There are drawbacks to the Sport Package. The ride is firmer than that of its standard siblings, and the lower final drive ratio exacts a penalty of two miles per gallon in both the city and highway EPA tests. The Sport Package adds $2,800 to the $62,900 list price of a 740iA, but also requires a $1,700 gas guzzler tax that the regular 740iA avoids. (750 models get stuck with a $2600 gas guzzler tax.)
The engine is an even match for the chassis, a rolling cornucopia of flawless torque. Silent at idle or cruise, at full throttle the engine emits a mellow V8 burble with nice round vowel tones. The 740i weighs more than two tons, but there's torque abundant to push it through a 0-60 mph sprint in a quick 6.8 seconds, according to BMW, the shorter final drive ratio clipping a tenth off the run.
Using Steptronic to control the transmission yields a more sports car-like experience with the 740iA Sport. It responds quickly, shifting up and down without the delay of an automatic shifted manually. Purists will still pine for a clutch pedal, but the Steptronic is a reasonable compromise and possibly the best you'll get in a luxury car here in America. And anyone driving in stop-and-go traffic will appreciate the left thigh-saving feature of the automatic.
The standard automatic that comes in the 750iL and other models is a fantastic transmission. The shifts are just buttery smooth. Next Page