Bell Equipment, renowned globally for its expertise in the 6×6 Articulated Dump Truck market, has recently come onboard as a major sponsor of the event. Chief Executive Gary Bell said: “As a KwaZulu-Natal based company we are excited to give our backing to the Top Gear Festival because this is a huge event on the KwaZulu-Natal calendar and a large number of our employees and customers are motoring enthusiasts. Since we are involved in the manufacture of off-road trucks, it seemed natural that we sponsor the 4×4 course, so we will have a few of our ADTs (Articulated Dump Truck’s) on display to create brand awareness and show the South African public the calibre of products that are manufactured on their doorstep.”

He added: “The Formula 1 racing cars that will be roaring around the street circuit may be fast and flashy but the imposing size and off-road capability of our ADTs will provide an interesting contrast.”

The 4×4 course will offer shows as well as an opportunity for visitors to test their off-road prowess. Apart from the 4×4 course, Bell Equipment will also have a marquee in an area specially designated for the major sponsors where visitors can enjoy Bell hospitality and shop for Bell-branded merchandise. A Bell ADT will also form part of the Top Gear Festival programme to further showcase the best of local manufacture.

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Cernobbio. The Concorso d‟Eleganza Villa d‟Este will once again host a spectacular world premiere in 2012 and, in so doing, build on its tradition as a gathering of the industry‟s leading coachbuilder. The premiere in question will see the time-honoured Milanese coachbuilder Zagato team up with BMW to unveil the result of a unique collaboration: the BMW Zagato Coupé.

Zagato has worked in close collaboration to create an exciting and emotionally charged coupé in the finest tradition of automotive workmanship. The BMW Zagato Coupé embodies the unbridled fascination of cars and fuses the design DNA of the two companies into a fresh and desinctive whole. This one-off model is the product of many hours of skilled hand-craftsmanship and breathes new life into the tradition of coachbuilding.

It is hard to think of a better occasion for the premiere than the Concorso d„Eleganza Villa d‟Este, one of the most exclusive events in the world of classic cars and motorcycles. The vehicles shown on the banks of Lake Como are hand-picked, the number of entrants limited and the surroundings simply without comparison. The Concorso began as a get-together of coachbuilders presenting one-off hand-built creations, and the BMW Zagato Coupé follows very much in that tradition.

Made for the road. The two partners settled on a realistic and applied approach to the development of the BMW Zagato Coupé. “Zagato has always provided its customers with ready-to-drive cars which can be sent into action on the road or race track without further ado – and the BMW Zagato Coupé fits the same template,” says Dr Andrea Zagato, who represents the third generation of his family to sit at the helm of the company. To this end, the car is registered for road use and meets all the legal requirements worldwide. “It is relatively easy to build a design study which is not intended for use on the road. Not having to meet any stipulations governing crash safety or pedestrian protection opens up a host of new avenues in terms of design,” he adds. “The challenge lies in injecting the emotional appeal of a concept car into a road-legal machine. And we think we have

succeeded in doing just that with the BMW Zagato Coupé.” Indeed, the new creation has already cut a “bella figura” at high speeds during testing on the BMW test track.

Both partners can look back on a rich heritage, sharing as they do a passion for cars that stretches back over 80 years. Added to which, Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice-President BMW Group Design, and Andrea Zagato are long-time appreciators of each other‟s work; indeed, Zagato took home the prestigious Concorso d‟Eleganza Design Award in both 2010 and 2011. However, this collaboration is about more than mutual respect.

Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada and van Hooydonk have been friends for many years, so when Andrea Zagato proposed a collaboration, it wasn‟t long before the decision was made to build a car at Zagato that embodies the two companies‟ passion for cars.

BMW and the Italian design. After sawing in 1939 the creation of the first BMWs sporting tailor-made Italian metalwork, a coupé based on the BMW 328 for the upcoming race season and specifically for the Mille Miglia (where it triumphed in 1940), BMW was back to Milan in 1954 to buy from Renzo Rivolta, founder of ISO, drawings, license and tooling necessary for the production of the legendary Isetta.

Almost sixty years later BMW had the opportunity to re-establish a connection with the Rivolta family. As a matter of fact Marella Rivolta, wife of Andrea Zagato, is Zagato Art Director and responsible of BMW Coupé Zagato trim and colours.

