What's the difference?
The BMW 7 Series is Munich’s flagship, the car that fans of the blue and white roundel respect as peak plush motoring.
Now, for the seventh 7 Series, BMW has brought electric power to the table in the form of the i7 in order to stay ahead of the curve.
It’s still joined by a petrol-powered variant here in Australia, the 740i, which is a mild hybrid and shares a lot of the luxury specifications of the i7 - including a properly impressive rear seat theatre screen.
But is it forward-thinking enough to fend off the likes of the Mercedes EQS?
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is one of the quiet-achieving top-sellers in the Australian 4WD market and now 2WD five- and seven-seater variants have been added to further expand the popular SUV wagon line-up.
With sub-$50,000 price-tags being touted, is a 2WD Pajero Sport worth your consideration?
We had a seven-seater variant for a week to see how it stacks up against its 2WD rivals and its own 4WD stablemates.
Read on.
While the new 7 Series won’t visually appeal to everyone, nor is it at the forefront of spirited driving dynamics, it’s hard to argue that it isn’t fit for purpose.
Its rear theatre screen and lounge layout might seem gimmicky at first, but it’s difficult to think of a more comfortable way to be transported on wheels short of putting a chassis under your loungeroom. Even then, you’d have to ask someone for a massage.
This is one of those cases where a car becoming larger isn’t such a bad thing, and BMW should feel like it’s achieved, seemingly, what it set out to do in building an electric limousine that doesn’t fall short in range or dynamics.
If BMW can bring this level of refinement down to its more affordable models, its electric future is looking promising.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLS 2WD seven-seater is a well-built and well-priced family-friendly wagon.
It's nice to drive, has a rather comfortable interior and – bonus – the vehicle on which it's based has proven credibility as a no-nonsense and highly functional touring vehicle.
But in 2WD guise it's missing something: namely Super Select II, which accounts for a considerable chunk of the 4WD Pajero Sport’s appeal – so the absence of that in this 2WD version is a significant negative, in my books.
The not-so-subtle point I’m trying to make? Sure, the 2WD Pajero Sport is a few grand cheaper than its 4WD stablemate and it's a solid value-for-money buy as is, but I reckon paying the extra cash to get your hands on a Pajero Sport that's equipped with Super-Select II is the better bet.