large German sedan powered by a twin turbo V8 - Brian Moody

Brian,

Next time you drive down Greenback Lane I will wave to you.

"That mileage seems perfectly reasonable to me considering the car's weight and power"

Only a good arguement if the trip included sections that required that much power. It didn't. A Honda Fit could have paced the BMW with ease.

The engine was loafing and still guzzled gas.

The weight serves no purpose either as it's just a 4 seater with an average trunk. It can't tow, carry anything heavy or more people then any small car.

For the work it did, the gas it used was excessive.

C'mon - you're not REALLY saying a Honda Fit and BMW 7 can do the same job without anyone being the wiser????? Seat comfort, road noise, power for passing up hill (Grapvine), comfort of kids due to power side and rear sunshades, better A/C and brighter head, tail, and sigal lights are just a few that come to mind w/o even thinking too hard.

Bodyblue - will do. When are you guys gonna vote for a freeway between hwy 50 and 80. The big bmw doesn't like all those surface streets. Roseville to El Dorado Hills - good luck!

WOW someone is comparing the Fit to the 7 series ? that's REALLY a stretch.

Y don't you go all the way and compare it to the Mini E? then it burns 0 gallons of gas (within the charge range).

then you can say for the Fit: "for the work it did, the gas it used was excessive"

if comparing the "work" it did, why don't we compare the 7-series to a rickshaw?

Brian,

Sunrise Blvd was supposed to be the connector between 50 and 80, but the project ran out of money in the early '70s. That is why they built Sunrise Mall where they did....it was supposed to be right off of the freeway.

The car is rated for 22 mpg highway, so 18.6 mpg is a little low. Still, that kind of mileage for a 4600 lb car with 400 hp/450 torques is not too bad.

Consider this - a Pontiac G8 GXP puts down 415 hp/415 torques and weighs 600 pounds less. With the same number of gears, it achieves a 13/20 rating versus the 750's 15/22.