FIRST DRIVE - BMW 7-SERIES:The launch of the new BMW 7-Series is coming along in stages, finds Paddy Comyn, and stage two reveals some of its goodies.
THE NEW BMW 7-Series launch is starting to rival the launch of the Apple iPod, rather than a car unveiling. This was the second of three events that The Irish Timeswill attend to herald the car's November arrival to Ireland. Just a few weeks ago, motoring editor Michael McAleer attended the first preview of the car, where the design was explained and some of the new technology was revealed, but there was no actual driving.
So, in the greatest traditions of marketing hype, there was to be a second event where all this would be demonstrated to a more practical degree.
Miramas, in the south of France, is home to BMW's development centre, where on more than 52km of test track, the German firm put their latest creations through their paces under the strictest of security.
Covering 1,186 acres, it looks more like a military base and comes with similar restrictions. Camera phones were covered with stickers, and photos and videos were very much "verboten" in case we saw something we shouldn't. Although quite why BMW would choose to take a secret new model for a spin on the day a group of journalist visited was lost on us.
This was to be a workshop. A phrase that usually strikes cold, chilling fear into motoring hacks. It usually means hours spent discussing ashtray design with engineers rather than sliding round the race track.
A line of new 7-Series cars sat "disguised" awaiting approval. And when I say they were disguised, this was bizarrely, with thin black tape stuck on the design lines on the car and covering the BMW badge. Since we couldn't take any pictures and we sort of knew it wasn't a Lexus, I was again filing this under H, for hype. Especially as images of the car are already public.
But you can understand BMW wanting to make a big deal about this car. It is their flagship, their "look what we can do" effort. And let's be honest, they made a bit of a mess of the last one. Travelling in on the way to Miramas, I remembered that the latter's exterior was too fussy. Even after the tinkering that came all too quickly after the first iteration, the interior was a mess too, with an iDrive system that even left Playstation expertsconfused.
The new one is much better. I could tell you about the stages they went through, from design competitions to clay models and to board approval, but I won't. The new car looks better from every angle, and for me looks like a modern interpretation of the E38 built from 1994-2001, which was a gorgeous-looking car. This new one is aggressive and huge, as a 7-Series should be, but it looks so much better proportioned.
The interior looks much more simple. The design is in keeping with recent BMW lines and has remarkably good fit and finish. But what you notice first is that there are buttons. Lots of them. The idea of iDrive was that buttons would be replaced by the controller in the centre, where users could find everything via a screen on the dash.
Well, the problem with that was the average buyer in this segment didn't much like iDrive and soon rival firms such as Audi came out with easier-to-use systems, such as MMI.
The new system works much better. For a start, the menus are easier, the screen is huge and there are buttons that allow you to access things like the navigation or the audio system simply. It is all as easy to use as an iPod now, proving that clever technology doesn't need to be difficult to use.
You get the feeling that this sentiment has been employed heavily with this new car and it continues when you drive the car. Gone is the column-mounted lever in place of a proper automatic gearstick where it should be. And all the frightening acronyms, that do various functions to stop your 7-Series ending up on its roof, are summarised by Integrated Chassis Management, which networks all the various units with one another.
The clever one of these is Dynamic Damping Control; operated by, bear with me - the Dynamic Driving Control function. This is a button beside the gearstick, which allows you to choose from Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+. These do very much as they imply, changing the car from marshmallow comfortable to spiky sharp.
Performing power-slides in a 7-Series with every driver's aid switched off is not something many owners will do, but we did and, for such a huge car, its ability is astonishing.
We only drove 750i models on our brief track drive, which won't be very relevant to Irish buyers, but they were ferociously fast, yet very hushed.
We have to wait another little while for the third instalment of the BMW 7-Series epic. More news on that soon, but if this flavour was anything to go by, then Mercedes-Benz and their S-Class buyers need to pay a lot of attention to this car when it comes to Ireland in November.
FACTFILE - BMW 7-Series
730d
engine: 2,993cc
Max output: 245hp @ 4,000rpm; Max torque: 540Nm from 1,750-3,000rpm
0-100 km/h: 7.2secs
Top speed: 245km/h
Average fuel consumption: 7.2 l/100 km (39.2mpg)
CO2 emissions: 192g/km
Price: 730d SE: €113,760
740i
engine: 2,979cc
Max output: 326hp @ 5,800rpm;
Max torque: 450Nm from 1,500-4,500rpm
0-100 km/h: 5.9secs
Top speed: 250km/h
Average fuel consumption: 9.9 l/100 km (28.5mpg)
CO2 emissions: 232g/km
Prices: 740i SE €127,830 - 740Li €132,500
750i
engine: 4,395cc
Max output: 407hp from 5,500-6,400 rpm;
Max torque: 600Nm from 1,750-4,500rpm
0-100 km/h: 5.2secs
Top speed: 250km/h
Average fuel consumption 11.4 l/100 km (24.8mpg)
CO2 emissions: 266g/km
Prices: 750i SE €149,360 - 750Li €153,750
A TECHNOLOGICAL TOUR DE FORCE
Some of the technology making its debut in the new 7-Series
BMW night vision
Night vision has the ability to recognise pedestrians or cyclists on a dark road through the use of a thermal imaging camera. The control unit analyses each situation and alerts the driver when there is danger of a collision
Lane Change Warning
Radar sensors at the car's rear monitor traffic conditions on adjacent lanes and alert the driver if a car approaches the blind spot, vibrating the steering wheel if you put the indicator on in that direction
Recognition of traffic signs
Together with a navigation system and lane change warning, the speed limit indicator gives the driver reliable information about the speed limits on the road they are driving on.
It does this by recognising road signs, and yes, it will work in Ireland
Side view
This uses two cameras in the front wheel arches to observe and detect traffic approaching from the side.
It can be used when pulling out of narrow gateways or car parks with poor vision.