One Owner With Only 1378 Miles Immaculate Still Looks New In And Out on 2040-cars

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2015 BMW 740Ld xDrive

When it first came stateside in 1978, choosing a BMW 7 Series was a simple process. With one engine and one wheelbase, you could just pick what color you want and be on your merry way. Today there are ten different models, forcing drivers to choose among four engines (plus a hybrid), rear- or all-wheel-drive, and two different wheelbase lengths. As if this isn't tricky enough, the options list has more custom choices than the Taco Bell app. Do you want standard paint and upholstery, or something from the pricey BMW Individual collection? What about the headlights: Do you want LEDs, or are the standard xenons just fine? Need a head-up display? Night vision? Adaptive dampers? The list goes on and on. After a week with a new version of BMW's flagship sedan, we've sorted out which model you actually want, although it's still up to you whether or not to order a ceramic-glazed iDrive knob. Our favorite 7 Series is now the 740Ld Xdrive, a conclusion we came to after a week at the helm of the smooth, torquey land yacht. Driving Notes When the diesel 7 first arrived at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, its engine was already familiar to American consumers. It's the same 3.0-liter, turbodiesel inline-six found in everything from the E90 3 Series to the past two generations of X5, as well as the current 5 Series. A robust 413 pound-feet of torque lathered across the rev range, with peak twist available between 1,500 and 3,000 rpm, and the corresponding horsepower tops out at 255. 0Í–60 happens in a sedate 6.1 seconds, and for those with autobahn dreams the top speed is a modest 130 mph. While those figures aren't terribly impressive, as is often the case with diesels, the real-world application of the engine's power is far more dramatic. Even small throttle inputs produce a smooth surge of acceleration, making the 740Ld feel a lot quicker than the performance metrics might indicate. Even with the current cheap price of gas, the superior fuel efficiency of a diesel engine is worth noting, especially as this model only costs $1500 more than a 740Li xDrive. The diesel tips the scales at nearly 4,700 pounds, yet it boasts a 31-mile-per-gallon highway rating. It's rated at 23 mpg in the city, while our real-world testing saw returns in the mid-to-high 20s. Simple anecdotes about acceleration and fuel economy figures only convey a small part of the 740Ld's goodness.

2014 Dinan S1 BMW M5

The last time the Dinan name graced the pages of Autoblog, Michael Harley was waxing poetic about the S3-R BMW 1M Coupe, a car that still stands in his ranks as one of the best cars he's ever driven. And that wasn't just because it was, you know, amazing. It's because as far as tuners go, Dinan produces some seriously well-executed products. Harley said of the 1M, for example, "It was so fully formed and well-rounded that it felt like BMW itself had made it."
Eager to sample some of these wholly wonderful wares, I cleared a few hours in my Monterey Car Week schedule and booked a date with the S1 M5 you see here - the (current) daily driver of Mr. Steve Dinan, himself. But unlike the S3-R 1M the company tuned previously, the donor car in question here is vastly different and, if I'm honest, not as good. See, I adore the stock 1M in a way words cannot express, but the standard-issue M5... good as it is, there are indeed a few flaws.
But after driving the Dinan S1 M5 around the Monterey Peninsula, I can confirm two things. First, Harley's conclusion that Dinan builds products that feel 100 percent BMW-spec is absolutely true. And second, Steve and the gang haven't just created a tuned M5, they've built a better one.

Editors' Picks June 2023: BMW 3 Series and more luxury sport sedans

This month sees a number of luxury sport sedans gain Editors' Pick status thanks to updated or recently-all-new models coming out. The BMW 3 Series is a longtime favorite, and so is the Alfa Romeo Giulia at this point. Just like the electric version of the G80, though, the gasoline version is also an Editors' Pick this month. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in May that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2023 BMW 3 Series 2023 BMW 3 Series View 15 Photos Quick take: The 3 Series may not be the standard anymore, but it's still a superb luxury sport sedan with powerful engines, great handling, impressive tech and tons of space. Score: 7.5 What it competes with: Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Cadillac CT4, Acura TLX, Lexus IS, Infiniti Q50, Genesis G70, Volvo S60 Pros: Enjoyable and powerful engines; fun handling; lots of space in rear seat and cargo area; attractive design inside and out Cons: Infotainment is frustrating to use sometimes; value isn't the best From the editors: Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "The 3 Series ticks all the boxes that a top-shelf luxury sport sedan should. It's attractive but not gaudy. The driving dynamics leave me grinning at the end of a fun road, but don't beat me up on the highway. Any and all modern tech is present and accounted for. And while the price is high, it's not so bad for what you get. I'm an especially big fan of the M340i with its inline-six, but the four-cylinder in the 330i is an excellent option if you don't want to spend as much." In-depth analysis: 2023 BMW 3 Series gets fresh styling and infotainment   2023 Genesis G80 2022 Genesis G80 Sport Prestige View 61 Photos Quick take: The G80 has looks to kill, and it backs that design up with a functional and also-gorgeous interior. There's a lot of value to be had with this nice-to-drive luxury sedan.