10 Things You Should Know About The All-New 2016 BMW 7-Series

BMW 7 Series ・ Photo by BMW

With the unveiling of the all-new 2016 BMW 7 Series, the storied marque establishes a new baseline for luxury, safety, performance, and lightweight design. Further, great strides have been made in terms of driving dynamics, passenger accommodations, intelligent connectivity technology, and intuitiveness of operation. Coming to market initially with both rear and all-wheel drive, the new BMW flagship will be offered as the rear-drive 2016 BMW 740i and the all-wheel drive 2016 BMW 750i xDrive when it goes on sale in the autumn of 2015. Traditionally, the 7 Series has served as the debut platform of BMW's leading edge technological innovations, before they filter down into the rest of the product line. This all-new sixth generation BMW 7 Series model honors the convention with a host of technological firsts, all calculated to position Munich’s flagship as the pinnacle of full-size premium automobiles.

1. Carbon Core Passenger Cell

The 2016 BMW 7 Series will benefit from the lightness and strength of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) to improve both its performance and efficiency. Forming the roof frame, and integrated with ultra high strength steel and aluminum for the rest of the body, the CFRP passenger cell lowers the new 7 Series’ center of gravity by placing this lightweight material up high in the body of the top line BMW. Designed as a core-free closed structural element, it adds outstanding protection as you’d expect—given it forms the passenger compartment of the car—and yet it is also exceptionally light. Because of these attributes, the carbon core passenger cell can provide enhanced fortifications for the safety of the occupants, while still preserving the car’s performance potential and fuel efficiency. With the carbon core passenger cell numbered among its weight-saving attributes, the BMW will weigh some 190 pounds less than its predecessor.

2. BMW Active Kidney Grille and Air Breather

Often, cooling needs and aerodynamic efficiency can be at odds with one another. Allowing air to flow over certain components to displace heat can create drag, which in turn hampers performance and compromises fuel efficiency. The new BMW Active Kidney Grille can close to improve aerodynamics, and open as needed to provide cooling air to critical components. Further, the system is designed to open in stages so it can operate at its highest efficiency. Depending upon the speed of the 2016 BMW 7 Series, as well as componentry temperature, the shutters have five stages of opening within which they can function. They can also remain closed at startup—even when the car is stationary—to help accelerate the warm-up process. Which, of course, also improves fuel efficiency. While not new to BMW, the Air Breather vents in the sides of the front fenders operate in conjunction with the Air Curtain inlets in the front fascia to guide air around the front wheels to reduce drag-inducing turbulence around the front wheels.

3. Remote Parking with BMW Display Key

Prepare yourself to be forever freed (okay, mostly freed) from ever parking your car again. According to BMW, with the Display Key, the all-new BMW 7 Series is the world’s first series-produced car owners will be able to maneuver in or out of forward-parking spaces or garages without physically being at the wheel. The key’s optional remote parking feature moves the vehicle forward to enter a space, and reverses it to leave the space. Currently, the driver does have to be standing beside the space to accomplish this in case an obstacle suddenly enters the car’s path. The Display Key also monitors the status of the vehicle; telling the driver if it is locked, the windows are closed, the current fuel level of the BMW, and other useful information. Using touchscreen technology like a smartphone, the driver accesses the key’s various functions through a series of menus.

4. Upgraded BMW iDrive 5.0 with Touchscreen Technology

The iDrive system fitted to the all-new 2016 BMW 7 Series premieres touchscreen technology for BMW. The first mainstream manufacturer to go to a dial and monitor system for secondary comfort and convenience functions, BMW set a pattern since followed by even mainstream, popularly-priced manufacturers. However, many of BMW’s competitors also offer touchscreen interaction in addition to the dial. While a first for BMW, the company is playing a bit of catch-up with this development. However, Munich’s herd of nerds is well ahead of the game with this next offering…

5. World’s First Automotive "Gesture Control"

The new 7 Series will also finally free its driver of the need to touch a button or a screen to interact with certain comfort and convenience systems. With the BMW 7 Series’ Gesture Control technology, you can reject an incoming phone call with but a wave of your hand. You can also raise and lower the volume of the audio system, or command certain functions of the navigation system. Further, you can custom configure other tasks of the iDrive system to respond to gestures as well. An array of 3D sensors detects your movements and translates them into executable commands for the BMW.

