The CPT 8000 is a small step above the 7000. I'm not into all the esoterica of the phone - just communications and interface with the OBC. I'm told the 8000 will have a steering wheel actuatable call waiting function, a OBC visible caller ID and a more direct access to the phone number storage. BMW phones are way down off the leading edge of cellular telephony. However, if you want to interface with the OBC, they're the only game in town. No one has yet figured out how to download their software so it can be installed in other Motorola phones. Do that and you can use any Motorola phone you like. The current 7000 costs $225 without the BMW software. BMW charges over $500 for the same phone.