The diesel (still) makes a lot of sense

European sales diagrams seem to show that diesel engines in passenger cars are on their way outside. Less than 10% of all new cars that were bought on the continent last year drank from the Black Pump, which fell from over 50% ten years ago. As a born and raised Europeans, I have a preference for turbo -charged oil burners, so I have mixed feelings and there are still some fantastic diesel engines out there. One of them lies under the bonnet of the latest BMW 740D.

If you read this on the other side of the Atlantic, you probably think that a diesel in a large flagship sedan is a mistake. However, we have been buying diesel -luxo load barges for decades and still love them here. The 740d, based on the G70, is only the latest in a long series of 7 -series diesel reasons, and even in 2025 I think it still makes sense. Let me explain.

Diesel power

The engine that supplies the G70 diesel is the 3-liter six B57, which produces 296 hp (300 hp) and 494 LB-FT (670 Nm) in this 40D application. The muscular feeling and smoothing are improved by adding a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which integrates a small electric motor that offers additional torque, smooth motor starts and improved efficiency.

BMW has produced the outcome of the 740D variant compared to the previous generation, the G11, which has produced 335 hp (340 hp) and 516 LB-FT (700 Nm). Since it was also 225 kg lighter, it is no surprise that it can sprint to 62 km/h (100 km/h) in 5 seconds or eight tenths faster than the G70. I have never driven a G11 740D mild hybrid, but it has to feel a little faster.

However, the character of the BMW six-cylinder diesel is the same. While the power and torque numbers do not seem particularly impressive after today’s standards, the 740D on the street feels eager and powerful, and when they beat it, it has more than sufficient speed either from a standstill or a rolling start.

The noise you hear in the cabin is pleasant and luxurious, nothing of the industrial agricultural devices that runs with the same fuel. Having a diesel under the bonnet makes the G70 no less luxurious than any other drive train configuration, and also has the advantage of low fuel consumption.

Great fuel consumption

BMW quotes the 740D, which as a standard all-wheel drive between 38.5 and 34.6 MPG (6.1 and 6.8 l/100 km), which is remarkable for such a large load barge. During my trip I scored an average of 7.9 l/100 km and mainly drove in the city. This is similar to what my 2010 320D gets with a manual under the same conditions. The fact that this is a much larger vehicle with a larger engine with two other cylinders is impressive.

After driving two i7s and a 750e, I can say that I have experienced the G70 with other engines, and although this can be a shock for them, the 740D would be my choice with its mixture of torque, efficiency and effort. I also like how it sounds and the low -rotating nature of diesel engines, which give every car a more relaxed character and many wonderful, low goals.

Extremely comfortable

The rest of the G70 package with which I am familiar with and with which I am a fan. Since BMW no longer offers short and stretched versions of the 7 series, the standard model runs on a wheelbase with a wheelbase of 126.6 inches, which is almost six inches longer than in the G11. Not only can this feel more spacious, but also improves driving comfort. With the standard rear steering steering system, it feels agile and not as discouraging as you may think when you maneuver in tight rooms.

Combine this half -expanded wheelbase with standard air suspension and you get a car with a really excellent journey. While they were able to argue in earlier 7 generations that the BMW had a somewhat firmer and harder journey than the main competitor with the Mercedes S-Class, this is no longer the case with the G70.

In fact, this could have been reversed, with the W223 S-Class being the sportier and more feeling of the two. The G70 is roughly as sporty as one of the SUVs from BMW, which is partly a by -product of the vehicle, which is noticeably larger than any previous generation of the model, but also the general size and weight of the vehicle.

Driving in a G70 does not feel too unlike to be in a Rolls-Royce. They sit up, the cabin is fantastically gathered and does it to isolate it from the outside world, and with fully automatic doors that open or close to the touch of a button (or a haptic panel), the Rolls-Royce comparison does not appear far after.

Mile Munker

My tester also had the optional M pack that you don’t need in a 7 -series series, but it brings more sporty bumper and various bike designs and a sports steering wheel inside. There is apparently software tuning of the suspension with this option, but it seemed in this car that seemed to make, dive and roll like a real luxosast barge from one side to side.

This soft and floating feeling of suspension is the reason why you buy a car like this, and while the best place in the car is the right place behind you, it is also a lot of fun to drive. You can get 48-volt-active roll stabilization in the G70, but my tester did not have it, and I didn’t miss it, the pronounced body movement gave the car an additional character.

Driving this car on longer distances is incredibly relaxing and especially cost. I really can’t emphasize enough how good the trip is in this car, even on the big 21-inch wheel. It feels ready to bring her to the entire continent without either breaking it or she sweats. And although they are probably rich enough to not take care of fuel efficiency, this car returns below 6 l/100 km if, despite its weight and huge frontal area, they are constantly powered by highway speeds.

How BMW did something like that that looks like this is impressive and partly explains why there is no perceptible windshield in the car, even at high speeds. The optional acoustic glass with double glazing also plays its role here and is a must in a 7 series. During the cruise you do not really hear the engine and do not feel vibrations from it, and you can simply enjoy the trip and the excellent Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Sound System. When you are in your back, you will be dealt with with one of the largest screens of the business, a 41-inch 8k television who withdraws when you are not used.

Striking outside, chic inside

The design of the interior of the G70 may be a great departure from what BMW has done in the past two decades. However, as soon as you have got used to futuristic minimalism, it feels comfortable and coses. It is certainly a lot of elegance in having such a simple and monolithic -looking dashboard, and the crystal ambient lighting strip that operates its width contributes to the ambience. It seems to have paid great attention to mixing and adapting the different materials (leather, metal, wood and plastic).

With the Gran Lusso BMW Individual Pack, the car gets leather everywhere, including on the dashboard, the door cards and pretty much every place you see. It also adds an Alcantara headliner and improves the upholstery in Merinoleder. After the cashmere wool pad, the most expensive on the G70, has experienced in an i7, leather will never feel so luxurious, but it felt fantastic in my tester.

One of the best luxury cars ever made

While the G70 will not go down in history as the most beautiful 7 – I think that the award goes into the E38 – it is undoubtedly one of the best luxury cars that have ever been produced. I hope that the facelift will soon make the exterior slightly soft because it currently writes a little too much about its presence. Not all 7 -series buyers want to display their assets, and some prefer an inconspicuous luxury brand that they cannot currently offer.

One thing that the G70 has in common with previous generations is that a diesel under the hood does not bring any remarkable disadvantages. To be honest, you would not be able to say that it is also a diesel when idling. In fact, I encourage you to take into account the diesel of the G70 that you are configuring (if you are from Europe), since the diesel engines may soon expire and drive around in one piece.