2005 7 Series: more power, similar price

BMW has announced pricing for its facelifted E65 7 Series ahead of its June introduction.

The MY2005 limousine now starts from $178,300 for the entry-level 740i, which is $6000 more than the outgoing 735i but the same price BMW charged in 2004 - prior to this year's five per cent import tariff reduction.

As previously reported, the standard and long-wheelbase (Li) versions in 735 and 745 guise will be substituted for a 740i/Li and 750i/Li, with the baseline 735’s 200kW/360Nm 3.6-litre V8 retired in favour of a 225kW/390Nm 4.0-litre iteration - hence the 740 label - with Valvetronic and double VANOS technology.

With the 745i/Li, the 245kW/450Nm 4.4-litre V8 will be deleted for a 270kW/490Nm 4.8-litre version in the rather misleading ‘750’ model.

The long-wheelbase 740Li starts from $189,900 (735Li is currently $182,300), while the 750i and 750Li are priced from $208,400 and $227,400 respectively (the 745i and 745Li are currently $201,200 and $216,500 respectively).

The 760Li, which continues with a 327kW/600Nm 6.0-litre V12, will be priced from $335,600 - up from the current $321,300 pricetag.

The six-cylinder 730i remains on sale in Europe, where 3.0-litre turbo-diesel (730d) and 4.4-litre V8 turbo-diesel (745d) versions are also available.