The 7 Best Features Of The New BMW 7 Series

The latest version of BMW’s flagship 7 Series is here, boasting the latest and greatest technology developed by the iconic luxury car maker. The new 7 Series exhibits some of the tech that will trickle down the BMW line-up future. This means it’s not only a significant car for those with £107,400 to spend on the entry-level 7 Series, it’s worth checking out for anyone planning to buy a BMW in the future.

An impressive array of futuristic equipment has been lavished on the VIP saloon, so here’s our round-up of the seven best features seen in the new 7 Series.

7. Adaptable platform (CLAR)

The new G70 generation 7 Series uses a modified version of BMW’s cluster architecture, or CLAR for short. The platform is highly adaptable, allowing the car to be produced in pure combustion, plug-in hybrid and fully electric i7 form, all using the same platform. The i7’s 101.7kWh battery pack can fit underneath the floor, while the combustion-powered 7 series utilises a traditional inline-six turbo petrol engine alongside a 197bhp electric motor to produce 486bhp, while an 18.7kWh battery pack can provide all-electric running.

6. Headlights and kidney grilles

BMW’s massive kidney grilles make yet another appearance on the new 7 Series, this time in illuminated form, along with the divisive split headlights that we first saw on the iX. BMW has stated that the larger-than-life grilles and split headlines are set to become a defining feature of their high-end, large vehicles, meaning smaller cars such as the upcoming BMW M2 are likely to adopt smaller, less expansive grilles. Breathe a sigh of relief, petrolheads.

5. Touch Command Screens

The new 7 Series features Touch Command screens on each door panel, enabling passengers to control the Theatre Screen and infotainment system with the touch of a fingertip, without having to stretch too far. While the central infotainment touchscreen may be more satisfying to use, the technology is undoubtedly impressive.

4. BMW Curved Display

First seen on the iX, the new 7 Series also includes BMW’s Curved Display, which consists of a 14.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen using BMW’s latest iDrive 8 software. The large curved display isn’t on the same scale as Mercedes’ Hyperscreen, but in our experience the setup is very intuitive to use.

3. BMW Interaction Bar

The BMW Interaction Bar is a large glass panel that blends into the dashboard and front doors. It produces animated lighting graphics that vary depending on the driving mode or the driver’s preference. Buttons are hidden within the glass display, which certainly adds to the 7 Series’ luxurious aesthetic, though we’ll have to wait to see if the system proves distracting to use while driving.

2. 36-speaker sound system

To add to the theatre-like experience, BMW offers a 1,965-watt, 36-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond sound system for those looking for the ultimate audio experience. An 18-speaker system from the same company is provided as standard, which is probably enough to put most cars’ sound systems to shame anyway.

1. 31.3-inch rear Theatre Screen

The most surprising feature in the new 7 Series has to be the optional 31.3-inch, 8K ‘BMW Theatre Screen’, which folds down from the ceiling to transform the rear passenger zone into a fully-fledged cinema lounge. The BMW Theatre Screen has Amazon Fire TV built-in, so rear passengers can stream videos, listen to music and watch downloaded programmes all while out on the road. If this doesn’t stop rear passengers complaining about boredom during long drives, then surely nothing will.

So, what do you think of the new 7 Series’ exotic features? Does all this tech get your mouth watering, or is it just adding to the car’s weight of at least 2715kg? Let us know your thoughts.