BMW not afraid of lastest Mercedes opposition<\/p>\n
By Russell Williamson<\/p>\n
BMW's 7-Series is set to get its first serious competition in
\nthe top end of the luxury car market when Mercedes-Benz launches
\nits flagship S-Class later this year.<\/p>\n
However, sales executives at PT Tjahja Sakti Motors, the local
\nassemblers and distributors of BMW, are quietly confident the S-
\nClass will make little difference to the sales success of the BMW
\n730iL.<\/p>\n
Since going on sale last October, the top of the range Rp 380
\nmillion BMW has notched up about 170 sales, with the company
\nexpecting to sell between 250 and 300 cars per year.<\/p>\n
According to Mr. Sarwono, a sales executive at BMW, although
\nMercedes maintains a higher profile in Indonesia, the 7-Series
\nhas a number of advantages over the S-Class which should ensure
\nits continued success.<\/p>\n
While both are large luxury sedans, the 730iL is a newer car
\nhaving only been launched internationally about 2 years ago.<\/p>\n
The S-Class is now about five years old in its model life and
\nis due to be replaced late in 1998.<\/p>\n
Although the S-Class is still recognized as an extremely
\ncapable car, Sarwono said the model likely for Indonesia, the
\nS320, does not match the performance of the BMW.<\/p>\n
While the S320 features a slightly larger capacity 3.2-liter
\nstraight six-cylinder engine against the 3.0-liter V8 in the BMW,
\nthe extra weight of the Mercedes reduces the car's potency.<\/p>\n
However, the BMW is no lightweight either, and at more than
\n1.8 tonnes it would seem to be asking a bit much of an engine
\nthat displaces just 3.0 liters.<\/p>\n
But BMW technology conquers all: the new luxury liner slips
\nwith equal ease along the freeway, or from traffic light to
\ntraffic light. Occasionally a determined thrust of the
\naccelerator pedal might be needed to quickly join a stream of
\nflowing traffic, or execute a highway passing maneuver, but the
\nresponse always belies expectations.<\/p>\n
This is partly because the 730's little V8 produces a decent
\npunch for its capacity -- at 160 kilowatts it is among the top-
\nperforming naturally aspirated 3.0-liter engines -- and partly
\nbecause of carefully chosen gearing driving the rear wheels.<\/p>\n
It is also partly because the five-speed automatic gearbox is
\nimpressively efficient and makes the most of every Newton metre
\nof torque.<\/p>\n
These things are an important consideration with BMW's 7-
\nSeries. The car is seen as the trump card in a high-stake game
\nwhere the winner gains top place at the upper end of the luxury
\nmarket. After years of playing runner-up to Mercedes in this
\narea, BMW feels the new car offers Indonesians a winning
\ncombination of style, accommodation and uncompromising luxury.<\/p>\n
Running on a combination of all-new and revised running gear
\nand a new body that cleaves the air smoothly, while combining
\nhigher levels of passive safety with an interior that feels more
\nlike a luxury lounge than a car, the 7-Series is a slightly more
\nsubtle top-end car than the Benz S-Class.<\/p>\n
Like the Mercedes, there is no compromising in the 7-Series.
\nWhile providing an astounding list of standard equipment, the car
\nis also at the very top end of what carmakers are able to do with
\nride quality, handling and road-holding ability, interior noise
\nlevels and engine performance.<\/p>\n
The levels of safety are state-of-the-art, including such
\nthings as dual front air bags, antilock braking and a body shell
\ndesigned around 56km\/h barrier impact standards.<\/p>\n
Assisted by a new multilink rear suspension, the BMW
\ncomfortably straddles the difficult trade-off between ride and
\nhandling. The torque-sensitive steering, despite feeling slightly
\n\"unnatural\" in wheel effort as speeds change, is surprisingly
\nsharp and responsive considering the car's bulk, yet the ride is
\nalmost unbelievably soft. In fact it feels so soft there is a
\nsuggestion it might tend towards high-speed float, which, of
\ncourse, never proves to be the case. This is all helped by
\nstandard self-leveling rear suspension that maintains ride height
\nregardless of load.<\/p>\n
High-speed progress demonstrates the cruising capability of
\nthe big car; all is silent inside, apart from the occasional
\nmuted and not-unpleasant drone from the V8 when acceleration is
\nrequired.<\/p>\n
There are plenty of things to play with at other times. The
\nintegrated trip computer system proves easy to use and the driver
\nhas plenty of scope to electrically adjust seat and steering
\nwheel positions.<\/p>\n
Climate control air-conditioning, an abundance of leather and
\nwood and a 10-speaker AM\/FM radio, cassette and CD player are all
\nstandard equipment.<\/p>\n
While the front seats offer more than ample leg space for
\nvirtually any passenger, the rear compartment is dazzlingly
\nlarge. There is never any doubt that this car takes its back-seat
\npassengers seriously.<\/p>\n
The degree of thought that has gone into making this car
\neverything a luxury vehicle should be is evident throughout,
\nright down to the power-assisted \"soft-close\" for the trunk.<\/p>\n
In the end, the 7-Series makes for a wonderful driving
\nexperience.<\/p>\n
The security of knowing it is at the cutting edge of safety
\ndesign, combined with perhaps the most successful BMW ride-
\nhandling balance yet achieved, along with levels of standard
\nequipment that leave the rest of the luxury class gasping, and a
\nhuge interior, the 7-Series is the most impressive big car yet
\nfrom the company.<\/p>\n
CAPTION:
\nBMW 730iL offers an engaging driving experience with all the
\ncomfort and luxury of a large sedan.<\/p>",
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