2020 BMW 750Li Battles Audi A8L for Limo Supremacy
V8-powered BMW 750Li has more power than the mild-hybrid Audi A8L, but these two luxury barges have other things in common.
When it comes to sports cars, two of the most important characteristics are the amounts of horsepower and torque they generate. Torque takes on even more importance in pickup trucks, which need it to haul heavy loads. However, those two figures are just one part of what makes a great luxury car, which also needs to be stately, quiet, composed, fitted with high-end interior materials, and loaded with creature comforts and advanced technology. To find out just how great BMW’s and Audi’s full-size sedans are, the guys at Throttle House tested the 2020 BMW 750Li against the Audi A8L.
Power may not be everything in the luxury sedan segment, but it’s worth mentioning there is a significant difference between the cars co-hosts Thomas Holland and James Engelsman review. As of right now, the A8L is only available with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6/48-volt mild hybrid powertrain. Output is 335 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. BMW doesn’t offer the six-cylinder 740i in Canada, which Throttle House calls home, so the guys have to make do with the 750Li xDrive, which uses a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 with 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. According to Holland, “The result of that is that you get a wonderful baritone thrust.” Both cars route their power through all four wheels and, as the L in their names implies, they both have extended wheelbases.
The similarities don’t stop there. This is no run-away victory for either car. They perform well in a variety of areas, although they do have their weaknesses. The BMW’s biggest exterior drawback is its giant twin-kidney grille. Its rival has a massive maw, but it’s a lot more tastefully executed and incorporated into the A8L’s front end.
Interior materials are impressive across the board (just look at the woven-look seats in the Bimmer). However, the 7 gets knocked for some of its dated hardware.
The main draw to cars like the 750Li and A8L is the back seat. People who pay as much as Can$155,000 (US$117,211 USD) for a car (the 750Li’s as-tested price) expect the rear of their executive express to be as relaxing as it is convenient. The Audi and BMW tick both of those boxes and some of their own unique ones. The A8L’s removable remote that controls a variety of functions and detachable screens wins it major tech points. The 750Li, on the other hand, has headrest pillows and a drink cooler between the heated, cooled, reclining, and massaging rear thrones.
On the road, the two giant Germans are docile and pleasant thanks to their predictive suspensions. As Holland puts it, “You feel like you are gliding down the road” in the 750Li. Engelsman puts his two cents in from behind the A8L’s wheel, saying, “This is about cruising and comfort and for that, it absolutely crushes it.” Rear-wheel steering helps make the pair more agile. As similar as the two cars are, they do diverge in a subtle way. Holland points out that there’s more of a sense of occasion and grandeur to driving the big-bodied BMW.
Ultimately, Holland and Engelsman don’t pick a winner out of the two largely well-matched cars. We know who the winner was, though. Holland and Engelsman. They got to drive two of the most luxurious cars Germany has to offer.
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