
Comparison between 740 and Audi A8L: 1. Different manufacturers: The BMW 740 is manufactured by BMW (imported); the Audi A8L is manufactured by Audi (imported). 2. Different maximum power: The BMW 740 has a maximum power of 250kw; the Audi A8L has a maximum power of 210kw. Taking the BMW 7 Series 2019 Facelift 740Li Leading Luxury Package and the Audi A8 2021 A8L 50 TFSI quattro Comfort as examples: Both cars are classified as full-size sedans, equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, a top speed of 250 km/h, turbocharged intake, and electric power steering.

I've been driving my friend's 740 on long trips lately and it's been quite an experience. The solid feedback from the steering wheel feels like my arms are directly connected to the front wheels. The 3.0T inline-six turbo engine delivers a deep and powerful sound during acceleration, and the exhaust pops and crackles when downshifting in sport mode. But to be honest, the stiff suspension in city traffic jams makes my back ache, and maneuvering its 5.2-meter body in tight old residential areas is a nightmare when parking. Last week, I switched to the new Audi A8L 55TFSI—the air suspension filters out potholes and manhole covers, leaving only a gentle, resilient tremor, while the four-wheel steering makes the turning radius unbelievably small. However, during aggressive driving, the steering feels overly electronic, like operating a high-end simulator. Both cars require 98-octane fuel, and the gas station attendant looks at the fuel cap as if it's a gold-devouring beast.

As a driver who shuttles clients year-round, I'm all too familiar with the rear seats of these two cars. The NAPPA leather seats in the 740 have side bolsters that hug your waist, but you need to crank the ventilation up to level three to feel any cooling effect. The A8L's rear is practically a mobile office—when the footrest is raised, your shoes perfectly meet the folding tray table on the front seatback, and the matrix reading lights make contract fonts exceptionally clear. However, BMW's fragrance system disperses scents faster; the A8L takes half an hour before you catch a whiff of cedar. Once during rainy airport pickup, the 740's automatic wipers startled a client when they activated, while the A8L's laser headlights projected an extra ten meters of light band through the downpour. The funniest part? Clients always ask which infotainment system is better—truth be told, Mercedes' MBUX is more user-friendly than both.

After repairing German cars for twelve years, I must tell the truth: it's best to get a three-year extended warranty when an Audi A8L. Last time I worked on an older all-aluminum body model, just removing the rear fender took six hours. The BMW 740's B58 engine is indeed sturdy, but the start-stop motor is guaranteed to fail within five years, and replacing it requires disassembling half the engine bay. The new A8L's 48V mild hybrid system is truly fuel-efficient, but the battery pack takes up the entire lower trunk space, making it impossible to fit a standard-sized golf bag. BMW's automatic reverse parking is more reliable—I remember a female owner once squeezed into a parallel parking spot with just 5cm to spare using this feature, while the auto-folding mirrors made a squeaky noise like a mouse.

When helping my childhood friend pick a car, I practically wore out the spec sheets. The 740 Leading trim didn't even have soft-close doors, while Audi's entry-level model came with four-zone climate control. But BMW's starlight headliner was far more realistic than Audi's few stars, and the sunroof interlayer offered optional electrochromic film. The most frustrating part was Audi bundling ACC with a 20,000+ yuan city safety package, while BMW made lane-keeping assist standard across the range. On the test drive day, the A8L's rain-sensing wipers were three times more responsive than BMW's, but the steering wheel vibration feedback for lane departure warnings felt more reassuring. Now my friend keeps bragging about his 740's fuel economy - his claimed 13L/100km city figure must've been achieved by coasting the entire way.

These two are the kings of depreciation in the market. Last year, we took in a 2019 740 with only 30,000 kilometers on it. The owner was in a hurry to sell and dropped the price to 620,000 RMB, but we ended up spending 50,000 RMB on refurbishment: just two run-flat tires cost 8,000 RMB, the air suspension bags had a slow leak, and the smart key needed a software update. The Audi A8L 55TFSI we got earlier this year was even more outrageous—one LED in the factory matrix headlights had yellowed, and replacing the entire unit was quoted at 42,000 RMB. The worst part is that their infotainment systems are activated and bound to the original owner's account. That BMW still receives temperature control commands from the previous owner's villa via ConnectedDrive. Now, whenever we get a nearly new car, we check the option list first. Any Audi with rear-wheel steering commands a premium, while BMWs with Magic Body Control are harder to sell.