The hands of Italian designers were also responsible for the eye-catching looks of the BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale (1959), BMW 700 (1959), BMW 3200 CS Bertone (1962) and BMW M1 (1978) – all of which retain the status of design icons to this day.

The BMW Zagato Coupé heralds a new chapter in the tradition of cooperation between BMW and Italian designers. Much has changed since those earlier collaborations, however, with the advent of new working methods such as digital sketching, Photoshop and CAD/CAS tools opening the door to an entirely new

way of working. Despite these advances in the design tools available, the human touch is still essential to the process. “Working with Zagato was a fantastic experience. It was extremely enriching for us to create something with people who share our understanding of good design and passion for cars,” explains Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles. “And that is what makes the car so special – the open and constructive dialogue with Zagato, their experience, craftsmanship and incomparable sense for forms. All of these gifts are wrapped up in the BMW Zagato Coupé.”

The body of the BMW Zagato Coupé has been built entirely by hand. As in the past, the new skin was tailored to fit the car‟s mechanical architecture, tracing its lines yet giving it space to breathe. The Zagato experts spent many hours crafting the aluminium sheet metal by hand and meticulously moulding it to give the car its unique form.

The design – a BMW seen through the eyes of Zagato.

The BMW Zagato Coupé is a collaboration between auto enthusiasts – a BMW seen through the eyes of Zagato. This comes through in the design of the car, hallmark design cues from both companies merging to form an emotion-laden coupé in the best Zagato tradition. The brief for the car was clear from the outset: the BMW Zagato Coupé was to be a “Vmax concept”, a road-registered, aerodynamically optimised machine capable of achieving high speeds yet at the same time meeting all legal requirements and crash-related stipulations – a car that is ready and eager to be driven.

The proportions of the BMW Zagato Coupé alone exude the promise of a very special driving experience. The extremely long bonnet, greenhouse set well back and double bubble roof and Kamm Tail sum up the dynamic focus of the car as only a coupé could. The flowing roofline melts away into the compact, muscular rear, where the car‟s power is transferred to the road. This sculptural and visually striking surface treatment is a Zagato hallmark and lends the BMW Zagato Coupé a distinctive and instantly recognisable personality. The surface treatment, on the other hand, is clearly inspired by BMW. The car‟s dynamic silhouette sees precise lines forging a path over taut surfaces towards the rear. Surfaces moulded with eye-catching depth underline the sporting statement of the BMW Zagato Coupé. “For me, the BMW Zagato Coupé holds a very special magic. It exudes a certain spontaneity which, when combined with the type of unconventional solutions typical of Zagato, lend the car a very individual elegance,” says Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada.

A striking front end. The BMW Zagato Coupé is extremely three-dimensional, very wide and powerfully contoured at the front. The dynamically forward-surging front end dips down prominently towards the road and gives the car an agile sense of purpose, as if in mid-leap. A stunning interpretation of the classic BMW face – with its twin circular headlights, kidney-shaped radiator grille and BMW logo – marks the BMW Zagato Coupé out as a BMW without the need for a second glance. These extremely low, width-emphasising elements lend the front end an undeniably sporty appearance.

The contoured bonnet builds on this dynamic flair with its sweeping lines and taut surfaces. A pair of air intakes integrated into the bonnet send extra supplies of air into the engine compartment and highlight the presence of the high-performance engine beneath. The contours of the bonnet are picked up by the double-bubble roof as the lines of the body continue on to the rear of the car. These two domes built into the structure of the roof are a signature feature of Zagato design and reduce the front area. As well as providing greater headroom when wearing a helmet on the track, the double bubble (“doppia gobba”) roof also enhances the car‟s aerodynamics and increases the roof‟s torsional rigidity. The roof of almost every Zagato features this design.

Looking further down below the bonnet, the headlights of the BMW Zagato Coupé focus purposefully on the road ahead, and accentuate the car‟s driver-oriented character and high-speed potential. Low down between the headlights is Zagato‟s take on the BMW radiator grille, with matt kidney frames inspired by Buckmister Fuller geodetic structures A stand-out detail here is the use of

countless small matt Zagato “z” letters to make up the kidney grille. Viewed from the front, the “z” letters appear to be floating within the kidneys. Close-up, it is clear that they are set against a collection of other dark-coloured “z”s positioned into octagons. Gleaming chrome “z”s are used only on the visible side of the octagons. This arrangement injects added depth into the kidney grating and gives the front end an extra touch of class.

