BMW takes it easy with 7 Series

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: BMW takes it easy with 7 Series When I ask Karim Habib, BMW’s chief designer, what customers want, he sums it up in one word: “ease”. Habib was in Dubai for the motor show, where the German firm showed off a wide range of models, from the iconic i8 hybrid through to the latest generation of its flagship, the 7 Series. This is what led me to wonder what it is that the typical BMW owner is looking for. “I think I could cover it under the umbrella of ‘ease’,” he says. “Because the car has to be comfortable, we worked hard on making the 7 Series more comfortable than its pre­de­cessor. The car also has to be easy to step in with your smart­phone and for everything to be integrated.” And there is plenty to make things easier in the 7 Series, which was launched in October. The Middle East is the third largest market for the model, and even has its own exclusive version, the most expensive 7 Series ever made, called the Solitaire. The sixth generation has features such as the ‘Executive Lounge’, which is what BMW calls the rear, where the passenger can control multiple functions, such as climate and entertainment, using a 7in tablet. Habib says the 7 Series is the “first time BMW speaks openly about luxury”. He adds: “We wanted to create a luxury vehicle and it was important that the balance between BMW-ness and luxury work together. That’s why our intention was to create modern luxury, by that we mean not just the best leathers, best veneer, best metals but, most importantly, the best knowledge. This car has innovations that do not exist anywhere else in the automotive world. “For example, the car is partly made out of carbon fibre and this is a first for a car in this segment.” Other innovations include laser headlamps and ‘Gesture Control’, which allows some functions, such as answering or rejecting calls, to be controlled with a wave of the hand. The idea is that it is less distracting for the driver. “You can raise the volume by creating circles with your finger in the middle of the centre console,” Habib says, giving an example. “You don’t have to try and focus, you can just do it pretty instinctively, so we believe gesture could be very appropriate for cars.” However, it’s not just ‘ease’ that customers are looking for, adds Habib. “Our customers are asking us for safety as well,” he says. “That includes automated driving and semi-automated driving. The 7 Series can drive up to 120kph in semi-automated mode. It will keep speed, distance and lanes as well with you just having your fingers on the steering wheel. “And parking. You can step out of the car and with the remote key the car can park itself.” simon@7days.ae Read the original story at: BMW takes it easy with 7 Series