BMW 7 Series 2009 News

Take this update of BMW’s flagship 7 Series, the latest in a flood of BMW shots from Carparazzi.The changes to the 7 are relatively minor, as it’s fairly fresh, but focus on a new eight-speed ZF gearbox and cosmetic tweaks at the front and rear end for an unveiling early in 2012.

… when BMW starts talking about oil-burners in the same breath as its performance petrol engines.Currently five BMW models are available with turbo-diesel powerplants and more are coming, according to BMW Australia spokesman, Toni Andreevski.The 730d has just landed and the 330d, sharing the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel as the 730d, arrives next month.Andreevski says the German carmaker may also add a 118d, along with diesel 3 Series coupe and convertibles, which are on the agenda for next year.The 118d model will sit under the 120d with a pricing around $45,000.It shares the same 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the 120d but in a detuned form, developing 105kW/300Nm compared to the 120d's 125kW/350Nm.Andreevski says the key to the 118d is its combined hybrid-busting fuel economy figure of 4.5 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 119g/km.It will feature fuel saving ideas like stop-start and brake energy regeneration."We're still considering it but it is a compelling argument based on its fuel economy and emissions," Andreevski says.BMW will get a better idea of where the 1 Series diesel strategy is going once the six-speed manual version of the 120d beds in, he says."We want to get a better feel for what's happening with 120d manual and whether a BMW, with fuel economy at 4.5 litres, would be appealing to people without sacrificing acceleration and performance," Andreevski says.However, Andreevski has ruled out diesels appearing in the head-lining Z4 sportscar to go up against the Audi TT diesel."BMW equips models with diesels only if it detects sufficient customer demand for the efficiency offered by these powerplants and if it is confident the engines exceed the performance expectations of buyers," he says.For a brand that did not sell diesel-powered vehicles here before March 2003, BMW has become a big advocate of oil-burners.Diesel BMW now account for about 34 per cent of all its local sales.Twenty per cent of 1 Series and 3 Series sales are diesel and 35 per cent of 5 Series are diesels with the bulk of X5 sales being diesels."Individually the most popular engine in the 5 Series is the diesel, the 520d," Andreevski says.Luxury diesel sales are up 18 per cent overall this year, with BMW leading fellow Germans Audi and Mercedes-Benz."Our diesel strategy was to target four-wheel drives first and move down," Andreevski says.He expects the popularity of diesels in BMW's luxury sedans and hatchs to continue to increase, even though diesels still represent a relatively small number of overall vehicle sales in Australia."People are now migrating to sedan-based diesels in bigger numbers," he says.

BMW Australia says its in-car system could be available on its high-end 7-Series early next year but is also likely to filter down to its cheaper models.Company spokesman, Toni Andreevski, says he expects the speed warning system to be optional but at a "nominal cost" to buyers."I don't imagine it will be expensive," he says.The speed system is expected to be linked into the car's optional lane-change warning technology.The BMW system uses a camera fitted near the interior rear-vision mirror that scans the road ahead.It "reads" signs along the roadside and then relays the information to the instrument cluster or the car's heads up display on the windscreen.Andreevski says it can read both normal roadside signs, digital displays and even temporary roadside signs near road works."The design of speed advisory signs are common globally so the system's recognition protocols are the same in Australia," he says.Andreevski says system will not slow a car to the posted speed limit though."It is purely an advisory function, informing the driver of the speed but it does not take control of the car," he says."The aim is to provide the driver with added information and they can choose to ignore it if they wish."It just helps drivers keep tabs on road speed."BMW engineers from Germany are soon to calibrate and trial the system throughout Australia."We've got two German engineers arriving here soon to test the system," he says.The engineers are expected to cover about 5000km of local urban and outback roads to make sure the system functions normally."We are field testing it like we do in other BMW markets," Andreevski says.Apart from BMW, Opel, Audi and Mercedes-Benz are also developing similar systems for global markets.Ultimately these devices could be forerunners to ‘intelligent’ speed limiting systems that automatically correct a vehicle's speed to the signposted speed.However, these systems would still be allowed to be switched off to allow drivers to overtake. 

