Photo: Original image by autoevolution
BMW is hard at work developing their next 7 Series model both to keep up with the competition and to show them a thing or two. This time we’re showing you our own take on the car, one that’s a bit more conservative than what you’ve been seeing so far.
So what’s going to be new on the upcoming flagship? Well, quite a lot actually. Fighting on a couple of new fronts, BMW will have to force the 7 Series to drop some serious weight and this is going to be the first model in the 7 Series' history that's lighter than its predecessor.
The European Union is forcing the German manufacturer (as well as all the others in Europe) to cope with some unforgiving CO2 regulations. They claim that the fleet of every car maker on the continent should have an average level of CO2 emissions below the 100 g/km limit. That’s a harsh target and it will have a lot to do with the big sellers of every company as they will counterbalance the less eco-friendly character of high-performance vehicles.
As for the 7 Series, losing weight will not only reduce the amount of toxic carbon dioxide freed into the atmosphere but it will also take fuel consumption down and improve the handling characteristics.
‘That doesn’t matter on a limousine!’ you might say and, sitting in the back you could be right. But this is a BMW after all and driving dynamics matter for the Bavarians. That’s why, no matter how big the 7er will grow, the driving experience will still have to be on par with the company’s criteria.
In order to achieve these targets, the car will be built on the new 35up platform that will be responsible for the underpinnings of every model from the 3 Series up. It will also be using a lot of aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber reinforced plastic in its composition.
The Vision Future Luxury concept is basically the one that previews the car as a whole and shows us what the company is planning. As we’ve already told you, a weight drop of around 200 kilos (441 lbs) is expected as well as smaller, modular engines.
We might even see a 4-cylinder make a debut in this range, even though it could be coupled with an electric motor to create a powerful hybrid. BMW is still discussing it. But even if the hybrid element goes out the door, a 300 HP biturbo 2-liter 4-cyl engine could very well cope with a 1,600 kg (3,400 lbs) car, as we’re expecting the 7er to be.
CFRP usage will be felt even throughout the cabin. The roof, A, B and C pillars could be made of the light and yet strong material while the rest of the cabin will have the latest in technology.
Multiple displays will be sprinkled around, including on the passenger’s side and in the seatbacks of the front seats, to offer a complete multimedia and infotainment experience.
Other technology will include organic LEDs or OLEDs are they are known in the smartphone circles. They will be used on the taillights and inside the car thanks to their unique characteristics like even lower energy consumption and the capability of being molded in more shapes than their traditional LED counterparts and predecessors.
On-board, drivers will get autonomous driving capabilities, B&W audio systems, advanced parking assist and even Wi-Fi hotspot technology for the passengers.
Last but not least, there’s been talk about a possible M Performance model or even a true M7. While the latter might seem a bit ridiculous right now (and we really tend to agree that such a move won’t be made just yet), an MPA model could very well be a possibility, to rival with the likes of the Audi S8. It would use a tuned version of the 4.4-liter V8 on the 750i model and have xDrive at its disposal.
The European Union is forcing the German manufacturer (as well as all the others in Europe) to cope with some unforgiving CO2 regulations. They claim that the fleet of every car maker on the continent should have an average level of CO2 emissions below the 100 g/km limit. That’s a harsh target and it will have a lot to do with the big sellers of every company as they will counterbalance the less eco-friendly character of high-performance vehicles.
As for the 7 Series, losing weight will not only reduce the amount of toxic carbon dioxide freed into the atmosphere but it will also take fuel consumption down and improve the handling characteristics.
‘That doesn’t matter on a limousine!’ you might say and, sitting in the back you could be right. But this is a BMW after all and driving dynamics matter for the Bavarians. That’s why, no matter how big the 7er will grow, the driving experience will still have to be on par with the company’s criteria.
In order to achieve these targets, the car will be built on the new 35up platform that will be responsible for the underpinnings of every model from the 3 Series up. It will also be using a lot of aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber reinforced plastic in its composition.
The Vision Future Luxury concept is basically the one that previews the car as a whole and shows us what the company is planning. As we’ve already told you, a weight drop of around 200 kilos (441 lbs) is expected as well as smaller, modular engines.
We might even see a 4-cylinder make a debut in this range, even though it could be coupled with an electric motor to create a powerful hybrid. BMW is still discussing it. But even if the hybrid element goes out the door, a 300 HP biturbo 2-liter 4-cyl engine could very well cope with a 1,600 kg (3,400 lbs) car, as we’re expecting the 7er to be.
CFRP usage will be felt even throughout the cabin. The roof, A, B and C pillars could be made of the light and yet strong material while the rest of the cabin will have the latest in technology.
Multiple displays will be sprinkled around, including on the passenger’s side and in the seatbacks of the front seats, to offer a complete multimedia and infotainment experience.
Other technology will include organic LEDs or OLEDs are they are known in the smartphone circles. They will be used on the taillights and inside the car thanks to their unique characteristics like even lower energy consumption and the capability of being molded in more shapes than their traditional LED counterparts and predecessors.
On-board, drivers will get autonomous driving capabilities, B&W audio systems, advanced parking assist and even Wi-Fi hotspot technology for the passengers.
Last but not least, there’s been talk about a possible M Performance model or even a true M7. While the latter might seem a bit ridiculous right now (and we really tend to agree that such a move won’t be made just yet), an MPA model could very well be a possibility, to rival with the likes of the Audi S8. It would use a tuned version of the 4.4-liter V8 on the 750i model and have xDrive at its disposal.
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