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Yet the technology
showcase, the latest BMW 7-series Car shouldn't let down car lovers.
BMW has released first round information and images of the revamped and
restyled 7 ahead of its official debut at this year's
Paris show.
The fifth-generation
BMW 7-series car will come to the
U.S. first as the
V-8-powered 750i and its long-wheelbase counterpart, the 750Li. Though the
model designations remain the same as before, the V-8 under hood does not.
As we expected, the BMW 7 Series car will get the 400-hp twin-turbo
4.4-liter V-8 Engine.
BMW 7 Series car
will continue to use a six-speed automatic transmission. |
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When
it comes time to put the BMW 7 series car in Drive, drivers will now
make use of BMW's console-mounted joystick gear selector which replaces the
electronic column-mounted shifter of the previous-generation car. We see
also that BMW 7 series car has odd steering-wheel-mounted shift buttons
(with two for up shifts on the rim's front, and two for downshifts on the
rear) have gone away. Manual shifting can be accomplished once the
joystick-style selector is tilted to the left.
BMW 7 series cars
improved Drive controller is located next to the gear selector, and BMW 7
Series comes with a revised interface that is more intuitive than that on
the outgoing model and which we expect to be more in line with BMW's other
Drive-equipped offerings. In BMW 7 series car menus are now displayed on a
larger (10.2 inches vs. 8.8 inches), higher-definition central display.
GPS navigation
software in BMW 7 Series Car is now stored on a hard drive, which
can also be used to store about 13 gigabytes of music (auxiliary, USB, and
iPod interfaces will also be included). The BMW 7-series car will also adopt
the programmable memory keys seen on other BMWs that allow for one touch
access to user-defined vehicle functions. BMW 7 Series Car also notes that
the steering controls can access more functions than before.
Not to be
outdone by the central display in BMW 7 Series Car, the 7's new
instruments make use of what BMW calls Black Panel technology. We gather
that this is similar to the instrument layout in the Mercedes-Benz S-class,
though the 7-series has four permanent chrome rings bounding its virtual
instruments.
On
the dynamic side of things, the BMW 7 Series Car receive a new
suspension, as well as the normal raft of BMW 7-series technologies like
roll stabilization, stability control, and traction control. New for 2009 is
BMW's Integral Active Steering, which adds speed-sensitive rear-wheel
steering and is included with the Sport package. The new Driving Dynamics
Control selector in BMW 7 Series is located on the center console and allows
drivers to select between Comfort,
Normal, Sport and
Sport Plus modes. Each setting in BMW 7 Series has its own characteristics
for suspension damping, throttle response, transmission shift points,
power-steering assist level, and Dynamic Stability Control mode.
The safety
technology in BMW 7 Series car has been upped with active cruise
control that can now bring the car to a complete standstill, allowing it to
be used in stop-and-go traffic. Other safety features in BMW 7 Series Car
include a lane departure warning, blind spot detection, a head-up display,
automatic high beams, night vision (now with pedestrian detection), as well
as side view and backup cameras. Side view cameras are mounted at the front
corners and show the images in the control display when traveling at low
speeds.
Always
searching for the most advanced solution to a problem, BMW has solved a
dilemma caused by the abundance of technology in the 7-series by including
an electronic owner's manual accessible via, you guessed it, the iDrive
interface. BMW 7 Series car included digital information includes
animations and slide shows to explain vehicle functions, which could be much
easier to understand than traditional printed pages. BMW's Integrated
Owner's Manual is also vehicle-specific and therefore tailored to the exact
options of the 7-series it is housed within. For quick reference in BMW 7
Series Car specific subjects can also be stored on the programmable
memory keys, provided you can figure out how to store them. |