...boasting fuel consumption more in line with small four-cylinder cars than its traditional luxo-rivals."This is a car that really redefines how efficient a large luxury car can be," BMW Australia's Toni Andreevski says.The new 730d has an official fuel consumption rating of 7.2L/100km, just 0.2 of a litre above the limit set by the government for cars to benefit from the green car exemption from luxury tax."It is just outside that level at the moment but with almost daily improvements in our efficient dynamics technology I am hopeful that it won't be too long before that level is reached," Andreevski says.In the interim BMW will just have to be satisfied that the 730d is the first car in the upper luxury sedan segment that emits less than 200 grams of CO2 per kilometre, putting out 192 g/km.That measure puts it ahead of the Lexus LS600hL hybrid and diesel competitors in the segment and on a par with a clutch of other four-cylinder cars on the Australian market, such as the manual 1.8-litre Holden Astra CD, the manual 1.6-litre Skoda Roomster and the automatic 1.8-litre Honda Civic VTi."It's not often a luxurious five-seater saloon is compared with smaller four-cylinder cars, but in terms of fuel consumption the 730d demonstrates the remarkable achievement of BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme," says BMW Australia's general manager of marketing, Tom Noble.The 730d's Euro 5 compliant turbocharged all-alloy straight six-cylinder engine produces 180kW and 540Nm, giving the car a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.2 seconds.The 3.0-litre diesel features a third generation common rail direct injection system with piezo injectors and a maximum injection pressure of 1800 bar, variable turbo geometry, diesel particle filter and oxidation catalyst.Standard equipment levels on the 730d are the same as the recently released 740i, including heads-up display, rear view camera, metallic paint, 18-inch light-alloy wheels, Dynamic Driving Control, Brake Energy Regeneration, adaptive headlights, heated and ventilated front seats, sunroof, soft close on all doors, television tuner and voice recognition.

One has two turbochargers, an eight-speed auto and a sub-5 second sprint time — but it isn't a sports car.The other has a 3.5-litre petrol V6 mated to an electric motor and, at 7.9 litres/100km, will be the cleanest, greenest luxury saloon to hit Australia.The bi-turbo car is BMW's new 7-Series luxury flagship, the 760Li, which arrives here in September with an expected $375,000 pricetag.The flagship gets a new all-aluminium 6-litre V12 engine with direct petrol injection and variable-valve timing and lift — all enough for 400kW at 5250rpm and 750Nm of torque from 1500rpm.BMW claims 13 litres/100km.But Mercedes-Benz almost cuts that consumption in half — and CO2 emissions to a mere 186g/km — with its S-Class hybrid, the S400 Hybrid.This car, one of 10 new S-Class models that may start coming into Australia in September, is the world's first standard production hybrid drive with a lithium-ion battery.The S400 Hybrid's modified 3.5-litre petrol engine has 205kW and the electric motor produces 15kW and has starting torque of 160Nm.Mercedes-Benz claims the major advantages of the lithium-ion batteries over conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries include a higher energy density, greater electrical efficiency, compact dimensions and a low battery weight.The S400's boot space remains the same shape and size as that of the S350 donor car.The S-Class range also includes S350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, S350 CDI 4MATIC all-wheel drive; the 4-litre V8 S450 CDI; S350 and S350 4MATIC; the 4.7-litre V8 petrol S450/S450 4MATIC; the S500/S500 4MATIC with 5.5-litre V8s; S600 bi-turbo 5.5-litre V12; and the two AMG versions, the 386kW 6.2-litre V8 S63 AMG and the 450kW 6-litre V12 S65 AMG.Further details of the S-Class range will be revealed next month. 

