Autoblog

BMW released a bevy of new 2009 7 Series images and even some video today in anticipation of the big sedan's appearance next month at the Paris Motor Show. Officially unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show in early July, the 2009 7 Series will appear at the Paris show in at least six different models: the 730d powered by a 3.0L straight-six diesel engine, the 740i and long-wheelbase 740il, the 750i and the also long-wheelbase 750il, as well as a hybrid version. The 7 Series will also be packed with more high technology than NORAD, including a Side View camera system, Park Distance Control system, Lane Departure Warning system, Head-up display, a four-wheel steering system called Integral Active Steering, and, of course, the latest generation of BMW's iDrive. Back seat passengers can also be entertained via big headrest-mounted screens that are controlled via a second iDrive rotary knob in the rear seat center armrest Check out all of the new images released by BMW today in our gallery below, as well as b-roll video the new 7 Series being driven on the road after the jump.


[Source: BMW]

It didn't start off as a way for readers of England's Telegraph newspaper to engage in the popular pastime of bashing American cars, but it wound up that way. To be fair, there are plenty of odd and ugly vehicles from all over the place on the Telegraph's list of the 100 ugliest cars of all time, and the voters didn't beat up on the colonies too badly. With so much homegrown hideousness to choose from, we can see how they'd be reluctant to throw stones.

The usual suspects are accounted for, of course. The Pacer is there, as are the Cayenne, BMW's 1 and 7 Series, though we thought the Rolls Royce Camargue was conspicuously low on the list. C'mon, guys, stop going easy on it just because you've got hometown pride. The Camargue really was horrid, no matter how well it sold. There are also vehicles that don't belong; cars that aren't even remotely ugly. The Boxster, XJS, TR7, and Chrysler 300 don't strike us as repulsive. The readers were almost spot-on, though, voting the Fiat Multipla into the second place slot. Number one is a car that everyone loves to hate, but it doesn't strike us as uglier than the Multipla. That vehicle? Aztek. Seriously.

[Source: Telegraph.co.uk via Hemmings]

You would think a car company with BMW's brand recognition could roll out its redesigned flagship 7 Series covered in burlap at a mid-December reveal in Siberia with no concerns over public perception, but BMW apparently feels the up-and-coming Russian market needs to be romanced with a glitzy intro right in the middle of Red Square. That's where the carmaker held the official unveiling (though we already got the official photos earlier this month) July 8th.

For two days, the 7-Series was hidden in 180,000 silver balls that filled a giant glass-and-acrylic hourglass almost 40 feet tall that had been built right in front of the Kremlin. Then, on the night of the 8th, as 400 invited guests watched, the top of the hourglass emptied to reveal the car.

BMW officials say the stunt was meant to illustrate the event's tagline, "Never stand still." Hey, if it sells a few Bimmers in Russia, maybe giant hourglasses are the way to go. Still, maybe next time they should at least consider the burlap. It's gotta be cheaper than silver balls, and we'd still blog about it.

Check out a high-res gallery of photos from the event here and BMW's press release after the jump.



[Source: World Car Fans]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the new 7 Series

BMW has officially announced the details pertaining to the 5th generation 7 Series, so let's cut right to the chase. In Europe, there are five models arriving on the market in November of this year: the 730d; the 740i and Li; and the 750i and Li. The latter two are powered by the same twin-turbo 4.4L V8 that debuted in the X6. In the U.S.-market 7 Series, the turbo eight is rated at 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, and it is the sole engine option being made available. If you want a BMW 7 Series in America, it will be a 750.

Europeans get more choices. The 730d's 3.0L diesel I6 pumps out 245 horses with nearly 400 lb-ft of torque. Despite the grunt, it boasts a combined fuel economy number of 32.6 U.S. miles per gallon (39.2 Imperial). The 740 models are powered by the now-familiar 3.0L twin-turbo gasoline engine. In the 7, the 3.0TT's power output is 326 horses and 332 lb-ft -- enough to hustle the 740Li from 0 to 62 mph in six seconds flat. All the engines are connected to a six-speed automatic. Follow the jump for more details and BMW's official press release.

Click above image for a gallery of the new 7

There's a crack in the dam somewhere at BMW, and what certainly appear to be official press shots of the new 2009 7 Series are now making the rounds. This leads us to believe that we should see an official release from the automaker sometime over the weekend (if the way the 1 Series leaks played out is any indication). Obviously, all we have to go on are the photos, so lets talk about what we can see. The new car's lines and overall appearance are remarkably conservative compared to the Bangleized E65/E66 cars we were presented in 2001. The 2006 facelift those cars underwent cured many of those visual ills, and this latest car mainstreams things even further.