The design of the front apron steers the eye to the wheels and the car‟s broad stance. Large air intakes add low-set finishing touches to the car‟s nose, their dynamic form and size hinting at the power of the engine under the bonnet.

Dynamic, powerful flanks. From the side, the BMW Zagato Coupé displays the pared down, clearly defined distribution of visual mass for which Zagato is renowned, blended with the familiar surface treatment and design language of a BMW. Its coupé design also necessitated a new roofline, which highlights the car‟s potential with impressive fluidity and dynamic élan.

The long, sweeping bonnet sends the greenhouse a long way back towards the rear and the car‟s visual focus is therefore also pulled rearwards, in traditional Zagato 2 seater style. The rear end itself is cut almost vertically in another Zagato cue, which enhances aerodynamics. The flanks, meanwhile, adopt the classical BMW Roadster lines, imbues them with extra tautness and extends them into the muscular rear end with a compelling swing of the hips. The attractive interplay of lines here draws attention to the rear wheels and the car‟s rear-wheel-drive configuration. The powerful flourish above the rear wheels is picked up and passed on by the spoiler, injecting the whole area with additional dynamic impetus.

The side air vents reference the form of the bonnet intakes and extend their dynamic agenda to the car‟s flanks. Below the side vents, the silver “z” provides another nod to the cooperation between BMW and Zagato.

Slightly offset behind the silver “z”, a matching indentation provides greater depth and three-dimensionality. The two “z”s in the air intakes and BMW badges are the only gleaming chrome elements on the BMW Zagato Coupé.

Another characteristic Zagato design theme is the specially designed “criss-cross” transition from the side windows into the rear window. The lower section of the side window surrounds slants dramatically upwards just ahead of the rear end and extends to form the upper border of the rear window. In so doing, this hallmark design element links the sides and rear via the C-pillar and ensures a harmonious connection between the different sections of the car. This aspect of the BMW Zagato Coupé design is particularly striking when viewed from above.

A common heritage

Both BMW and Zagato are famous for getting the same inspiration from Professor Kamm‟s studies on aerodynamic rear end. The 1940 BMW 328 Kamm Coupé as well as the Alfa SZ and TZ boosted a typical Kamm-tail (K-tail) layout. This solution became famous in Italy with the name “Coda Tronca” bodies which were tested by Zagato in the beginning of the 60s.

Kamm Effect is part of the functional design approach that aims to the aerodynamic efficiency. According to this, the CX can be lowered by keeping compact volumes at the same time. The reduction of the wind resistance is assured with the Kamm Tail design, without any need of a very stretched “drop” shape of the tail.

BMW Zagato Coupé doesn‟t need the support of any fix or mobile rear wing since the aerodynamic of its tail is already very efficient.

A muscular rear end. The distinctive rear end provides the clearest evidence of Zagato‟s influence. Formed almost without a single joint, the rear end cuts a classy figure, appearing as if formed from a single mould. Nothing interrupts the flow of surfaces and the powerful sculpture of the rear. At the same time, this also provides evidence of the high degree of hand-craftsmanship involved in making the car and Zagato‟s

experience in the manipulation of surfaces and forms, channelled into the car‟s design at the company‟s studio.

Taken as a whole, the rear of the BMW Zagato Coupé has a very broad, low-slung appearance, its powerful, solid form and purposeful design language giving the car a planted stance on the road.

The most distinctive feature of the rear end is the transparent panel in its upper section familiar from other Zagato creations. Divided visually into three sections, the generous glass surfaces open up a line of sight to the lights and into the interior. Their dark tint gives the BMW Zagato Coupé an even sportier look. A curved bar featuring the Zagato trademark splits the surface into sections and gives the car a greater impression of width. The likewise tinted rear window can be opened, offering access to the rear luggage compartment.

A prominent rear bumper feeds downwards into a large diffuser. The diffuser extends well out to the sides, providing an effective contrast to the bar dividing the glass and lending the rear an extremely broad and sporty presence in the process. Matt edging accentuates the form of the diffuser, draws the focus to the wheels and underlines the planted stance of the BMW Zagato Coupé. The exhaust tailpipes, positioned towards the outer edges of the rear, add further emphasis, their matt finish contributing another stylish flourish to the rear.

