All-new BMW 7 Series heralds new age

Karsten Engel, President & CEO, BMW Group Region China,unveils prices of all-new BMW 7 Series. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China is the largest market for the BMW 7 Series, accounting for about half of global sales. BMW said the new 7 Series was developed with a special emphasis on Chinese customers. The automaker said the model's owners in China are younger, more innovative, and tech-savvy possessing a higher demand for quality than those in Europe and North America.

Hundreds of BMW 7 Series owners as well as more than 3,000 BMW car owners were interviewed in the past five years, said the automaker. More than 100 Chinese engineers have been involved in this project, running tests of over 1 million km making massive local adaptations to the vehicle. Its Enhanced Comfort chassis is engineered specifically for Chinese customers. An advanced PM2.5 filter was also developed for Chinese customers to have the convenience of filtered air while in the car.

The new 7 Series underlines the automaker's claim to redefine what an exclusive, luxurious driving experience looks like in modern times.

The Display Key, for example, enables the driver to park using a remote control. Also, the luxury sedan automatically calculates the vehicle's brake system when pedestrians or objects are within sight.

The new BMW 7 is the first vehicle with a body structure built of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, steel, and aluminum, a design principle the automaker calls the Carbon Core.