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