All New BMW 730LD 2016.... Bentley Class Now ???

[Audio_Karma]

This car reviewer says this new 2016 BMW 730LD is in the same class as... Bentley NOW!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSuVFIqrPKU

 

[andrew_stenhouse]

Or perhaps more sadly, the Bentley is now in the class of the BMW...

 

[FrantzM]

Or perhaps more sadly, the Bentley is now in the class of the BMW...

Come On!

BMW has the wherewithal and R&D to match most manufacturers: They have been slinging out with Daimler-Benz several times a larger company for decades so why wouldn;t be able to match Bentley? What was Bentley before VW/Audi ownership but a dying manufacturer best known as a re-badger of Rolls-Royce cars seeling them for less and Rolls ROyce themselves not Olympus of innovation?

 

[es347]

..Forbes put the 740 on their list of 15 cars to avoid and I say that as someone who's owned about ten BMWs over the years. I am a huge BMW fan currently owning a 228i M Sport so am not here to diss the company..

 

[ack]

I test-drove the 2016 750 yesterday. The car is extremely long, the rear passenger seat reclines all the way to a bed by pushing the front passenger seat forward, and the car features active body-roll correction among other features (such as LCD-screen dials, configurable fonts, and on and on and on). Overall, it's the most luxurious 7 I have seen, drives really well, and it's not meant to be a sports car, but rather an executive car. The test drive was for fun, not to buy...

 

[JackD201]

One is meant to be driven in a 7L not drive one, unless you're a limo driver/operator. The standard wheelbase 7s are meant to be owner driven. In Asia the growing trend among top executives are vans like the Executive or President versions of the Toyota Alphard. The government guys still do Limos or large sedans though (Crowns, 7s, S's, A8s). Nothing in the rear cabin but two business class style seats with all the bells and whistles. Big windows, lots of headroom, seats that can actually lay out flat. Extremely easy to get in and out of too. Accces is akin to a copter on wheels. I saw one of these in Tokyo and if you ask me I'd choose to ride in one of these rather than any Limo. Totally understated from the outside with all the comfort save the lovely smell of european leather. Not a bad deal for a less than half the money.

 

[Andrew Stenhouse]

Royal President

View attachment 26288

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Inside of a Extended Wheelbase Phantom:

View attachment 26289

 

[Folsom]

Or perhaps more sadly, the Bentley is now in the class of the BMW...

Ya... how is BMW suppose to compete with handcrafted parts, real wood, etc.... They don't. Bentley must be a huge let down these days?

Bentley = you drive
Rolls Royce = someone drives you

I think that's the description that fits well, I wasn't under the impression Bentley was anything but a division of Rolls?

My thought was always that buying those two brands was buying something designed to be timeless in style and for maintenance. But I've since learned they're pathetic in quality. I'd always thought the engines would be like that of German planes from WW2; that were so good by today's standards are marvels of engineering and craftsmanship. But all the reports say they're constantly broke down, and cost absurd amounts of money to fix.

It doesn't help that Volkswagen is known for being unreliable. It's ranked really bad. BMW is ranked above average.

I'd buy the BMW 7 class over any VW group. But Forbes is right, the 7 series always represents BMW's unproven technology that needs refinement. It works for awhile, and it's meant to make certified tech's bosses lots of money. If you don't care about price or the car makes you money then it's no big deal.

The car I'd be looking towards is the Porsche Panamera. It's very nice looking and Porsche makes some of the highest quality vehicles that won't let you down. They're super reliable. The 310hp version even gets decent mpg.

 

[Andrew Stenhouse]

Or perhaps more sadly, the Bentley is now in the class of the BMW...

I am not sure why I posted that. Upon reflection it is a silly thing to say. The idea of "class" is an odd one. It is more about what someone wants, would suit them and can afford.

 

[Folsom]

I am not sure why I posted that. Upon reflection it is a silly thing to say. The idea of "class" is an odd one. It is more about what someone wants, would suit them and can afford.

Desire seems to be the highest ranking factor if the monetary concerns aren't something you need to care about; with cars. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

As long as I'm not paying $1000 for an oil change, but am paying $1000 for a replacement wood dash piece (solid wood) on a $200k+ car, that's fine. I might even be ok with a $1000 oil change if it meant the engine was boundlessly reliable. But that seems to be the opposite of true. Yet it appears like people assume if they're paying a lot for a car it must be a lie that they're not dependable.

But is there not irony that in our audiophile products we don't want things that break, but with cars we are much more tolerant of unreliability... and which one do we need to have more than the other typically? It's so odd how intolerant we are in the audio world, and tolerant in the auto.