Highlights and details. The unique character of the BMW Zagato Coupé is reflected in even smaller details. The 19-inch light-alloy wheels in classically sporty five-spoke design have a hint of propeller about them, offering a subtle nod to the origins of both companies. Indeed, both BMW and Zagato founder Ugo Zagato took an airborne route into automotive construction. Their subtly attractive matt finish lends the car extra allure from the side.

A very special highlight of the BMW Zagato Coupé is its paintwork. The exclusive exterior paint finish Rosso Vivace – an expressive shade of red – brings the surfaces and forms of the BMW Zagato Coupé to life. Depending on how the light hits the body, the colour spectrum ranges from something close to black all

the way to a brilliant red. This remarkable depth and radiance is possible thanks to sophisticated paint application technology. The primer coat – made up of a black application, followed by a layer of shimmering metallic silver – is applied first. Then come six ultra-thin coats of the exclusively developed red shade to deliver this unique effect. Finally, two layers of clear coat seal in the colour.

Exquisite touches in the interior. The interior is clearly structured, in customary BMW style, and invites the keen driver to take the helm. This character was picked up by the Zagato designers and given further emphasis by an exclusive colour and materials concept. Exquisite materials and high-quality details provide an extremely stylish showcase for the interior‟s sporting flair and driver focus.

Additional elements fitted by hand, such as horizontal lines in the instrument panel and doors, heighten the interior‟s sense of sporting elegance. The lines culminate in a dynamic upward curve for extra sporting effect. The base colours for the exclusive leather trim are a light and dark shade of grey. Together, they underline the horizontal geometry of the interior, while red decorative stitching in the instrument panel, doors and seats brings the colour of the body into the interior and adds extra sporting touches. A “z” embroidered into the seats is the clearest reference in the interior to the origins of the BMW Zagato Coupé.

The “horizontal line” design theme has also found its way into the luggage compartment, as have the two shades of grey and the red accents. Here, the lines are a subtle reference to the form of the double-bubble roof. Two exclusive accessories – a hat bag and a travel bag – set the seal on Zagato‟s colour and materials upgrade. The travel bag also recreates the form of the double-bubble roof and is designed to maintain its bulbous lines even when empty.

Zagato – a coachbuilder with a long tradition. Founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919, today Zagato is the only automotive body manufacturer still in independent ownership. From its earliest days, Zagato has taken a minimalist and pared-down approach to its creations, very much in

keeping with the Milanese tradition of design. Volumes takes precedence over details, thanks in part to technical considerations. Body designer Ugo Zagato learned his trade in – among other industries – aviation, where aerodynamics and lightweight construction play a central role. Zagato duly applied these principles rigorously in the construction of cars and soon celebrated a rash of race victories as a body construction partner to Alfa Romeo. The “necessary beauty” of aerodynamics and lightweight construction came to represent a maxim of design, one that has defined the form of every Zagato since. The narrow focus on coupés, two-door driving machines stripped back to their essential components, also became a Zagato tradition, underpinning an “unspoilt” driving experience.

Today, with Andrea Zagato becoming the third generation of his family to take his seat at the helm, the company describes itself as a design studio combining the emotion and hand-craftsmanship of body construction with the precision of state-of-the-art technology. Zagato follows coachbuilding tradition in developing only the shell of the car and leaving the mechanics of the machine untouched. And it does so not by taking over the design process for large carmakers, but by working in tandem with the relevant design teams. More than 200 Vmax concepts, special editions and micro-series have been created in this way down the years and find appreciation among connoisseurs and collectors the world over. Indeed, all Zagatos are coveted collector‟s items today and worth many times what their original owners paid for them.

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“As motorsport forms a strong part of the rich Mercedes-Benz heritage, it is only fitting that we participate at this level.  Having the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team with their 2011 W02 car to enthral the fans in Durban is a real draw-card,” says Selvin Govender, Divisional Manager of Marketing for passenger cars, at Mercedes-Benz South Africa.

The first car to carry the name ‘Mercedes’ was a racing car, and it made a winning debut as far back as March 1901. The company recently marked 111 years of sporting success – notably with Nico Rosberg’s first win in the modern era of the Silver Arrows team at this year’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Throughout its history, Mercedes-Benz has set new benchmarks in every series in which it has raced.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One car will be driven in South Africa by Sam Bird, GP2 winner and the team’s test driver. Also making an appearance will be South Africa’s very own Jody Scheckter, the 1979 Formula One world champion.

