|
|
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
04-17-2015, 06:24 AM | #1 |
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
Another impression of G11/G12 7 Series from Miami private reveal event
Featured on BIMMERPOST.com I don't post much on the forums due to the nature of my involvement in the auto industry so I will hold back some of what I already knew due to my involvement with product development and what I learned at the event. One of the biggest surprises is how active executives from BMW personally read these forums and do so every day. Now, onto the car. I must say it came together better than I originally thought based off of technical drawings and the few uncovered spy shots floating around. It's not nearly as bulbous in person as in the images. More 6er Gran Coupe only slightly plumper in profile and rear/rear quarter view. The headlamps are sized in between the current F10 LCI with LED and the F15 X5. The smaller details on the exterior such as the side window moldings are exquisite. Personally though I can't seem to warm up to the straight on front view. There is one design detail that hasnt been seen since the E34 departed and its modern interpretation feels too pushed for my taste. Exterior colors are mostly carried over from current BMW offerings. BMW Individual will be more extensive than before however. Interior is where this car shows steps ahead of the current 7er. I consider the overall design to be more evolutionary than revolutionary, but the detailing on the interior above the base model is something never seen before in a BMW. Details from the Vision Future Luxury have made it through to production with a bit of Rolls Royce sprinkled on top for good measure. It's stunning but at the same time I can't help but wonder if they've gone a bit too far in the passenger offerings for a brand who's Laurels are focused on the driving experience. None the less it's spectacular and most definitely class leading. Technology is probably where I'm the least wowed. What's been expected for years is present, and despite understanding the process and implementation, still think it should and could have been done differently while still allowing for future growth and not introducing something overly radical like the introduction of iDrive for the first time... - I'm dumbfounded by the touchscreen. Every car maker who still utilizes a touchscreen is reminded of this in nearly every consumer review. They're fine when stationary but difficult to use when the vehicle is in motion. - Gesture Recognition I think is a great idea and where we're headed mainstream in the future. But I can see the reviews now with comments such as "moving as if conducting a symphony" and "I'm watching you Focker." I think there should be a few more gestures available on launch and the recognition area focused lower around the center console. Adaptive Drive - why add a redundant button to tell the car to perform a function automatically when nearly every car has done so without the need for a button for decades past and will continue to do so whether it's pressed or not? And why are the suspension settings still labeled in a manner that I've seen cause more confusion for non enthusiast buyers than anything else I've seen for quite some time. How about Eco, Comfort, Automatic (where it defaults most of the time anyway) Sport, maybe Sport +? - Ambient Lighting...it was too bright to truly get a feel for it. I just hope it's not as awful as the S65 I had last week. Great in photos but awful in person. Glass roof seems like it will be one of those novelty/new passenger conversation features that will begin to go unnoticed or become annoying over time. - Camera Systems - I see where it's going in the near future and really wish it wasn't presented in the manner it was. It makes sense when taking remote parking into consideration but not as a way to avoid kerbing a wheel. I can see drivers now trying to adjust the view to avoid a kerb only to be startled by the collision avoidance triggering to prevent slamming into another object. As critical as some of these are, many are easily rectified and one thing made up for almost all of them. BMW was kind enough to fly over a second M Sport Equipped car yesterday and if you know what to look for, it's even more special. Unlike the current Generation, the new M Sport makes the car. It's athletic yet refined and elegant and just makes the new 7 really stand out from the competition. I give it a solid 8.5 out of 10 with M Sport, and with some tweaks here and there easily see it bumping up to a 9.5 in my book and make me reconsider the Ghost Series II I've ordered. Last edited by lemetier; 04-17-2015 at 06:34 AM.. |
04-17-2015, 11:05 AM | #2 | ||
Captain
208
Rep 654
Posts |
Quote:
I look forward to the following things then: -Create your own color -Addition of BLACK STITCHING for the seats and other interior areas Quote:
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
04-17-2015, 11:45 AM | #3 |
Live for today tomorrow never comes
1998
Rep 9,502
Posts |
The M-Sport sounds very interesting . Looking forward to seeing it.
