Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW, Rumormill
Rumormill: 2009 BMW 7-series coming July 7th
The crew at the BMWBlog supposedly has the scoop on the next generation BMW 7-series, and in addition to a July 7th reveal date, they've procured a handful of details about BMW's flagship sedan.
Two, twin-turbocharged engines will be available: a V12 and the V8 currently found in the X6, with power being sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed transmission. Four-wheel steering will be an option, along with all-wheel-drive later in its lifecycle. Dynamic Performance Control, ConnectDrive and an improved iDrive interface will form the majority of the technical changes inside and the new 7's interior will supposedly mark the return of the driver-oriented controls of yore, with a center console canted in to face the person behind the wheel. We'll believe it when we see it.BMW will offer four new colors for the 2009 7-series, including Cashmere Silver, Imperial Blue, Mineral Whit and Sophisto Grey and BMWBlog's sources say that the V8 model will be sporting a duo of square tailpipes, while the higher-end version will get four squared tips.
[Source: BMWBlog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
martin 2:42PM (6/04/2008)
a gearstick again?.. looks like it'll be none to different to the current one tho
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coolremo 2:42PM (6/04/2008)
if the new model will look like the CGI at the bottom, i'd say its a step backward. it doesnt have any big presence and just looks like a bigger 5 series with more conservative styling. but i'll wait for the official release.
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dea911 3:12PM (6/04/2008)
I totally agree. This car (from what we can tell so far) looks very plain and bland. It will just camoflauge itself into the current market of cars. It won't stand out like the current 7 series.
However, I would be very excited if all future BMW's will have the center console slanted towards the driver again. I drive an E46 3-series and I love my center stack tilted towards me. I HATE the fact that the new BMW's dash's are all flat. sigh.
mk 3:36PM (6/04/2008)
I liked the 7 series better when it was a weapon in a 3-piece suit.
It is a luxury car, and doesn't need to be flamboyant. Flamboyance didn't serve the first bangled 7-series very well.
A nice dapper luxury sedan with guts inside is just the kind of thing that BMW needs to get back to, rather than skeptical art-house styling.
and a twin turbo V12??? probably top-side turbos like the X6's V8, which it will also get...
That is going to be a BEAST. Imagine that engine in the 6-series coupe... twin turbo V12... The V10 is amazing, but two more cylinders AND forced induction could be enough to rip the tread off the tires.
Starting to sound like an AMG or something...
I hate the X6 itself, but the reverse-upward-flow heads on the twin-turbo engine are very intriguing.
John P. 2:52PM (6/04/2008)
BMW interiors sure are a sterile place to be these days. They could take a few lessons from Audi and yes, even Cadillac in that department.
I hope this ends up looking ok, can't tell much from that pic.
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jg 3:34PM (6/04/2008)
Sterile but long lasting. Until I whip out some proof no one believes my 330Ci is 8 years old (build date 11/00) when they sit in it.
My even older 86 325 was a great example of quality interiors. 20 years old and no rattles. It was boring inside but unlike my 94 T-Bird or 99 Pontiac Grand Prix the door panels were still firmly attached. Hell my 94 Jimmy has a cheap plastic panel in the middle of the dash where the stereo goes. Only 3 little screws holds it in place. One of the screws no longer bites so the piece just flaps. Crappy design and build right there.
I'll take long lasting quality over glam any day.
Eddie 2:59PM (6/04/2008)
I hope it comes with the new turbo V8. 755i?
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Jared 3:05PM (6/04/2008)
The question is whether there is an option to delete the Bangle Butt and Dame Edna headlights.
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theone 3:09PM (6/04/2008)
7 on 7-7. Brilliant, not.
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Toy Yoda 3:53PM (6/04/2008)
Is the V12 twin-turbo a real possibility? It seems like a stretch in the States with gas prices going up and a weakening dollar. I would think BMW would try to get the most hp increase for the buck. And that would be in the form of the turbo'd V8 and possibly even transplanting the V10 from the M5/6. But, a V12? That's great but why put in the cost to design a new motor?
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WackyChan 4:48AM (6/13/2008)
If the boys over at HWA and AMG can still put out the NA 6.2 and the 5.5 V12 biturbo, I think BMW can and will put out the 7 in a biturbo format. It makes sense. Those who are open to dropping $122k (starting price for the 760Li), aren't going to be concerned much with the cost of gas, nor how weak the dollar is. According to credit experts, your auto payments are not exceed 20% of your net income. $122k + ttl & gas guzzler fee = c.$133,590 - 15% down = $113,551.50 / 48mo @ 4.25% [oac/wac] = $2576.61 x 6 = $15,459.66 x 12mo. = $185,515.92. Assuming they have 1 car [which they more than likely would not] and that they abide by the 20% rule, their annual pre-tax income would exceed $278,274.18. -- Totally unimportant, I know. Most people will either lease this car, or have other cars as well, and not stick to the rule, because hell, this is America people.
Toy Yoda 12:21PM (6/13/2008)
yes, it's great to do see an analysis from the consumer's point of view, but look at it from a larger point of view. Why spend more money than you need to? I would think developing a new engine is a lot more costly than transplanting one or retuning an existing motor. If you retune instead of redesign, you're profit margins will be much higher because your cost basis is lower. So yeah, you can compete with AMGs of the world in the same class but for less.
Gas prices aren't a headache for people in this segment. I would put myself in this category, but you also got to remember a lot of people in this category don't know the difference between a V10 and a V12.
Finally there's a misperception about people in this segment. They do care about gas prices. It's not so much the gas or the price, it's the waste of money and the opportunity costs that bother them, and many of them have the same paranoia that everybody else has about big oil companies "out to get them."
kpxplaya415 5:59PM (6/04/2008)
sooner or later the entire front bumper is going to be a single pair of kidney grills. those are getting huge... it's going to look like that ugly AC Schnitzer bumper they were producing a while ago.
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rip 6:13PM (6/04/2008)
I hope they lose that awful LCD in a cave thing in the middle of the dash.
I'm all for the canted center stack. Pure BMW.
So, what's a whit look like, besides mineral-y?
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larry 6:29PM (6/04/2008)
I 'd like to see that transmission tunnel spine down the middle eliminated. It is luxury to spread out or atleast not feel confined. Particularly if you are a burgher or eaten too many burgers.
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larry 6:29PM (6/04/2008)
they've offered gray and blue and 'Whit' before, I am sure.
Why are these vehicles such tubs-of-lard??? Lose some weight. Get better fuel economy.Make some options specially ordered up.
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Khanh 7:08PM (6/04/2008)
"eight-speed transmission. Four-wheel steering will be an option, along with...": Mr. Lavrinc made me think of the Warthog from Halo when the "four-wheel steering" was mentioned.
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Zane 12:34AM (6/05/2008)
Those tailpipes sure don't look like squares.
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Ormond 1:56PM (6/05/2008)
Perhaps they should offer the six cylinder as an option... I wonder if it would have enough power.
Remember the 735?
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dpb! 4:40PM (6/04/2008)
People at that price level aren't looking for a 6 or good gas mileage.