Filed under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, BMW
Neiman Marcus nabs first 2009 BMW 7 Series
Those who do their daily shopping within the pages of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book will be the first able to purchase the new 2009 BMW 7 Series beginning October 17th. The price of early adoption in this case will be a steep $160,000 for one of 31 Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series sedans based on the new 750Li. While that price is tens of thousands above what we expect the 7 Series base price to be, buyers will get much more than just the car. Included in the asking price is a trip to Europe to take delivery of the special 7 Series at BMW's headquarters in Munich, after which buyers will tour the south of France in their new sedan. After the fun and frolicking, BMW will have the car shipped back to the U.S. for you. And, of course, you aren't just purchasing a standard 7 Series. Each model has been customized by BMW Individual and painted in a special Diopside Black metallic color with an interior stitched in Champagne Merino leather and accented with wood and Piano Black inserts. Is all that worth 160 large? That depends on how nice you want Christmas to be this year.
Gallery: 2009 BMW 7 Series
[Source: BMW, Neiman Marcus]
PRESS RELEASE
BMW CREATES LIMITED-EDITION 2009 BMW INDIVIDUAL 7 SERIES FOR 2008 NEIMAN MARCUS CHRISTMAS BOOK
Unique delivery experience at BMW Welt in Munich and breathtaking drive in South of France included in Fantasy Package
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - October 7, 2008... BMW today announced that it will offer -- exclusively through the renowned Neiman Marcus Christmas Book -- a limited edition of its all-new 2009 BMW 7 Series, designed by the team at BMW Individual, and based on a BMW 750Li. In honor of the 7 Series' 31st anniversary, only 31 of these personalized models have been built and the 31 lucky Neiman Marcus customers who buy the car will have the ultimate "bragging rights" - they will be able to purchase the 2009 BMW 7 Series from October 16 only through authorized BMW dealers, before the vehicle's North American preview at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and before its 2009 launch date.
Each automobile also includes an unforgettable European driving experience along the French Riviera. The Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series and fantasy driving experience will be available for purchase in this year's Neiman Marcus Christmas Book for $160,000.
To truly deliver the "ultimate driving experience," BMW, through its authorized dealers, is offering the 31 Neiman Marcus customers who purchase the vehicles an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime European adventure, in which they will be able to take delivery of the automobiles from the BMW Welt in Munich, Germany in April 2009 and then set off on a multi-city lavish vacation in the South of France. While enjoying BMW's home in Munich, participants will be granted rare insider access to BMW before embarking on a journey to Monaco, Nice and Cannes, during which they will be able to road test their new vehicles along the sumptuous French Riviera - a fitting setting for the luxurious BMW 7 Series. Upon completion of the trip, the purchaser's new vehicle will be shipped back to the United States for immediate delivery.
The BMW 7 Series is BMW's flagship sedan and the new 7 Series - the fifth generation of this legendary automobile - once again demonstrates how luxury can be seamlessly combined and harmonized with dynamic performance. A completely new interpretation of style, luxury and driving pleasure, the 2009 BMW 7 Series is the product of a self-assured design philosophy and consistent yet ever-evolving engineering artistry. Among its many new features, the new 7 Series introduces Driving Dynamics Control, which enables the driver to select from four progressively sporty driving programs - Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus - with the touch of a button. Each program features different settings for shock-absorber firmness, transmission shift characteristics, engine-throttle response and power-steering assist.
Powered by an all-new V-8 engine with direct injection and twin turbochargers, the new 7 Series also represents major progress in efficiency and performance. A 6-speed automatic transmission with optimized shifting smoothness and speed promotes enhanced fuel efficiency. While official EPA ratings are not yet in, the 2009 BMW 7 Series is expected to deliver class-leading fuel efficiency. New, exclusive BMW driver-assistance systems, including the 2nd generation of iDrive, and comfort-related features, such as massaging, air-conditioned back seats and new hard-drive music storage, further add to the exceptional driving and riding experience these automobiles deliver. For greater driving safety, the all-new 7 Series also includes Active Blind Spot Detection and BMW Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection and is the first in its segment to offer a Head-Up Display, which projects relevant driving information onto the windshield in front of the driver.
The Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series sedan includes a level of personalization unique to the 31 models built for the Christmas Book, including iridescent Diopside Black metallic paintwork and exquisite BMW Individual Champagne Merino full leather. Even the smallest details - contrast piping and trim - are customized. The automobile is accented with interior Piano Black trim elements and BMW Individual steering wheel in Piano Black finish with wood ring insert and BMW Individual branding.
BMW Individual has a rich history of refining what's good so it becomes even better, and has been a synonym for outstanding technical ambition and a desire for automobile perfection. The team of specialists at BMW Individual primarily aims to achieve an overall concept for the vehicle which presents BMW customers with an opportunity to make their own personal selection from a collection of high-quality materials, harmoniously matched paint finishes, leathers and interior trims. Established in 1991, BMW Individual was the first outfit of its kind in the industry. Its success story started with a design from Karl Lagerfeld, which was followed by another two designs over the next few years. These unusual prototypes, along with designs by artist David Hockney, were pioneering for what followed. Today, the team at BMW Individual creates vehicles that are not just personalized, but that always meet the highest aesthetic standard - and the Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series is certainly no exception.
A photo and description of the Neiman Marcus Limited-Edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series appears in the 2008 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. The opportunity to order this spectacular automobile and fantasy driving experience begins at 12 noon EDT on Thursday, October 16, 2008 by calling 1-866-303-2696. Interested buyers are encouraged to program their speed dial now. The last BMW offered in the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book sold out in a record time.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stumpy 8:59AM (10/08/2008)
[Opens Checkbook] (Looks at balance), [Closes Checkbook]. Nevermind.