“It’s a great opportunity to drive our Silver Arrow Formula One car through the streets of Durban.  We’re all excited about travelling to South Africa in June.  Everyone at the factory watches Top Gear regularly and I’m sure it will be a great event,” says Sam Bird.

As part of an ongoing CSI programme to educate and inspire young South Africans, Jody Scheckter will be taking a select number of children from local schools on a few laps around the circuit in a C 63 AMG sedan.  This activity, together with a special ‘Father’s Day’ promotion will take place on Sunday 17 June.

As part of the main exhibition, Mercedes-Benz will display a number of vehicles from their AMG range, including the all-powerful SLK 55 AMG roadster, the CLS 63 AMG, the CL 63 AMG, the C 63 AMG sedan and the mighty C 63 AMG Black Series.  This display also forms part of Mercedes-AMG’s 45-years of AMG celebratory activities.

Making a special appearance will be two SLS AMG coupés on the track, one as the official pace car and one with a Top Gear presenter.  The awe-inspiring SLS AMG Coupé never fails to draw admiration wherever it goes.

“This display provides us with an ideal opportunity to share our adrenalin pumping, high performance cars with the showgoers whilst at the same time show-casing the prowess of the Mercedes-AMG range,” adds Govender.

Motoring fans are staunch followers of the Top Gear events that have been coming to South Africa over the past few years and also the ever-popular television series, so the festival is sure to have motoring enthusiasts on the edge of their seats.

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The survey is organised by The Great Place to Work® Institute UK, part of the world’s largest consultancy specialising in workplace assessment and enhancement.  Every year Great Place to Work® surveys 5,500 organisations around the world representing around 10 million employees. The definition of a great place to work is a place where the employees trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with.

The results of the survey are based largely on the findings of questionnaires completed by the employees of the Volkswagen Group and VWFS in the UK.  The questions cover areas including Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride and Camaraderie.  Out of the 25 winners featured in the final report, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) and Volkswagen Group were ranked 11^th and 21^strespectively.

The results make the Volkswagen Group and VWFS the highest placed automotive employers in the UK, and this is something of which Fiona Roberts, HR Director for both companies, is particularly proud.  She comments: ‘I’m delighted with the results.  Both companies are renowned for their great products but it’s easy to forget that behind any successful business is a great workforce.  To get the best out of our staff we have to make sure they’re motivated, empowered and overall, happy to come to work.  We work hard to make sure we provide the right conditions and environment for them, and the outcome of the survey proves that we’re getting a lot of it right.’

Both companies performed well when it came to Camaraderie and Workplace Culture, scoring over 90 per cent in the survey, while both also witnessed strong results when it came to pride in the organisation.  The companies entered Great Place to Work®in order to benchmark themselves against some of the world’s biggest companies including Microsoft, Nike and Ikea, and the standard of entries this year was especially high.

Although she’s pleased with the results, Roberts isn’t about to rest on her laurels.  She adds: ‘There’s always work to do and as well as telling us what we’re good at, the survey also tells us what we need to do better.  We relish the challenge and my team and I are already looking forward to analysing the results and making both Volkswagen Group and Volkswagen Financial Services even greater places to work.’

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The 13 runners consisted of Tom Carney, Adam Connelly, David Harris, Chris Hines, Lewis Honeywill, Chris Hunt, Stuart James, Neil Kennett, Martin Lee, Mike May, Matthew Smith, Jonathan Whitehead and Simon Wood. The athletes hailed from a variety of automotive organisations including CAT Magazine, SEAT, Porsche, RMI and MGM Motor Company.

BEN is extremely grateful to all the runners who took part in support of BEN. The money raised will help the charity to continue helping automotive people and their dependents in times of need.

BEN’s Events Manager, Kelly Neal commented, “It is fantastic to know that there are so many people willing to go to such lengths to raise money for BEN. The Virgin London Marathon is no small feat and to have 13 people run it and raise in excess of £5,000 is amazing. Thank you to all the runners.”

• Ford’s SYNC Emergency Assistance technology could provide important support to road accident victims  in the UK says AA president, Edmund King
• SYNC Emergency Assistance has potential to reduce response time to accidents; system assists vehicle occupants to place a direct emergency call with location details in correct local language
• Ford customers in North America say the similar 911 Assist system already has had life-changing impact
• Emergency Assistance makes European debut this summer in the all-new B-MAX in tandem with the Ford SYNC voice-activated in-car connectivity system

Brentwood, Essex, 25 May 2012 – Ford Motor Company’s Emergency Assistance feature could provide important support to road accident victims in the UK says AA president, Edmund King.