To keep the accountants happy and eco-warriors in their place, BMW will add a frugal turbo-diesel to its new 7 Series line-up next June.Announcing prices for its petrol 7 Series models this week, BMW Australia spokesman Toni Andreevski, says the turbo-diesel will have wide appeal with its blend of performance and economy.The 3.0-litre 730d has a combined fuel economy figure of 7.2 litres/100km yet will hit 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.It is the first time the company has added a turbo-diesel 7 Series to the lineup.The same engine will be available in the 330d sedan from mid-2009, but with 20Nm less torque.In Europe, diesel 7 Series' account for almost 50 per cent of total sales.Although Andreevski refused to put a figure on local sales numbers, he says the 180kW/540Nm six-cylinder diesel had a sense of "social responsibility" about it.Apart from the fact that both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have diesels in their big luxury A8 and S-Class sedans, Andreevski says adding a 7 Series diesel to the line-up made sense for the Munich-based carmaker."The fuel economy of the 730d is something you'd be happy with in a mid-size car," he says.This also made it easier for upper-luxury buyers to feel better about their purchase, he says."Even luxury buyers are becoming more conscious about fuel consumption," he says.Andreevski expects the luxury diesel segment to continue to grow."It's important to be represented in that segment and show people the type of technology BMW has," he says.Andreevski says specifications and pricing for the 730d are still to be set but it is expected to be about $200,000."It really could be the price leader for the 7 Series," he says.Prices for petrol lineup are the same as the outgoing model.Four petrol models will be available from early next year.The 740i and 740Li will be powered by 240kW/450Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six cylinder engines while the 750i and 750Li gets a new twin-turbo 300kW/600Nm 4.4-litre V8 engine.The V8 is shared with the new X6 xDrive50i, which has just gone on sale.BMW says both engines are among the most frugal technologically advanced it has built for its big luxury sedan.Like other BMW sedans, the 7 Series makes extensive use of lightweight aluminium suspension members front and rear.External panels like the roof and doors are also aluminium, saving about 30kg over conventional steel panels.Standard equipment levels are high with swags of leather, brake energy regeneration, four-wheel steering, night vision with integrated human-shape recognition and warning, lane change warning system, lane departure warning, head-up display, runflat tyres, active cruise control and adaptive headlights.The 7 Series will also get dynamic damper control.This has a choice of five different damping settings as well as adjusting shift points for the transmission and the level of intervention from the dynamic stability control and traction control systems.Pricing for the 740i starts at $203,000 while the 750i is $274.000.Long wheelbase versions add $15,000 and $17,000.Visually, the car's styling has evolved into a contemporary less-polarising look than the previous model.  

The hulking 7 Series flagship, which set the tone and direction for a whole new generation of edgy BMW bodies from 2001, has been replaced by an all-new car which is more caring, engaging and politically correct.The fifth-generation Seven still has unquestioned impact, from the way it stands on the road to the way it cuts through curves, but is much more friendly and welcoming. Predictably, it makes more power and torque in every case while using less fuel and producing less CO2.It is a step back to the days before the Chris Bangle-driven heavyweight Seven, returning the BMW headliner to the top of a range of driver's cars.The newcome will hit Australia next March, priced from a little under $200,000, and comes with the promise of more performance and luxury, as well as all the technology the German maker can load.That means everything from four-wheel steering to infra-red night vision, lane-departure and blind-spot warnings, and even a camera which recognises speed signs and reminds the driver of the limit.No-one knows yet what will be standard for Australia, but there will be two engines at first - an inline six with 240 kiloWatts for the 740 and a twin-turbo V8 for the 750 with 300 kiloWatts - with both short and long-wheelbase bodies. A diesel will follow before the end of 2009 and could easily become the showroom favourite.The design of the new Seven is softer and smoother, both inside and out, but it is the focus on people's needs which will ignite a tight fight with the Mercedes S-Class for top-end bragging rights. There is plenty of surprise and delight stuff.But the approach is really just a return to the basics which worked so well through the first four generations of the Seven, from a roomy luxury cabin to a dashboard focussed on the driver, a huge boot, lots of toys, and leather-and-wood luxury.The Seven is new from the road upwards and that means everything from a new chassis and body - with a weight saving bonnet-doors-boot combo in aluminium - to a new diesel inline six with 180kW and 540Nm, double-wishbone front suspension, and a vastly improved version of the hated iDrive system.A first drive in Germany, over a wide range of roads near the city of Dresden in the former East of the country, proved the Seven is back to its best. It is refined and comfortable, and a car which is keen to go and gives plenty of feedback and enjoyment to the driver.