A Taste of the Good Life with the BMW 7s

BMW Philippines organized a two-day drive in June to spotlight the brand’s range of flagship models, particularly the X7 xDrive40d and the 735i. There were no instructions to follow a convoy; the group was divided into smaller groups and were provided the pin location of the stops along the way. Everything else was up to us. 

We started at the BMW headquarters in Greenhills, San Juan. I rode shotgun first in a BMW X7 xDrive40d, the brand’s largest and most luxurious SUV. With its imposing kidney grille, sleek curves, and executive presence, the X7 looks like it belongs in a five-star resort, or even in a Bond film.

But this wasn’t just about looks. Sitting inside the X7, it was easy to just sink into the seat and just forget about the world outside. Features such as massaging seats, Merino leather, and the brand’s curved display elevated the experience. The inline-6 diesel paired with mild-hybrid tech under the hood also made the drive effortless.

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The first stop was the BMW showroom in San Fernando, which I had previously visited a couple of months ago. It is the first in the country to feature the brand’s retail.next design concept, which the company is slowly rolling out in its other showrooms over the next few months and years. The showroom also hosted lunch, which featured a spread of Kapampangan specialties and international fare. 

From Pampanga, we switched keys and slid into the elegant BMW 735i, the latest version of the Bavarian brand's flagship executive sedan. Where the X7 was commanding and spacious, the 735i was low, smooth, and felt quietly assertive. With its sleek split headlights, illuminated kidney grille, and minimalist cockpit, the 7 Series is clearly moving in a more avant-garde direction—but still with the unmistakable DNA of a driver's machine.

This time, I sat in the rear, imagining myself a high-powered businessman on the way to the next million-peso deal. I tinkered with the massage function (again) and the car blinds that could be controlled via a digital panel built into the door handle. Thanks to the buttery soft leather seats, I couldn’t help but doze off for a bit as we made our way to Anvaya Cove in Bataan via Subic. Clearly the drive was composed, almost meditative, with the 735i’s adaptive air suspension absorbing road imperfections like they didn’t exist. The seats even reclined and there was ambient lighting; it felt more like a first class airline seat than an on-ground automobile.

Rain was pouring when we arrived at the property, and my plan to check out the beach area was literally washed out. Instead, the group gathered for a hearty dinner at Pawikan restaurant, where conversation flowed over bowls of bouillabaisse and a surf and turf main. We ended with bars of Magnum ice cream and a cocktail or two before we retired to our rooms. 

Breakfast the next morning was at Bamboo Café in the Anvaya main building, but I chose to skip it and stayed in my room to focus on some pressing work matters. When it was time to go, I finally got some time behind the wheel of the 735i. This time, I appreciated the car from a driver’s perspective. Light rain kissed the windshield as the sedan moved like water down the winding road to Subic, where we stopped for lunch at Rali’s Restaurant.

Our last stop was Porch Café in Clark—a charming space with warm wood interiors and great selection of coffee and pastries. By then, the skies had darkened again, and the rain whipped the windshield. It slowed us down, but inside the BMWs, no one seemed to mind. The mood had also shifted somewhat; while conversations were previously punctuated with excitement and laughter, this time it was quieter and more reflective. 

The weather certainly had something to do with it. On the last leg back to Manila the rain didn’t let up and heavy traffic welcomed us back just outside the city limits. But even then, the stress of the road never quite reached us. That’s the thing about the BMW, particularly the 735i—in the madness of the city, you can’t help but feel calm and composed inside.

When we finally reached the BMW headquarters in San Juan, we were tired but satisfied. The lesson of the drive was clear: when it comes to the good life, it’s not always about the destination—it’s how you get there. And with a BMW, you always get there in style.