The SYNC Emergency Assistance technology potentially can reduce the time taken to respond to accidents by assisting vehicle occupants to place a direct emergency 112 call with location details in the correct local language.

Edmund King said: “We believe that Ford’s pioneering Emergency Assistance technology can help save lives. The AA would like to see ‘e-call’ as a safety feature on all new cars as it helps notify the emergency services in that vital ‘golden hour’ after a serious crash when rapid medical attention can be the difference between life and death.”

The award-winning* Emergency Assistance technology is a feature of the Ford SYNC voice-activated in-car connectivity system that will make its European debut this summer in the all-new B-MAX and roll out quickly to other Ford vehicles. When an accident occurs, the system alerts local emergency services operators in the correct local language based on GPS coordinates from the vehicle.

The vehicle’s SYNC system initiates an emergency call through the occupant’s Bluetooth-connected mobile phone. The system plays an introductory message and then relays the accident location co-ordinates using the on-board GPS unit, map and mobile network information.  Emergency Assist saves crucial seconds by placing a call directly to emergency service operators rather than first routing through a third party call centre.

In North America, where Ford has sold 4 million SYNC-equipped vehicles, the similar 911 Assist system has drawn praise from emergency workers and customers.

“I cannot remember the events of the accident that nearly killed me,” said Michael Hicks of San Antonio, Texas. “After an impact to my head, the next thing I remembered was waking up in an Austin hospital.

“I was told my car was upside down in a river and filling up with water when my car was pulled out. If SYNC had not dialled 911, I certainly would have perished at the bottom of that river. SYNC saved my life.”

The European Commission has proposed a similar system called eCall which, like Emergency Assistance, automatically notifies emergency services when a vehicle is involved in an accident. The Commission believes eCall could reduce response times for accidents in remote areas by 50 percent

“Emergency Assistance is a feature we hope our customers never need,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “But we believe the peace of mind it provides and the potential it has to make a difference, if it is required, is of huge benefit.”

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The new BMW 7 Series reinforces BMW’s commitment to building the finest flagship model possible with a focus on sporting elegance, superb refinement and luxurious comfort combined with efficient yet high performance powertrains.

Small design enhancements, including new optional Adaptive LED headlights, accentuate the strong, powerful lines and balanced proportions inherent to the 7 Series. Inside and the pursuit of innovation is apparent with an enhanced control display and a new optional multi-function Instrument panel providing access to the latest in BMW’s ConnectedDrive technology. Additional in-car refinement measures and further optimisation of the 7 Series’ chassis have led to an even higher level of driving comfort for the occupants.

With a revised range of highly efficient engines, a standard eight-speed automatic gearbox and the full array of EfficientDynamics technologies, the new BMW 7 Series combines enhanced performance with significantly reduced emissions and fuel consumption. The latest BMW 7 Series is also the first to be offered in the UK as an ActiveHybrid in both standard and long-wheelbase guises courtesy of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine mated to a synchronous electric motor and lithium-ion high performance battery which will allow for solus electrically-powered driving at given times.

*Electronically limited.

Exterior Design: a stylish presence from every angle

The new BMW 7 Series is the epitome of BMW’s approach to making advanced, elegant and luxurious vehicles; the brand flagship and hence, a car with genuine presence as well as an air of sporting luxury. The main exterior changes are to the front and rear of the car, but in addition, the 8mm drop in the overall height of the vehicle has further accentuated the sleek profile of this machine.

From the front, the new 7 Series now presents the latest version of the famous BMW kidney grille which features a larger aperture but with nine instead of 13 slats for greater visual impact. In the lower section a full-width air intake is now split into three sections, defined by a pair of chrome bars on the outer edges and flanked by vertical air intakes that form part of the advanced aerodynamic package.

As an option, customers can now specify full Adaptive LED headlights, which with their crisp accent strip and familiar BMW corona rings not only supply excellent visibility at night, but further sharpen the frontal design of the new 7 Series.

In profile, the sleek, hallmark BMW proportions give the new 7 Series the unmistakeable air of BMW’s ultimate saloon, and are further boosted by the integration of the turn indicator into the lower part of the wing mirrors.