Up front, the wide double-kidney grille is flanked by angel-eye lamps that have an "eyebrow" built into their assembly. Move to the rear, and you'll find a pair of somewhat bulbous-looking (in pictures, at least) taillamps that are likely to generate a good amount of for/against chatter. Integrated, parallelogram-shaped exhaust tips poke through the rear bumper of the gold long-wheelbase car, while the darker, diesel-powered standard-length machine has a traditional double-tipped outlet on the driver's side.

The interior sports a new iDrive controller with buttons mounted around it now, and the iDrive onscreen interface itself is new, too. The multifunction steering wheel now has 3 spokes instead of four, and one shot clearly shows BMW's new in-car Internet service onscreen. Finally, the rear-seat entertainment system gets screens on each front seatback instead of the single, low-mount center screen available in the current 7. We're sure there's plenty more to talk about as well. For now, the comment floor is yours, and we expect to be talking about the official details in the coming days. Thanks to all the tipsters!


[Source: 7Post]

Seriously, we're getting a bit tired of seeing lightly camo'd BMW 7- series sedans roaming the roads. Isn't it about time that the Bavarian automaker unleashed real photos upon the automotive world? These latest shots were taken by our friends over at Autofiends.com out in the Nevada desert, and we can again see that the much maligned flame-surfacing treatment common to BMWs from the last few years seems to be falling out of favor. In its stead are longer stretches of mostly flat sheet metal, though some vestigial character lines remain just below the greenhouse and door handles. Up front are exaggerated versions of the familiar kidney grilles which show clear inspiration from the Concept CS from a while back, though they are not nearly as monstrous as those seen on the next 5 Series. If rumors hold true, we can expect the spy shots to officially come to an end on July 7 when the new big Bimmer is expected to make its debut.

[Source: Autofiends.com]

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]

Click on the image to enlarge

After seeing numerous exterior spy shots and renderings of BMW's upcoming 2009 7 Series and hearing details about the drivetrain, we finally have what appears to be a spy shot of the new 7's interior. Like the exterior, it appears to be rather subdued for a modern BMW. As we had previously heard, the joystick gear lever has moved back to its rightful position in the center console between the seats. Although the woodgrain and some of the panels don't line up all that well, we're not concerned about it considering that this is obviously not a production model yet. We're also happy to see that the iDrive screen is better integrated into the dash. While we generally favor a clean, uncluttered look, we wonder how this new and more simple design ethos will resonate with the luxury car buyers that are BMW's target audience. Thanks for the tip, Luke!

[Source: E90Post.com]

Just yesterday, we reported that the new BMW 7 Series (F01) will be fitted with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Now we are hearing rumors that the 2009 flagship sedan will be available with four-wheel steering, as well. While we understand the consumer-driven technology battle going on between the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series, the addition of a four-wheel steer option (with the added mechanical complexity and weight) just doesn't seem to make much sense to us these days - the '80s are over. The 7 Series isn't designed as a canyon carver, so we can rule out the handling advantages. Integrated "all around" cameras and parking sensors have simplified parking, so that's not an excuse. Lastly, sophisticated electronics can now modulate brakes, throttle and even the steering rack to compensate for vehicle instability. BMW is understandably tight-lipped about details... and this type of feature is obviously difficult to discern from spy shots. Drat!

[Source: BMW Blog]

Are transmissions a new battlefront in the war for customers amongst high end brands? Mercedes has been doing seven ratios for a little while, and Lexus has a new 8-cogger on offer, too. BMW's not content to be trailing with just 6 speeds, so the new 7-series (F01) will reportedly ship with an 8-speed automatic transmission. If high fuel prices and tightening emissions and consumption requirements manage to snuff out our recent horsepower battles, gear ratios are all we'll have left.

BMW's 8-speed fits in the same space as the old 6-speed, and is said to be smoother and more efficient than the outgoing gearbox. Perhaps more important than the greater ratio spread and increased fuel economy that the new transmission will bring is the shifter moves back to the console (cue choir of heavenly angels). Expect the new 8-speed and its modular design to wind up in many BMW vehicles after its initial launch in the upcoming 7-series.

[Source: Bimmerfile, Photo: Bimmerfile]