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13/10/2008
By ALISTAIR KENNEDY in Dresden
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BMW has launched the latest version of its 7 Series saloon and it’s a remarkable piece of automotive technology wrapped in an elegant new body.
 While there are bound to be varying opinions on the styling of the new BMW flagship it gets a definite nod from us. In particular we like the powerful new grille, kidney shaped of course, but much taller than before.
In profile the new 7 Series retains the sweeping rear roofline from the previous model, stretched on the long wheelbase variant, but now has a distinctive single crease-line that runs along the shoulder-line for the entire length of the car dissecting both front and rear door handles on the way.
Initially the new 7 Series will be produced with the choice of three engines. The 740i and 740Li, to be powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six twin-turbo petrol; 750i/750 Li by a 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol; and the 730d with a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-diesel.
The two petrol models, in both wheelbases, are due to arrive in Australia in March 2009, with the 730d to follow later in the year. The latter will be first 7 Series diesel to be sold on our market, and with both of BMW’s main competitors, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, already offering diesel engines in their flagship models, it will be an important addition to the range.
As important as the powerplants are in cars such as the 7 Series, it’s as much what’s inside them that gives them their prestige status … and hefty price tags. And the new ‘7 certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of luxury inclusions and advanced technology.
 There are so many features to describe that many will have to wait until we report from the Australian launch and later from our extended road tests of the cars next year. But to select a few:
The iDrive system, which we first saw in the previous 7 Series, is again used to control the various navigation, entertainment, information and telecommunications within the car. Operated by a raised round button, similar to a computer mouse in the centre console, it was the subject of a much criticism because of its difficulty of operation.
The company must also be congratulated on taking heed of the criticisms and working on countering them, something that it’s done moderately well, because the new iDrive is an improvement on the old one, with a more logical menu structure that’s reasonably easy to learn.
Another important safety aid in the 7 Series is the Head-Up display which projects a range of information onto the windscreen, allowing the driver to view it without averting their eyes from the road. This information can include satellite navigation instructions, speed, and the current speed limit, the latter identified through a combination of a camera fitted to the interior mirror and the SatNav system. During our test drive the system appeared to correctly identify changing speed limits on most occasions.
Night Vision is another fascinating safety feature. Using a thermal imaging camera combined with a control unit it can detect people and animals that are outside of the car’s headlight beam and display them on the control monitor and/or Head-Up display. For Australian drivers who need to travel long distances at night with the ever-present risk of encountering roaming kangaroos and other animals, the system could be a real life-saver, both for human and wildlife.
 The new 7 Series, the fifth generation since it debuted back in 1977, marks the end of the ‘E’ series of chassis codes that have identified BMW models since the late 1960s, with the short wheelbase variant being designated F01 and long wheelbase one F02.
We were able to attend the car’s world premiere at the recent Paris Motor Show and then to drive both the 730d and 750Li during the international press launch based at Dresden in the east of Germany. The drive program covered around 300 kilometres on a blend of motorway and rural roads, including some unlimited-speed stretches of autobahn.
Acceleration is fast and seamless with the feeling that the 7 Series could cruise effortlessly all day, in superb comfort.
Fuel consumption from the 730d, as listed under European Union tests, is rated at 7.2 litres per 100 kilometres. Our testing had the diesel using a still-reasonable 9.1 L/100 km although this did include high-speed autobahn running. The 740i and 750i, again under EU tests, are listed at 9.9 and 11.4 L/100 km.
Australian prices for the new 7 Series won’t be announced until closer to the release around March 2009, but, based on competitors’ pricing, and with the proposed increase in luxury sales tax, we would expect them to start at around $210,000 for the 730i and 740i models.
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