2 minute read
Back-Seat Driver
You might prefer to be the passenger in BMW’s all-electric saloon, says Will Hersey
Since it launched as BMW’s range-topper back in 1977, the 7 Series has always been something of an early adopter – the model in which the gadget team likes to show off its very latest bells and whistles for its most demanding, and indulged, customers. Features which eventually filter down to the rest of the range. Back at the start, it had a car phone and heated seats. This new i7, however, can claim to mark a new era altogether.
It’s fully electric, for starters – not just the first 7 Series to be so, but, claims BMW, the first luxury saloon, full stop. From the outside, it’s not hard to imagine it affixed with oval CD or CC stickers, a fender-mounted flag and some motorcycle outriders. It’s tall and stately, if a little blocky, and we’d bet the limousines of Bentley and Rolls-Royce were on its mood board. The front lights feature Swarovski crystal elements, and that still divisive oversized grille completes the ‘get out of my way’ impression.
If you’d prefer a sportier silhouette, you’re probably not the target customer. This is a car for people who prioritise being inside, preferably in the back. Of all its many gizmos, the showstopper is the 31.3in cinema screen for back-seat passengers, which can be moved forwards and back on a rail and folds into the roof when not in use.
In the rear-door panels, smartphone-like controls allow interior settings and themes to be changed, each introduced by a soundtrack overseen by one Hans Zimmer. There’s built-in 5G internet via Amazon Fire TV and the option of a 36-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system. Oh, and blackout blinds. Throw in improved headroom and floor space, and it makes a first-class airline cabin look a little lame in comparison. Except for the drinks service, of course.
In the front, the mood is decidedly minimalist: the 14.9in display screen is the only way to access all the car’s settings and even the air vents are
hidden. BMW’s designer chief, Adrian van Hooydonk, calls the approach ‘shy tech’, an attempt to keep the wealth of options as discreet as possible by reducing visible buttons. He’s a close follower of trends in interior design and ‘new luxury’, as illustrated by the cashmere seats, which add a little old-world warmth amid the new-school digitisation.
If you can peel yourself out of the back and want to drive the thing yourself, the 7 Series is a car that suits electric power; its instant acceleration, smooth ride, hushed cabin and direct steering should keep drivers and passengers happy. The quoted range of 387 miles should also keep service-station stops to a minimum.
Given this car’s obsession with passenger experience, it’s no surprise to learn that it’s also the first BMW offering level 3 autonomous driving. That means the i7 is probably better at driving than you are. It won’t be long before you can stay in the back seat for good. (bmw.com)
