The new BMW 7 Series:
looks and brains
ShortList travels to Moscow
to witness the grandest
of grand unveilings
oscow’s red Square. we’re
receiving a severe ear-bending
from a towering russian soldier
for having our hands in our
pockets in the presence of the embalmed
body of the first communist leader Vladimir
Lenin. Nerve-wracking? Yes. A trip ruiner?
Never. Nothing’s going to get us down.
we’re in one of the most historical city
squares on the planet for the unveiling
of the cleverest production car ever made:
the new Bmw 7 Series.
And it’s no normal launch. Sat beneath the
towering, whippy-topped St Basil’s cathedral
M
A 40ft hourglass
concealed the 7 Series
beneath 180,000 silver balls
and the imposing walls of the Kremlin is the
biggest hourglass ever made – home to
180,000 silver balls plus the concealed new
sedan. Adele provides the music while russian
ballet stars perform wince-inducing moves.
ShortList sits with some of the biggest names in
international celebrity and motoring, tucking
into lobsters bigger than your average basset
hound, as the balls gradually seep through.
And, finally, there it is. A sparkling new
7 Series – boasting some of the smartest
technological advances and crafted by some
of the finest designers in motoring today.
it packs a 4,395cc V8 engine with twinturbochargers,
produces 407hp and does
0-62mph in 5.2 seconds. All this and it
creates less emissions than any rival
premium car. in short, we want one. And
we want a giant hourglass to keep it in.
The Bolshoi ballet orchestra
performed at the launch
in Moscow’s Red Square
world firsts
Why the new 7 Series is the
smartest car money can buy
l All 7 Series can now be fitted
with the world’s first head-up display
incorporating an almost freaky
speed-limit warning system. A camera
mounted on the back of the rear-view
mirror scans road signs to alert the
driver to any impending speed restrictions.
l it’s the world’s first car available with
a side-view camera system that operates
in conjunction with its park-distance
control. the system provides an overview
of traffic conditions on the dashboard’s
iDrive display so the driver can negotiate
a partially obscured junction, leave a car
park or drive through a narrow gate
with absolute confidence.
l the flagship car is also the world’s first to
come with full-scale internet connectivity.
l You can also kit it up with night vision
and the world’s first individual-person
a camera mounted on the back
of the rear-view mirror scans
signs to alert the driver to any
impending speed restrictions
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The 7 Series beams back
information from cameras
to the iDrive dash display
recognition. it analyses video data of
human behaviour as part of the night-vision
camera and can alert the driver if it detects
someone moving into your path.
l Should you stray out of your lane while
driving, a gentle vibration of the steering
wheel provides an alert. cameras on the
wing mirrors constantly scan the blind spot
and alert the driver to the presence of
another vehicle via a triangular symbol.
l You can request optional equipment that
allows the rear wheels to turn by up to 3°.
At slow speeds it is highly manoeuvrable,
while at a faster pace it offers enhanced
composure and driving dynamics.
l You can even upload 100 albums to be
stored inside the vehicle, like a huge iPod.
The BMW 7 Series goes on sale in the UK
on 15 November. Prices to be announced
BMW’s latest motor packs
a 4,395cc V8 engine
www.ShortLiSt.com / 25
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