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Is it possible that the engineers and marketing guys at BMW are just laughing their asses off knowing that we're all wondering what the heck they've done with the new 7-series.
Yet, in reality, it will really look completely different?
I guess not, but if this is the car, I don't know HOW I'm going to grow to like this beast . . .
DISLIKES
Exterior:
Too much unbroken sheet-metal, like the previous generation Lexus LS400.
Trunk is too bulky and high.
The lines multiply and get busy near the rear.
The belt-line is too high. Also, there's no lower dent-protecting trim on the doors. This is a serious omission.
I don't understand the reason for the wrap around tail-lights.
The car looks Japanese-ish . . . and a little Detroit-ish.
Interior:
The long, bending dashboard is reminiscent of the last two decades of Cadillacs, Buicks and Oldsmobiles. Why didn't they just take out the center console too?
Everything is flat and chunky.
The rubbery-looking plastic on the top dash that also encases the speedo/tach and iDrive screen is really cheap. No elegance there.
The middle dash/console no longer face the driver.
The steering wheel is ultra-bulky.
Need I go on?
LIKES
Exterior:
I like the pull-type door handle. The function, not necessarily the execution, however.
I like the wheels, and what appear to be 275 and 245 size tires.
I'm starting to like the eye-type headlights.
On this car I much prefer the orange turn indicator covers to the clear ones.
Functionally, it should have a very low coefficient of drag.
I think it still looks better than the S-Class.
Interior:
It's nice that it's a more simple interior -- but they shouldn't have turned it into a computer-gadget mobile -- if anything they should have used the saved space to make it more comfy, elegant, and luxurious -- yet sporty at the same time.
This seats look like the nicest yet. Firm, yet soft.
Very hard to say anything really good about the interior. I've always found the BMW interiors to be so right-on-the-spot for appearance, feel, quality, and ergonomics. I don't like the S-Class, I don't like the Audi A8, almost nothing else. But this new 7-series is really not grabbing me right now. I'm going to have to sit in it.
NEW COOL STUFF
4.4x liter V8 in the 745i/iL with Double-Vanos (Variable Valve-timing) and new Valvetronic (Variable Valve-lift, and some very weird variable intake manifold length. 328-333 horsepower (US-Euro versions)
6.0 liter V12 in the 760iL with the same stuff plus some other cool features.
6-speed automatic. No console mounted shifter is fine. Shift buttons/levers are fine.
0-60 times will probably be in the high 5's for the 745 and in the low 5's for the 760.
All-new Alluminum Suspension with Active Roll Stablization (ASR). Active anti-roll bars.
New Active Head Protection for rear-end collisions. Look at the side view of the seats (headrest).
Active Knee Protection -- special airbags for the knees!!
No more Parking-Break lever or pedal -- push-button electric activation.
More more and more.
I just hope they didn't spend so much time coming up with all of these features that screwed up the appearance.
That's just what Infiniti did with Q45 -- loaded with cool gadgets -- but what an ugly car.
Jason Ferguson
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