New cars: 2009 BMW 7 Series

Motor Trend

Call the fifth-generation 7 Series “a champion.” This almost all-new edition is “among the world’s most accomplished automobiles.” The interior cabin is perhaps the quietest ever devised, and the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 can traverse both narrow winding roads and the autobahn with unerring velocity and quick reflexes.

The New York Times

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The new 7 is “faster, nimbler, and more fun” than any big sedan has a right to be. The previous 7 Series had a “dominatrix-in-Berlin” quality—“icy Germanic” interior, incomprehensible controls, “minimalist appointments”—that seemed designed for mature gentlemen who wanted to suffer while driving. Now the once-infuriating iDrive interface has been revamped, and the gorgeous analog gauges make this “a driver-first car.”

Road & Track

Top speed on this side of the Atlantic is electronically limited to 155 mph, but a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic gearbox will get you there faster. A new electronic overlord called Integrated Chassis Management monitors shocks, steering, and braking. The 402-hp V8 is as powerful as most V12s.