Making history in the new 2023 BMW 760i xDrive sedan

Announcing: The making of history right here in Snohomish County on May 10, 2023.

But first, some background.

My friend Anne, an avid gardener, has an adorable 1920s craftsman style home. She has filled the yard with flower beds so beautiful that passing motorists slow down and sometimes stop for a better look.

My house is real old too, more like a little farmhouse, with the kind of charm achieved only through persistent deferred maintenance. It’s on acreage I’ve turned into a makeshift wildlife refuge, where the life of every wild creature is respected, including insects.

Back to Anne. I know she keeps snails out of her gardens. I’ve avoided asking by what method. One of my brothers, also an avid gardener, told me he feels more compassion for the weeds he pulls up than for snails.

I’m pleased to report the forming of a local Snail Relocation Program. Instead of doing God-knows-what with the offending snails, Anne gathers them alive into a container, I come get them, take them home and turn them loose at my place. A triple-win situation if ever there was one.

During the week of May 10, I was driving the 2023 BMW 760i xDrive sedan.

The history-making event? Seven snails going for a ride in a $150,000 BMW.

The BMW 7-series sedan is fully redesigned for 2023. Its three-model lineup includes the first ever all-electric i7 xDrive60.

BMW says the 7-series’ bold front end presents the new design language of their luxury models. A few highlights of the new sedan are an available 31-inch BMW Theater Screen with built-in Amazon Fire TV and 8k resolution; an optional Highway Assistant feature providing hands-free driving up to 80 mph; and 48V mild hybrid technology for the gas-powered models.

Pricing for the 760i xDrive starts at $114,595 including a $995 destination charge. My history-making test car drove up the bottom line with a full measure of optional features and packages with an average price of about $2,800. The Rear Executive Lounge Seating package ($7,250 and it includes the Theater Screen) gives a hint about this sedan’s essence.

A twin-turbo V8 engine propels the new 760i xDrive with 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and has all-wheel drive. The EPA rating is 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, 21 mpg combined. Ride quality is as soothing as a cradle, and impossibly quiet. Behavior on curvy roads is deft despite the car’s bulk.

Visually, stepping into the 2023 760i xDrive cabin is like entering a Fabergé egg. Sparkling crystalline surfaces, jewel-like controls, open-pore wood accents and stainless steel speaker covers are some of the delights, and the design is incredibly artistic.

There’s a lot going on with information displays, controls, gauges, screens, panels, messaging, push buttons, et cetera, and there’s some redundancy. It brings to mind the term “too much information” but with a different spin. I said “Hey BMW” a lot, sometimes as a cry for help more than an authoritative voice command.

PS: One more comment on the Snail Relocation Program. It just goes to show that cars and a love of nature aren’t always mutually exclusive.

2023 BMW 760i xDrive

Base price, including destination charge: $114,595

Price as driven: $149,045

Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.