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J M C 3 9:38AM (10/08/2008)
Bad ass.especially in that graphite.
PS.Chevy cribbed those tail lights for the Cruze real quick.
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ken_aisin 9:45AM (10/08/2008)
Just when you're starting to get used to the current 7, BMW presents you with something more hideous. That front end is horrible. Looks as if it's been punched in the nose.
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dukeisduke 11:18AM (10/08/2008)
As for the blunt front end, you can thank the EU and their "pedestrian protection" standard for that. I think overall it looks better than the current one, mainly because the of the exorcising of the worst of Chris Bangle's signature lines.
Gardiner Westbound 9:56AM (10/08/2008)
With large numbers of high rollers down to their last few million dollars I wonder how many Neiman Marcus 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series sedans will sell without cash on the hood.
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N 10:36AM (10/08/2008)
Now if I were the ex-CEO of Lehman Brothers and had managed to save a few dollars from the last 8 years in that position... maybe I could consider it.
$300 million in pay for one guy over just 8 years... And he had the audacity to ask the tax payers to bail out the company. Given that they approved this monkey's salary, I wonder how much the other board members paid themselves?
Job well done guys!
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Johnsd2 10:41AM (10/08/2008)
They added an improved idrive to the front but another one to the back seat area. When is BMW going to get back to the ultimate driving machine and less electronics or is because the rich people want the name and don't know how to drive? Why doesn't BMW take a chance and come out with a 5 or 7 series that is not loaded up with all of the electronics and see if it sells. I have thougt of buying one. I put alot of miles on a car per year and after the "free' service expires the service is very expensive, that is why you find alot of used BMW'swith 35,000 to 45,000 miles on them. Remember no matter what car you buy 3 years or 50,000 miles you lose 55% or more of the window sticker, so it is not what you want to spend, but how much you want to lose.
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dukeisduke 11:15AM (10/08/2008)
Well, he (Fuld) did get cold-cocked in the company gym (he was knocked unconscious) recently.
Flashpoint 11:34AM (10/08/2008)
Normally I would disagree with you and say that I hope BMW would always include a large amount of luxury/ electronic standards in the 7 - just like Mercedes Benz does with COMMAND on the S-class.
However, you are probably right. Alot of people I see driving BMW7 and S550 are OLD. Retirees, businessmen,etc and most of them don't seem to be the type who get hyped up about computer integrated controllers like iDrive and COMMAND.
In fact, alot of BMW buyers hated i-Drive.
I think that even though many hate it, they still want to have it because it makes the car feel like more than just a car...its a tech toy.
I have an S550 Benz and I love it. COMMAND is easier to use than i-Drive by far, but even Audi's MMI and Hyundai Genesis' COMMAND-clone work better than the i-drive and Command.
If BMW shaved $10,000 off the price of a 7 series by taking i-Drive out and putting in regular HVAC, radio and navigation controls (also probably removing Navigation for a regular radio)...then the 7 series would be a much cheaper car than the LS and the A8, but it would still be a fantastic driving experience.
I chose the S550 over the A8 and the 7 because I liked the luxury more. I did however perfer the 7's spectacular handling.
Of course, designing a i-drive less car would mean that BMW would have to make more parts and retool its line because it would be now making 8 difference 7 series.
750i, 750li, 760i,760li and then you add the i-driveless cars and you get 750,750l and 760/760l
That's just too complicated.
This 7 series is gonna be AMAIZING. They have rear wheel steering to decrease turning radius and an even better drive than the old models.
WOW
MajorGeek 11:06AM (10/08/2008)
I dont get it, it appears too bloated and bubbly up top and down low it seems to sit too low and have more curves. It almost looks like 2 different cars to me. To each their own.
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saluki 11:13AM (10/08/2008)
Uhhh BMW will give you a DISCOUNT if you fly to Munich to pick the car up. So with this deal you get to pay extra for something BMW gives you for free, plus you get no choice in paint color and a price that's probably $40K for a car that soon will be at every intersection in a town near you.
WOW!
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fobunited 11:06AM (10/08/2008)
Uuhhhh European Delivery is not free.... It's cheaper than buying a car in the states and paying for a trip in Europe separately, but it is not free....
Will Design for Food 11:10AM (10/08/2008)
My understanding is European Delivery, you pay for the flight and accomodations, BMW gets you a Euro drivers license and insurance for a week so you can pick up the car at the Welt, and drive it around, then they pay for the car to get shipped back.
bill jackman 11:19AM (10/08/2008)
Hit with the ugly stick, over and over....
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Flashpoint 11:41AM (10/08/2008)
The BMW 7 series has always had an optional REAR SEAT PACKAGE for nearly $10,000.
It comes with an iDrive, monitors on the seatbacks and entertainment options such as tv or dvd.
I think what BMW and Benz need to do for their new Big Bodies is have STANDARD massage chairs for the front seat and optional massage chairs for the rear with purchase of the rear seat packages.
Lexus LS460 has an executive package for their L model that has a recliner and a massage .
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JAZ 7:37PM (10/09/2008)
The S-class has massage seats standard.
Scott 11:51AM (10/08/2008)
Every new BMW model is starting to look like a bloated Hyundai
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Robert 12:10PM (10/08/2008)
They don't call it "Needless Mark-up" for nothing.
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