 

[Andrew Stenhouse]

Desire seems to be the highest ranking factor if the monetary concerns aren't something you need to care about. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

But is there not irony that in our audiophile products we don't want things that break, but with cars we are much more tolerant of unreliability... and which one do we need to have more than the other typically?

Yes I agree with you - although personally I find that level of conspicuous consumption both vulgar and slightly obscene.

Well, I wouldn't tolerate cars being unreliable, anymore than I would an audiophile product.

 

[Folsom]

I edited my other message to recommend Porsche, since they're more reliable than almost anything else out there.

The BMW 7 series actually gets decent gas mileage particularly the 740i. You'd need the 750i x where I live however. It looks very nice inside. But I wouldn't trade a difference in less than a second for 4mpg in a non-sports car.

I haven't mentioned Lexus here because there higher end models get awful mpg. My idea of luxury isn't spending a lot of time at the pump.

 

[Rodney Gold]

At the pub
" I drive a beemer"
"I drive a Bentley"
which gets your respect...?

 

[Folsom]

At the pub
" I drive a beemer"
"I drive a Bentley"
which gets your respect...?

Neither

 

[FrantzM]

At the pub
" I drive a beemer"
"I drive a Bentley"
which gets your respect...?

Neither

'nough said

 

[Elberoth]

Having driven the latest BMW 7-series, Panamera, Audi A8 and Merc S-class, I would have to give the nod to the Merc. By for the most comfortable to drive of the lot with still quite good driver experience (Audi S5 owner here).

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Rolls Royce has been on a 7 Series chassis for some time now, no attempt to cover it up, BMW badging everywhere under the hood.

 

[wisnon]

Ya... how is BMW suppose to compete with handcrafted parts, real wood, etc.... They don't. Bentley must be a huge let down these days?

Bentley = you drive
Rolls Royce = someone drives you

I think that's the description that fits well, I wasn't under the impression Bentley was anything but a division of Rolls?

My thought was always that buying those two brands was buying something designed to be timeless in style and for maintenance. But I've since learned they're pathetic in quality. I'd always thought the engines would be like that of German planes from WW2; that were so good by today's standards are marvels of engineering and craftsmanship. But all the reports say they're constantly broke down, and cost absurd amounts of money to fix.

It doesn't help that Volkswagen is known for being unreliable. It's ranked really bad. BMW is ranked above average.

I'd buy the BMW 7 class over any VW group. But Forbes is right, the 7 series always represents BMW's unproven technology that needs refinement. It works for awhile, and it's meant to make certified tech's bosses lots of money. If you don't care about price or the car makes you money then it's no big deal.

The car I'd be looking towards is the Porsche Panamera. It's very nice looking and Porsche makes some of the highest quality vehicles that won't let you down. They're super reliable. The 310hp version even gets decent mpg.

Hahahaha

Bentley/Bugatti/Lamborghini/Audi/Skoda/Seat are all a part of the VW group, as is the VW brand. Porsche is 50% owned by the VW group too.

Of all the brands above, Skoda wins the most awards for reliability.

I think the Panamera is ugly, but that is just me. The only Porsches I like are the Carerra GT and the 959.

 

[wisnon]

Rolls Royce has been on a 7 Series chassis for some time now, no attempt to cover it up, BMW badging everywhere under the hood.

The new Alpha Giulia (Quadrifoglio) is the rage now. Gonna cannibalize Maserati sales. 2.9L 505bhp Ferrari engine! Is FIAT crazy?

BTW, is RRoyce Chinese owned now?

Edit: Loss of Rolls-Royce marque

After negotiations, BMW and Volkswagen Group arrived at a solution. From 1998 to 2002, BMW would continue to supply engines for the cars and would allow Volkswagen use of the Rolls-Royce name and logo. On 1 January 2003, only BMW would be able to name cars "Rolls-Royce", and Volkswagen Group's former Rolls-Royce/Bentley division would build only cars called "Bentley". The last Rolls Royce from the Crewe factory, the Corniche, ceased production in 2002, at which time the Crewe factory became Bentley Motors Limited, and Rolls-Royce production was relocated to a new entity in Goodwood, England known as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Despite losing control of the Rolls-Royce marque to BMW, however, the former Rolls-Royce/Bentley subsidiary retains historical Rolls-Royce car assets such as the Crewe factory and L Series V8 engine.

 

[Andrew Stenhouse]

RR cars are owned by BMW.

Bentley by VW.

Interesting history for those interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motors

Jet engines are something else again.