Everybody likes to complain about new German cars, pointing out that they've become too expensive and complicated. So it's nice to do a check once in a while to see how they've evolved over the years. Anybody care to see the differences between the G11/G12 aka the 2020 7 Series and an old E38?
This video from Throttle House compares a modern 750Li to an old 740i, and it looks gigantic. I mean, the new one is obviously the long wheelbase, but my god has it been stretched it out.
Just looking at a quick side-by-side screenshot from the YouTube video, it's obvious that the elephant in the room is the grille, which is ginormous by any standards. "Did you fall into the grille again?" one presenter jokes to the other.
Obviously, designs have changed. We're not actually upset with BMW for making bold styling statements. But maybe fake exhaust pipes shouldn't be a thing. The 2020 750Li is beautiful in our eyes, and so is the E38. But these don't feel like the same type of car, especially in the legroom department.
One thing that seems to have stayed the same is reliability. The comments section for this type of story or video is usually filled with reports from current or previous owners that say lots of expensive stuff breaks on their BMW, usually just after the warranty runs out. We've heard some stories about the steering and electronics on this G11 generation, but it probably isn't as bad as the E38.
The old generation of 7 Series is famous for its gremlins. A problem with your V12 electronics can be several times more expensive to fix than the car, but this V8 model isn't far behind. And while you can occasionally find examples in good condition, the 2001 740i boasts malfunctioning front windows.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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