The new BMW 7 Series has been unveiled featuring a number of world firsts such as a side view camera system. The German company appears to have toned down their flagship somewhat after the styling of the current model was criticised at launch.
The car will debut in November and will have a choice of three engines – two petrol and one diesel – and BMW says they use less fuel and produce lower emissions than the models they replace. The 730d comes with an all-new aluminium 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine, producing 245bhp at 4,000rpm, and with a combined mpg of 39.2 it is the most economical 7 ever. It can also accelerate from zero to 62mph in 7.2 seconds and has a 153mph top speed.
The BMW 750i and 750Li are the range flagships. The new 4,395cc V8 engine from the recently launched X6, featuring twin-turbochargers and high-precision direct injection technology, produces 407bhp from 5,500rpm to 6,400rpm. This means the 750i will accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.
The 740i and 740Li have a 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbocharged engine featuring high-precision direct injection and Double-VANOS variable valve technology. The car accelerates from zero to 62mph in 5.9 seconds (6.0 seconds for the 740Li) before going on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. The 3.0-litre BMW 740i and 740Li post combined fuel consumption figures of 28.5mpg and 28.2mpg respectively, while returning emissions figures of 232g/km and 235g/km.
All 7 Series is the world’s first car available with a Side View camera system. At the touch of a button the front side view camera can show an overview of traffic conditions on the iDrive display, allowing the driver to see out of a partially obscured junction.
The 7 can also be fitted with the world’s most advanced Night Vision system in a production car. BMW was the first manufacturer to fit Night Vision to a premium car and it has now upgraded this package to include a pedestrian recognition system. A control unit analyses video data of human behaviour as part of the Night Vision camera’s reach and can subsequently alert the driver if it detects a human is moving into the path of the vehicle.
The BMW 7 Series goes on sale in the UK on 15 November, 2008. Prices will be announced in due course.
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