Backseat cinema screen: BMW unveils the new 7 Series | to cut

The screen can be folded against the ceiling and operated electrically. On the big screen, and in Ultra HD resolutions up to 8K, cinema movies can be streamed via Amazon. This is done via the fast 5G internet connection on board. Movies can be viewed in different aspect ratios: 16:9, 21:9 (cinematic format) and even 32:9. With streaming movies, the resolution is up to 4K. If you want 8K full definition, you will have to connect a player with an HDMI connection.

If you’ve started a movie at home, you can watch the sequel seamlessly in the car. vice versa. After all, the car can be connected to a WiFi network at home via the Internet. BMW says it has tested the large screen in crash tests and ensures that passengers are not injured in the event of an accident. The display and movie menu are controlled via an iPhone-style touchscreen integrated into the armrests of each of the two tailgates. The climate and other functions can also be controlled using the same touch screen. Those sitting in the front seat of the car can watch YouTube videos on the center screen.

BMW believes it will finally be able to beat its arch rival, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, with the new 7 Series. This is what Peter Nota of BMW Group told AD news site. Mercedes has been the market leader in the luxury limousine segment in recent years. These types of cars are mainly sold to CEOs, heads of state, diplomats and royal families.

“The seating space in the rear seats is second to none for us. But the extremely high level of comfort and luxury cannot be found among the competition either. As a member of the board of directors, Notta, who is responsible for BMW Worldwide Sales, said: “This car is a masterpiece that shows our strength. inventiveness”.

Unlike Mercedes, BMW hasn’t opted for a different design for its electrified body: while the Mercedes EQS looks very different from the S-Class, the BMW i7 looks almost like the 7 Series. According to BMW, the competition in the electric version has freed up seating in the rear. In order to achieve as little air resistance as possible in the body, thanks to the steep roofline. This intervention should result in a larger working radius. Note: “We do not opt ​​for such a compromise. In our electric version, you get as much seating space as in the versions with a combustion engine.”

“We expect a lot of this i7 to be sold in a country like the Netherlands,” Peter Nota continues. “Precisely because the Dutch public is now embracing the electric car and you can charge electric cars there in many places.”

BMW knows this is different in other parts of this world. That is why the new 7 Series is also sold with gasoline engines in the United States and China, while in Europe they are now emphatically saying goodbye. For mileage owners, only a different type of diesel will be available here. In addition, Dutch customers will soon be able to choose plug-in hybrid cars with a maximum electric range of 80 kilometres. In these hybrid cars, a six-cylinder petrol engine is combined with an electric motor.

BMW explains this remarkable shift in the range of engine types: “We look at the wishes of customers in each country and adapt the offer accordingly.” Large six, eight, and even twelve-cylinder gasoline engines in particular have been the calling card of the Seventh Series for years. Next year, there will be M Sport versions based on the new top model.

The new 7 Series and i7 are distinguished by their massive grille contrasting with slender, flat headlights. “We were instructed that this car should radiate self-confidence,” he explained to the designers who choose them for a car that is perfectly present as soon as it appears on the street. Inside, luxury and comfort define the atmosphere.

At the top of the dashboard is a 14.9-inch infotainment screen and the instrumentation has a 12.3-inch screen. To operate, you can choose from all the ways possible in modern cars: with a touch screen, using the central iDrive control button or using voice commands.

New to the dashboard in the 7 Series is a backlit bar that houses several control buttons: the interaction bar. This bar can also display a light animation, for example as a warning of danger on the road or to indicate an incoming phone call.

The car greets you, or says goodbye, with a light show: Swarovski crystal glass is optionally available in the headlights and an animation of light is also shown around the grille and on the road surface, right next to the car. For the first time, the car is also available in a mixture of two paint colors, as Rolls-Royce, another BMW Group brand. He also borrowed from Rolls-Royce, the automatic opening of doors with the push of a button. It can also be electrically closed.

Previously, the 7 Series was delivered with a short and long wheelbase, but from now on – just as with the Mercedes S-Class – only the long wheelbase remains. This time it grew by half an inch in an effort to give the rear seat passengers, who are often the owners or primary users of the car, more seating space. One of the two back seats can also be converted into a chaise longue, leg and foot rest included.

The car is exactly 13 cm long, about 5 cm wide, and more than 5 cm higher than before. BMW also claims to have the largest panoramic roof on the market. If desired, this can be equipped with LED accents, so that light-colored illustrations appear on the ceiling.

The i7 has two electric motors, rated at 544 hp / 400 kW. It also has all-wheel drive and accelerates from zero to 100 km / h in 4.9 seconds. Its top speed is 240 km / h. The 101.7 kWh battery pack allows a range of up to 625 kilometres. Charging goes with 195 kW and this BMW unfortunately lags behind the competition, which can already provide more than 200 kW. However, BMW says that with the fast charger, enough power is obtained within 10 minutes to be able to drive another 170 km.

Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer created synthetic sounds for the new BMW i7 to create an atmosphere that would have been missed by a quiet electric motor. Adaptive air suspension, front and rear, is standard on new BMWs.

The i7 electric car will go on sale from November. A plug-in diesel and hybrid version of the Series 7 will follow in early 2023. Armored versions will also be launched later that year for customers who feel threatened.

Find out more about the new BMW i7 and 7 Series In this article from Autoweek†