At the rear, the powerful, planted sense of the body design has been embellished by a deeper shade of red for the rear light units and the addition of chrome strips: one to link the light units, and another to link the rear reflectors (and a slim chrome bar between the four chromed tailpipes on the 760Li).

Interior: supreme luxury meets high technology

As befits a vehicle with the prestige of the new BMW 7 Series, the stylish cabin is a delightful place to spend time in, with its flowing forms and exquisite materials. With an

interior trimmed in either Dakota or Exclusive Nappa leather, it is apparent that real craftsmanship has been employed in its creation and construction, executed with precise attention to detail. Additional soundproofing material has been incorporated in the B and C pillars, the sills and boot area, with careful sealing around the window frames and mirrors. New, variable-colour ambient lighting adds to the feeling of luxury.

Despite the luxurious surroundings, BMW’s traditional ergonomic focus on the driver is apparent, with newly designed seats increasing the comfort and support for their occupants. Comfort seats are optionally available and can be ordered in combination with either folding tables or a new rear seat entertainment system that features 9.2-inch colour screens. These appear to be ‘floating’ thanks to their new slim design.

A further option is the individual rear Comfort seats, which features electrical adjustment for the seat back angle, seat position and head restraint. And for the ultimate in rear-seat comfort, BMW offers the long wheelbase version of the new 7 Series, with an extra 140mm in the wheelbase devoted to rear seat legroom and an extra 10mm of rear seat headroom as well.

The quiet, peaceful surroundings of the new 7 Series interior are an ideal place in which to enjoy the output of the new optional Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system. With 1,200w of power and 16 speakers – including an illuminated centre speaker that extends out of the instrument panel using Acoustic Lens Technology – the finest sonic experience is assured.

The interaction between car and driver can be enhanced with the optional new multi-functional instrument panel, a beautifully integrated, 10.25-inch screen featuring black panel technology taking the place of the standard four dials.

The colour and information of this display varies on whether the driver has selected Comfort, Sport or ECO PRO mode with the Drive Performance Control button.

In Comfort mode, the classic four dials layout is retained but in digital form, while in Sport or ECO PRO mode the dials open up to allow for additional information. In Sport, the graphics turn an orange hue and the speedometer is replaced by a digital speed readout, with the gear currently selected displayed inside the rev counter if the steering wheel paddles are used to change gear manually.

In ECO PRO mode, the instrumentation turns blue and the rev counter is replaced by an EfficientDynamics display that turns grey if the car is being driven in an inefficient manner. Additional features of this system include a speedometer zoom function that enlarges the part of the dial showing the current speed, and the ability to show useful further information depending on the current situation – such as navigational data.

To complement the above, BMW has updated both the technical content and dashboard integration of the central control display. With improved graphics and contrast, deeper colours the control display also benefits from faster input reaction times and enhancements to the BMW Professional Navigation system.

Engines: fine tuned for perfection

The new BMW 7 Series is propelled by a range of petrol and diesel powerplants that utilise cutting-edge engine technology for a sensational mix of performance and economy.

The true flagship of the range is the BMW 760Li, powered by a 12-cylinder engine with twin turbochargers. This all-aluminium, 5,972cc V12 features TwinPower turbo technology, direct fuel injection and Double-VANOS variable camshaft control to produce 544hp and 750Nm of torque from as low as 1,500rpm. Predictably, this gives the 760Li superb acceleration and speed (0-62mph takes just 4.6 seconds and the top speed is limited electronically to 155mph), all delivered with the silky refinement you would expect. However, more of surprise given the power and performance of the 760Li is the fuel consumption of 21.1mpg combined with C02 emissions of 314g/km.

The alternative flagship for the range given BMW’s long standing commitment to a sustainable future is the BMW ActiveHybrid7. The 320hp 2,979cc engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology is taken from the ‘standard’ 740i and then adapted with a 55hp synchronous motor, a hybrid specification eight-speed automatic transmission, a lithium-ion high performance battery all wrapped into an intelligent energy management package to provide the first 7 Series hybrid to be offered in the UK.

Performance is brisk yet economical and with low CO2 emissions. With a max output of 354hp and 500 Nm of torque the ActiveHybrid7 can accelerate from zero to 62mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph. However, it is capable of this at the same time as achieving 41.5mpg and emissions of 158g/km.

