FIRST DRIVE: 2023 BMW 7 Series Prototype – New V8 And Mild Hybrid Tech
 

:ack: https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/04/04/f...-bmw-7-series/

:ack: compared to what? and what's wrong with hybridizing a 7-series?

Not sure what I’ll think about the final design but to be honest, no concern on my end with BMW trying to do something bold here. Past few gens have been fairly conservative.

Shit show exterior design. Let us all remember the train wreck E65/E66. Didn’t we recently discuss that if/when we see one on the road today that they still look like total shit? Why offer a hybrid version when they are also offering a fully electric version with the i7? Have they forgotten the clientele/age bracket that tend to buy these?

Same could be said of my 4 GC and the i4...

I think the keyword is "mild hybrid". It's basically adding the same 48V system to their V8 as they recently debuted on their 6 cyl engines. Just a way to get a little more efficiency and better drivability. I doubt they'll offer any ICE egines without this tech in the near future.

As for the design... i think Lexus has watched what BMW has been doing with their grilles and said "hold my beer":
https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...-drive-review/

The last good looking 7 series was the E38. This is no more incoherent than the rest of what BMW is doing.

As for why mild hybrid? Well, why not? It makes the start stop function work better, it gives a little grunt off the line, and it pushes their cafe numbers. And no one really cares how this car drives other than smooth and powerful, and a well executed hybrid should add to that.

I'm assuming that it's not like some clunky toyota hybrid. If I'm wrong, then that changes things. But I don't see why BMW wouldn't do that on this.

OK. Thought the Lexus was an April Fool’s joke…

TBD on the mild hybrid. More smooth in some cases; more herky jerky in others.

I may be inclined just to drive in Sport when break-in is done. Just as I did with the 2.

I was not sure where to post this but interesting article about BMW and the move toward electric.

https://www.msn.com/de-de/finanzen/t...%BB/ar-AAW50R1

If you dont have a translator, haha, there is this link to it on the F87 board.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1915216

And then there is the new M760e!

https://youtu.be/o_gT0kVdG4o

Not a fan… but I am not a 7-Series buyer and I never will be UNLESS it is a sporty shorty E38.

Edit: In typical BMW fashion the designers got lazy and/or gave up once they got to the rear end.

Designed to get four golf bags in the trunk?

It's a big improvement over the G11/12 7er.

Oh yay. Another styling disaster of oversized kidney grilles, squinty eyes and angry robo face.

Makes me regret selling my 1995 740i.... except it had about as many miles on then as I do on my 2001 740iL now.

I will probably replace the iL with another E38 or E39. Not sure.
But I am sure is will not be any 7-series post E38.

I am so glad that I have zero interest in BMW's since it saves me money:lol:


....Actually the m2 does hold a bit of interest

2023 BMW 7 Series shown in real life photos: https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/04/20/2...l-life-photos/

WTF? Seriously...

Anyone that thinks this looks good needs to see an ophthalmologist ASAP! FYI, this is the identical front end styling on the LCI X7.

BMW's now look like they were built for use in a B market SciFi movie..... from the 80's.....

The front end actually looks unfinished. Like there are body pieces missing.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Lighted kidneys. Come on.

That and if I was an SUV guy the current X3.

I hope they sell a metric shit ton of G87’s to prove there is still a market for a halfway decent looking actual sporty BMW.

The front end is awful, but I wouldn't mind hanging out in that back seat. It looks pretty comfy

This actually makes anything Bangle had a part of look good.

Darth Vader comes to mind. And what's with the cutline on the hood? Looks like a kid's retainer.

That entire hood makes me want to push it so I can load a CD.

:lol:

Perfect!

I still love the fact that on my 03 M5 behind the Nav was a CASSETTE player!! Not a CD slot.

WTF!! Even my 01 330ci had an in dash CD player!

Weird world we live in when Genesis does the split headlight, and quite good btw, and BMW FOLLOWS!!

I was just thinking the same thing. Genesis split headlights have a flow and elegantly fit the overall design. This looks unfinished, angry and horrible — similar to some of the Toyota trunk front designs.

At the prices these sell for, the design should be elegant, not angry.

The Genesis design language is absolutely outstanding. This is more like Jeep Cherokee design language.

I know right… First seen on the G06 X6, now the LCI X7, and 7-Series so if we go by the past it will eventually trickle down to all the models. :rolleyes:

LMAO


That is what is in my ‘03 540 M Tech. There is a Phil Collins cassette in it that I rarely listen to as I have a BlueBus [bluebus.dev] installed in the car which somewhat brings it up to date by today’s standards. I had to pull the six disc changer, but who listens to CDs anyone?

Edit: I had the factory CD radio in my ordered ‘99 Z3, ordered August 1998. I had to pay for it, which I seem to recall was around $300-350. My ordered ‘01 330Ci had one as well, but I believe it was standard by then?

FYI, Hyundai/Kia has lured away a several of BMW designers over the years.

I remember having to pay for the CD player on my 01 325i. It was around 200 iirc


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Genesis really is moving in the right design direction. BMW design is lost IMO. The trying to break new design ground never works well for BMW.

Genesis design is good:

Yup the CD-43 unit which I bought and put in my 99 M3 convertible.

Reminds me that I bought JST’s strong strut bar from his silver 99 vert WAY back in like 06 I think! Jesus I am old.

I had CD players in cars for years. And think I really only listened to one CD over and over again--out of inertia at changing it, or carrying them around, or whatever.

Apropos, has everyone see this movie? Defending Your Life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defending_Your_Life

lol I remember the CD43; such a hot commodity! I never ended up getting one, though I did put in an aftermarket CD changer.

I’ve had the same Smiths compilation CD that I burned in 2003 in the CD player in the Porsche basically since I got the car. I listen to it occasionally.

I paid for the CD player in my E46 also. My E39 didn't have NAV and I can't remember if it still had a cassette deck under the panel or if that was a CD slot. The E39 and Boxster had trunk/frunk mounted CD changers. I think I loaded those up once each and never changed the discs. I added XM to the E39 (I think using the same XM input device that worked in the E46, possibly with a different box -- can't remember). I also added the BMW Bluetooth module to the E39, but that was for phone calls only. I added a 3rd party Bluetooth adapter to the Boxster that had BT Audio and dropped XM and went podcast-only at that point.

I really haven't missed not having other inputs in the Teslas. Between BT audio for my podcast player and the streaming options Tesla has built-in, I've been good.

That's actually one of my favorite movies. I watch it whenever I catch it being played on DirecTV. The Hall of Past Lives....LOL!

It’s so good. It may be time to watch again.