By: Jesse Adams
Marseille, France - The development process of an all new car, especially one as serious as the next-generation 7 Series, is normally performed behind lock and key, well away from the prying eyes of motoring media and spy photographers.
But last week BMW invited us to France for an exclusive pre-launch screening of its new flagship for a sneak preview of some of its party tricks and cutting edge features.
Though the new sixth-gen 7 Series is pretty much signed, sealed, and ready for delivery to its official premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, BMW wasn’t quite ready to show us the full monty - hence the mostly camouflaged exterior and a cabin draped in makeshift curtains to hide some of the prototypes’ interior detail.
What was on full display was a handful of the next 7’s advanced technologies which we were able to poke and prod under the supervision of watchful engineers at Beemer’s Miramas proving ground in the South of France.
We were also able to take the new limo for a short spin, where it became apparent that BMW’s moved the comfort game on from the fifth-generation model still on sale in showrooms. Where the current 7 gets air springs at the back axle only, the new one will come with pneumatic self-levelling suspension at all four corners. This not only means it can float with even more suppleness over flawed tarmac in its driver selectable “Comfort” and “Comfort Plus” modes, but it’s also a better handler when in “Sport” where it can now lower the ride height by 10mm. There’s also a new “Adaptive” mode which senses driver input and uses GPS data to tune the car’s steering, suspension and gearbox parameters on the fly.
BMW confirmed that the long wheelbase test cars we sampled were fitted with all-new 3-litre straight-six turbo engines again to be badged as a 740i, but turbo V8s (750i) and V12s (760i), as well as a range of turbodiesels should also be available. No power specs were given, but the new turbo six offered plenty of pep in the huge four-door sedan.
IT STEERS FOR YOU
Also new is a Driving Assistant Plus system, which, among other things gently steers the car for you at speeds up to 210km/h as long as at least one hand is on the wheel. The system pairs the 7’s electric power steering with cameras and radar to guide the car along in the centre of a lane.
The sensation is strange, especially at high speed, but it’s something I’d happily use on long distance trips. It also demonstrates just how close cars are to fully autonomous driving.
BMW has put its biggest sedan on a strict diet plan, and with the help of a new Carbon Core chassis the next 7 Series is up to 130kg lighter than its predecessor. The basic skeleton underneath all the sheet metal comprises a structure strategically interweaved with aluminium, steel and carbonfibre - similarly, but not quite to the extent of super-lightweight and carbon-intensive i3 and i8 models.
To compete with Merc’s S-Class, BMW has given the Seven’s interior a host of flashy display screens and clever functionality. The new instrument cluster is almost completely digital, with colour changing and programmable backgrounds; the climate control system now features a small colour touchscreen; and the big central display with fresh graphics is touch sensitive and operable with pinch and swipe functionality like a tablet device.
ADVANCED GESTURE CONTROL
All the complex systems can still be controlled with BMW’s familiar iDrive rotary dial switch as before, but front seat occupants now have numerous choices for navigation through various menus and functions.
Bound to be the biggest talking point, however, is a new gesture control feature which responds to hand movements in space: Twirl a finger in mid-air to adjust volume. Point at the screen to accept incoming calls. Dismiss unwanted calls away with a sideways flick. Two fingers in a vee shape will engage a take-me-home function in the satnav. Nifty stuff, but I wonder if the idea will take off in future and rival models.
The grand finale at the preview event was a demo run of a new remote control parking system. Basically, the car can be positioned into a narrow garage or parking bay via the key from outside.
We’re expecting the official media launch of the new 7 Series to be held this August, with first South African deliveries set for next year. -Star Motoring
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