BMW has launched the new 7 Series: when you can buy the luxury car

The seventh-generation BMW 7 Series has received an ultralux design, along with a fully electric version.

The 7 Series range includes a more powerful V-8 engine, a lounge-like interior and advanced driver assistance technology.

“The new 7 Series is the starting signal for our next generation of highly efficient combustion engines,” BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse told a news event in New York.

The all-electric version, called the i7, gives BMW a state-of-the-art competitor to its new luxury rival, Tesla.

The i7 xDrive60 is powered by dual engines that offer a combined power of 536 horsepower. I7 has a range of 590 – 625 km, according to the European WLTP test standard and 500 km according to the US EPA standard

All propulsion systems in the new 7 Series are based on a single architecture, the latest evolution of the BMW rear-wheel drive / all-wheel drive CLAR platform and have a similar body style.

The 7 Series will be launched in global markets starting in November. In Europe, only the i7 will be available, and the petrol and diesel versions of the 7 Series will come later. The US and China will receive the i7 and 7 series at the same time.

The I7 will start at $ 119,300 in the United States and $ 135,900 in Europe.

Zipse predicted that demand for the internal combustion model would be higher in the United States, where there is less stringent regulation of carbon emissions than in Europe. “The markets in China, Europe and America have developed quite differently,” Zipse said.

“There is a growing market for electric vehicles in Europe for all brands. There is only one brand in the US that is very successful. It’s completely different, “he said. “The approach we take to putting flexibility first works much better.”

The most elegant model

Dividing development costs between internal combustion, hybrid and electric variants makes the i7 potentially more profitable for BMW than building it on a platform dedicated to electric cars, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions.

“Sharing so much with the 7 Series also makes the transition to the i7 easier for returning buyers, who tend to be older and less likely to appreciate the drastic changes in their vehicles,” said Fiorani.

The 7th generation 7th series has grown in length, width and height. The wheelbase is longer, creating more spacious rear seats. Unlike its predecessors, the new 7 Series will be available worldwide only as a long-wheelbase model that maximizes rear space, BMW said.

The front of the new model is dominated by the optional illuminated BMW kidney grille.

Luxury interior

Inside, a curved independent display fixes the dashboard. It combines a 12.3-inch instrument cluster with a 14.9-inch center control display to form a single driver-tilted unit.

The 7 Series has an on-board control and lighting system. The BMW dashboard, a backlit crystalline surface, extends across the width of the dashboard and door panel trim. It houses touch-sensitive control panels for adjusting ventilation and climate control, activating hazard warning lights and opening the glovebox. The interaction bar can use light animations to alert the driver to incoming phone calls.

While rear-seat passengers may not feel the thrill of driving the so-called Ultimate Driving Machine, they do enjoy a lounge-like experience.

The Executive Lounge option includes a tilt function with integrated footrest. The rear seat tilts up to 42.5 degrees, which, BMW said, “sets the benchmark in the segment.”

The carmaker said that the design of the footrest allows passengers to “perfect the relaxed position of rest”. The leg support, which extends from the rear seat, is associated with a heel support that extends from behind the front passenger seat.

Hans Zimmer provides a dream experience

If “relaxed rest” isn’t your thing, the 7 Series features the “BMW Theater Screen” – a 31-inch, 8K-resolution touchscreen that moves outside the trim to give rear passengers a captivating viewing experience. inside the vehicle. When activated, the system, which includes Amazon Fire TV, is accompanied by an acoustic experience created by film composer and Oscar winner Hans Zimmer.

The 7 and i7 Series have a suite of sensors and cameras to provide advanced driver assistance and smart parking functionality.

BMW said the Highway Assistant, part of the optional professional driving assistance package, allows the driver to get his hands off the wheel when driving on motorways at speeds of up to 130 km / h.

The highway assistant “allows you to sit back and relax, enjoy the journey,” said BMW Group sales chief Pieter Nota.

The 7 and i7 series will be equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities, but the carmaker is waiting for permission from regulators to activate the function – it will probably take about 1-1 / 2 years in Europe, said a spokesman for BMW.

With the new models, the signature BMW double headlights are reinterpreted as a two-piece headlight design. The thin strip of lights located at the front integrates daytime running lights, side-marker lights and turn signals. The low beam and high beam headlamps are positioned in the dark lower units set deep in the front apron.

LED rear lighting units extend into the sides of the car. Two thin strips under the main rear lights generate brake lights and cornering lights.