6. Removable 7-Inch BMW Touch Command Tablet

Tablet computing for a variety of the all-new BMW 7-Series’ entertainment and comfort functions can be accomplished by passengers with the removable seven-inch portable touch screen BMW Touch Command Tablet, offered as an option for the 2016 BMW 7 Series. The tablet will interact with the car’s comfort functions such as seat adjustment, interior lighting and air conditioning, as well as infotainment, navigation and communication systems. It will also play external audio and video files, surf the Internet, or function as a gaming console. Naturally, the all-new 7-Series will come equipped with WiFi hotspot capability; the tablet leverages this technology to get online as needed. The 10-inch screens provided as part of the BMW’s rear-seat entertainment system are capable of mirroring any video content generated by the tablet.

7. Wireless Charging and WiFi Hotspot Capability - Standard

The wireless charging feature eliminates the requirement of tethering your mobile devices to the car with a cable to achieve battery recharging. The 7 Series hosts a universal wireless charging holder, compatible with a wide variety of devices. Further, the embedded LED charge status indicator displays the level of charge the device is currently holding. As we mentioned previously, WiFi Hotspot capability is also a standard feature of the all-new 2016 BMW 7 Series. In addition to the native removable seven-inch BMW Touch Command Tablet, laptops, smartphones, non-native tablets, and other WiFi enabled devices can be paired to the car to gain access to the Internet.

8. The Industry’s Largest Head Up Display (So Far)

Projected onto a 75 percent larger area than the display in the current version of the 7 Series, the new Head-Up display displays road speed information, speed limits, overtaking restrictions, Check Control messages, status and warning messages from the car’s other assistance systems, turn-by-turn directions, as well as telephone and entertainment menus directly into the driver’s field of vision. This places pertinent into the driver’s line of sight, while their eyes remain on the road.

9. Panoramic Sky Lounge LED Roof and Ambient Lighting

With the Panoramic Sky Lounge LED Roof, light emitted by LED modules spreads across the roof and is captured by etchings in the glass to create the effect of a starlit sky. No word on whether you can custom order the pattern to match the night sky at the time of your birth, but if they don’t provide the opportunity at launch, you can bet it will be available shortly thereafter. Interior ambiance lighting provides indirect illumination around the instrument panel, at the door beltlines, in the map pockets on the front seat backs, and in all of the footwells. Courtesy lights and illuminated bars on the doorsills provide additional light. A choice of six different color variations can be selected in the iDrive menu. The LED Light Carpet incorporated into the exterior side skirts projects welcoming graphics on the ground at the doors of the vehicle.

10. Class Leading Performance and Luxury

Two engines will be offered at launch. A 320-horsepower turbocharged inline six-cylinder capable of producing 330 ft-lbs of torque will power the 740i. This engine will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which communicates with the BMW’s navigation system to predict upshifts and downshifts based on the nature of the terrain. The 750i xDrive gets a 445-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 with 480 ft-lbs of torque. The all wheel drive powertrain also uses the smart eight-speed automatic. Comfort access for all four doors and the trunklid are standard. This means the doors are soft close and merely waving your foot under the rear bumper can open the trunk. The BMW Ultimate Benefits package provides priority service appointments, pickup and delivery of the car, a comparable service loaner, and 24/7 concierge service. Encore delivery finds a representative of BMW at the buyer’s chosen location after they’ve had the car for bit to go over its many comfort and features as needed, at the buyer’s leisure.