__________________
Live for now, life is too short.
2023 LCI M5 Marina Bay Blue/ Smoked White Leather, the very last of the F90 M5. |
Appreciate
0
|
04-17-2015, 12:52 PM | #5 |
Second Lieutenant
103
Rep 252
Posts
Drives: Anything with a locking diff
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Europe, mainly Germany
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-17-2015, 03:50 PM | #6 | ||
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
Quote:
Quote:
I value the professional relationships and trust placed upon me too much to completely divulge. I will say it is an exterior design element, small in size, but large in effect. I have to take back my reference to the E34 though. It's a design element that has been shown on one concept and has made it to a production car however the effect is completely different to my eye on the 7. It isn't visible in any spy photos, the Chinese leaked photos, or any of the renderings I have seen. If someone else knows what I'm referring to, it's their decision to elaborate further. Last edited by lemetier; 04-17-2015 at 05:57 PM.. |
||
Appreciate
0
|
04-18-2015, 02:15 AM | #7 | |
Captain
208
Rep 654
Posts |
Quote:
In the current Individual program, there were certain colors that were available for an added fee (like PYRITE BROWN METALLIC). I guess with the new and improved Individual program, any buyer of the new 7 series can choose from a wider color palette: So does that mean colors such as JAVA GREEN, DAKAR YELLOW, LONG BEACH BLUE, SEPANG BRONZE, FROZEN MATTE BLUE METALLIC and SEPIA VIOLET will br available? |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-18-2015, 02:59 AM | #8 | |
Live for today tomorrow never comes
1998
Rep 9,502
Posts |
Quote:
One thing about Jaguar, you get a very wide choice of colours.
__________________
Live for now, life is too short.
2023 LCI M5 Marina Bay Blue/ Smoked White Leather, the very last of the F90 M5. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-18-2015, 04:49 AM | #9 | ||
Captain
208
Rep 654
Posts |
Quote:
I suppose with the new Individual prorgram, any 7 series buyer can opt for higher levels of customization. I do have one MINOR concern though: In the current F01, Black Leather can only be had in Extended Nappa (NASW) For the next-gen, I expect that there will be a Full Merino option for Black Leather, right? Quote:
In the Jaguar XJ, there are two kinds of Black (Ebony and Ultimate Black Metallic......dunno which one is more Black haha). In Bentley, it's much more difficult to choose because there are AT LEAST 5 DIFFERENT BLACK COLORS haha xD Anyways, for the next-gen 760 Li M-Sport, there's only one color I'm looking out for: 668 - Black (a.k.a. Jet Black / Schwarz II) |
||
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 12:01 PM | #10 |
Second Lieutenant
85
Rep 280
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 12:31 PM | #11 | |
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
Quote:
For instance, non individual interiors have approximately the same number of colors and are not much different than current offerings as one would expect. But what was new is the multiple types/quality of materials and style these colors are available in. If anyone else who attended was there recalls differently, feel free to chime in but I recall 6 standard interior colors with 2 - 4 different layouts depending on the color and Design Line selected. For individual i believe 10 colors were shown with 2-3 variations of layout available. The touchscreen is something that would always bother me personally. It's certainly not a deal breaker, but one of those "I wish it had been_______" items. In fact...I wish it had been a next generation improvement to the touchpad controller where contact and gesture recognition had been incorporated and focused towards. But that's just me and there will always be multiple ways to do something but only one will be decided upon. It could have been worse and be as horrid as the Mercedes Comand system that I thought couldn't be more annoying until I picked up an AMG C Class last night to evaluate. Its not the least bit intuitive at all, uncomfortable, and the only thing I can say positive about it is the graphics. Last edited by lemetier; 04-20-2015 at 01:26 PM.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 01:03 PM | #12 |
Second Lieutenant
107
Rep 276
Posts |
I feel you on that. An all black interior is what I always go back to after trying something else. With a black headliner it's just the chill-zone in there. Surprised they only offer full merino black on the M's.
