Currently reading: Full details: new BMW 7-series
BMW's new 7-series has a raft of new innovations in both cabin and chassis

BMW has revealed a unique set of innovations for its forthcoming 7-series – both in its cabin and chassis – which it believes will make its new flagship the best equipped luxury car on sale in Europe.

We’ve already seen the external design, but now BMW has released full details of what lies beneath the 7’s svelte surface detailing, too.

The new car introduces a new active chassis management system (branded as IMS) similar in principle to Land Rover’s Terrain Respose. This groups a variety of variable settings for the chassis, transmission and engine into four driver-chosen settings: Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus.

It’s a similar principle to that already offered by various rival manufacturers. Each setting varies damper settings, steering weight, the gearchange map, throttle response and the intervention threshold of the stability control. ‘Comfort’ gives the new 7-series its best-ever refinement, says BMW, while ‘Sport’ reportedly makes it ‘handle like a 3-Series.’

>> See more pics of the new BMW 7-series

New for the 7-Series, BMW’s familiar active steering system has been combined with a new rear-steering system. Below 35 mph the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels to reduce the turning circle and increase low-speed agility. At higher speeds they turn in the same direction as the front wheels (up to three degrees) to stabilise fast cornering or lane-changing manoeuvres.

Other refinements in the all-new fifth-generation 7-Series include several eco refinements, including a weight-saving programme that has cut mass by 55kg compared to the outgoing model, despite the new car’s extra equipment and an aerodynamic flap in the radiator grille that blanks off unnecessary airflow to reduce drag.

The car will also boast a huge amount of new smart technology. The camera/navigation system reads road signs and displays the current speed limit on the dash, a comprehensive head-up display, a night-vision system with thermal imaging built in that can ‘see’ people and animals out of normal sight, a collision warning system, and a lane-departure warning system that vibrates the steering wheel and displays a dashboard message if there’s a car in your blind spot. BMW claims that no other car in the class has such a comprehensive array of safety and convenience gadgets.

There are three engine options, all mated to the latest, power-saving ZF six-speed auto. The big seller will be the 730d, powered by a turbocharged version of BMW’s 3.0-litre six cylinder diesel engine, producting 242bhp at 4000rpm plus 399lb ft between 1750 and 3000 rpm. Though it has 10 percent more torque than the old 3.0 litre, fuel consumoption is down 10 percent, and CO2 output is just 192 gm/km. The diesel accelerates from 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds and can do 150 mph.

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Despite the promise of its boot-badge, the 740i is dropping the current car’s V8 power for BMW’s twin-turbo petrol 3.0-litre, good for 323bhp at 5800rpm and 332lb ft from 1500-4500rpm. And at the top of the range a twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8 replaces the outgoing car’s normally aspirated 6.0 litre V12. It makes 404bhp and 443lb ft of torque, delivering a 5.2 second 0-62mph time, with top speed governed at 155 mph.

BMW won’t talk about proposed sales volumes, which is probably wise as the whole large luxury saloon egment has been suffering in recent years. The car will be in British showrooms by November in both short and long wheelbase versions, with prices sticking ‘closely’ to present levels.

Steve Cropley

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ThwartedEfforts 16 August 2008

Re: Full details: new BMW 7-series

James Ruppert wrote:

The 7 series always has been the decent big luxobarge and it remains the first BMW I ever drove and the technology from the early '80s really has not been improved upon. Just be happy that it exists really, so much better than an S-Class. I know I'm rambling but I have just driven 400 miles, but not in a 7 series, if I had I would feel so much more coherent.

Yes, dear, you're rambling. Aren't many people in the market for a new luxury barge who'll claim a 7-Series is better than an S-Class, not unless they're prepared to overlook ride quality, comfort, depreciation, that iDrive business, history, sense of occasion and even basic things such as ugliness and popularity - the S outselling the 7 and indeed all rivals by a significant margin - but as usual Autocar are here to re-educate us! These people have cars for an entire afternoon and that allows them to understand which one company directors will want on a 3-year lease!

But back to the new one. Read the Torygraph online today and Peter Dron says the ride quality on 'Comfort' is exceptional. Have they got it better then Benz at last? As a ride comfort nazi I'm going to look forward to the test drive... while not holding my breath.

jackal 14 August 2008

Re: Full details: new BMW 7-series

I love these "spats". They tell us more about the participants than they ever wish to reveal.

So an error was made, it hardly justified the harshness of the attack and didn't spoil my reading of the article.

Perhaps in the past Autocar had the temerity to criticse Loathers current car ?

Having read Autocar since 1957 I think I'll ignore his or her opinion and continue to stick with it warts and all as on the whole I still find it a good read. There are not as many articles as erudite as those of earlier years but to balance that Road Tests are considerably more incisive (truthful?) than was the norm back then..

rtwingo 30 July 2008

Re: Full details: new BMW 7-series

airgith76 wrote:
I agree but I don't see why they didn't name the twin-turbo 3.0 petrol 735i

It's possible that the reason for that is a future version with a more powerfull TT, to be badged 735i...