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 01:40 PM | #14 |
Knight Commander
563
Rep 5,948
Posts
Drives: 2014 911 Turbo S
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Buckhead
iTrader: (0)
Garage List 2014 Porsche 911 Tu ... [10.00]
2015 Mercedes-Benz ... [0.00] 2015 Jaguar F Type R [0.00] 2014 BMW M5 [0.00] |
Thanks. This is a great thread.
__________________
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Ordered: EQS580, BMW IX, Lucid Air Touring, Corvette Stingray |
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 02:07 PM | #15 |
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
It's the result of cost/benefit analysis. The M5/6 and 6er GC are unique in the that they come standard with Individual features. What many don't have knowledge of are the obstacles in Governmental Regulations that impact something so seemingly simple combined with the uptake rate. I learned many years ago when working with Audi to bring the Exclusive Program to the U.S., every type of interior material that will be offered must go through crash testing before it is sold here. Since Merino is already in our base M5 or M6 and black has to be offered, it's there by default. For the 7 though, it's 1-2 level cost options above the optional Nappa and from the uptake perspective, the number of buyers willing to pay those figures doesn't justify the marketing costs. That said though, if one was willing to pay the costs for the special request (Hyde size and quantity is what mostly comes into play here) and patient enough and absolutely had to have black merino individual on a 7er, it could be done.
Last edited by lemetier; 04-20-2015 at 02:46 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 02:15 PM | #16 | |
Colonel
236
Rep 2,377
Posts
Drives: Perfomance Model 3
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Denver, CO
|
Quote:
__________________
'18 Tesla Perfomance Model 3 White on White Performance Upgrade Pkg & EAP
*RETIRED* 2015 435xi GC [f36] | 2012 335i [f30] | 2009 z4 35i [e89] | 2007 335i coupe [e92] | 2001 325Ci [e46] *RETIRED* |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 02:23 PM | #17 |
Lieutenant
65
Rep 520
Posts |
Great write-up. Thanks for sharing!
__________________
2017 R8 V10 Plus, 2016 Boxster GTS, 2015 Macan S, 2015 V12 Vantage S - Pending Sale, 2013 911 C4S - Sold, 2012 V8 Vantage S - Sold, 2013 DB9 - Sold, 2011 997.2 Targa 4s - Sold, 2011 E90 335i M-Sport - Sold, 2013 981 Boxster S - Sold, 2006 E46 M3 - Sold, 2010 E60 M5 - Sold, 2006 E46 M3 - Sold, 2011.5 E90 M3 - Sold, 2006 325i - Sold, 2004 Mazda6 - Sold
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 02:27 PM | #18 |
Private First Class
18
Rep 192
Posts
Drives: 2011 328i AW/ 2013 128i AW
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
|
I personally hate the ipad type tacked on screen. Thats one design feature that has gone downhill, though I understand its a lot easier to maintain
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 02:44 PM | #19 |
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
No the GT is the better half's and will probably stay until the Bentley SUV arrives and replaces it and the G63 or G65 depending on which one arrives first.
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 04:12 PM | #20 | |
Lieutenant
745
Rep 585
Posts |
Quote:
Here's a screenshot from the preview vid at 3:23 Obviously too blurry to really see much, just wild speculation lol |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 04:33 PM | #21 | |
Plenipotentiary
2614
Rep 3,046
Posts |
Quote:
E32 7 was what I was picturing in my head and completely forgot about one recent concept and production model that do have a similar feature, most likely because they both are executed in a way different from the 7 has it. But no it is not the horizontal trim strips as you asked. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
04-20-2015, 06:39 PM | #22 | |
Major General
1055
Rep 5,660
Posts |
Quote:
Would you share enough details so we your readers can concur or not, based upon your sharing of your detailed observations. All the best.
__________________
Cheers,
Tony ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ '07, e92 335i, Sparkling Graphite, Coral Leather, Aluminum, 6-speed |
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|