The new BMW 750i features a revised version of the TwinPower turbo 4.4-litre V8, with optimised high pressure direct fuel injection and reduced charge cycle losses thanks to the clever integration of Valvetronic variable control of intake valve lift. The engine now delivers 10per cent more power at 449hp, and 8.5per cent more torque at a mighty

650Nm, developed over a broad rev band – enough for a 0-62mph sprint of 4.8 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 155mph. Even more impressive is the 25 per cent improvement in efficiency: fuel consumption is now 32.8mpg and CO2 emissions are just 199g/km.

The new BMW 740i is powered by the superb TwinPower turbo 3.0-litre straight-six, a pioneer of BMW’s integration of twin-scroll turbo technology with direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS and Valvetronic for maximum throttle response and power with highly efficient consumption. The engine has a peak power output of 320hp and a maximum torque of 450Nm, the latter developed from just 1,300rpm, giving this 7 Series the same performance as the outgoing 740i, but with fuel economy stands at 35.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 184g/km.

The choice of diesel powerplants in the new BMW 7 Series is headed by the powerful BMW 740d, a formidable exponent of BMW’s TwinPower turbo technology featuring two turbochargers for the familiar 3.0-litre straight-six. Thanks to minor detail improvements, this engine now produces slightly more power at 313hp and an extra 30Nm of torque to make a peak of 630Nm at just 1,500rpm. Performance, with the benefit of the standard new eight-speed automatic transmission, is dramatic, with 0-62mph achieved in only 5.5 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 155mph. As ever, this performance is not at the expense of efficiency, with a frugal 49.6mpg recorded on the test cycle and CO2 emissions of just 149g/km.

The new BMW 730d retains its enviable position as the world’s most efficient luxury limousine. The 3.0-litre TwinPower turbo straight-six now produces 258hp and 560Nm of torque – both increases on previous outputs – but couples those figures with a combined fuel consumption of 50.4mpg and outstandingly low CO2 emissions of just 148g/km, a reduction of 30g/km versus its predecessor. EU6 compliance is also available as an option with no impact to emissions or fuel economy.

Maximising the efficiency of these engines is the new Eight-speed automatic gearbox, fitted as standard across the range, which helps the engine to work in its optimum rev band to the benefit of both performance and economy.

EfficientDynamics: a full suite of measures for the flagship

The BMW EfficientDynamics initiative encompasses every aspect of the vehicle, from the use of advanced and efficient engines, to lightweight body construction and innovative drivetrain electronics.

In a first for the 7 Series it is now offered with BMW BluePerformance giving a car so equipped the ability to already surpass the forthcoming 2014 EU6 emissions criteria. Thanks to the use of an oxidising converter, a diesel particulate filter and a catalytic converter to all reduce the harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxide, that exit the exhaust.

All new BMW 7 Series models (except 760Li) are equipped with an Auto Start-Stop function and Brake Energy Regeneration. Intelligent energy management is further enhanced by the ancillary units, which consume significantly less energy compared with conventional systems. Examples include the on-demand coolant pump, the electronically controlled oil pump and the new Electric Power Steering system, which offers potential savings of up to three per cent.

The ECO PRO mode modifies the powertrain management and programming of the heating and air conditioning, heated seats and exterior mirror heating to operate at optimum efficiency. It also encourages an economical driving style.

With the exception of the BMW 760Li, all engine variants feature a proactive driving assistant that can be switched on via the ECO PRO mode. Drawing on the latest navigation data, it recommends advance adjustment of the car’s speed with the aim of saving fuel.

A revised chassis for enhanced comfort

BMW’s engineers have fine-tuned the chassis of the new 7 Series for even greater levels of driving comfort and agility. The aluminium front double wishbone and integral-

V rear axle have been carefully developed, with modified rubber bearings, ball joints, stiffer dampers and retuned kinematics the result. The self-levelling air suspension on the rear axle, now standard across the range, provides a smooth ride with excellent insulation from the road surface.

The BMW 7 Series features an electronically controlled damping system where each wheel can be adjusted individually according to the road surface and driving style, with compression and rebound settings varied independently of each other. The result is a superbly comfortable ride, with no loss in driver appeal when the car is driven in a sporting manner.

In addition all models, except 760Li, now feature electric power assistance for the steering, giving excellent steering precision with a reduction in fuel consumption thanks to the system only being operational on demand. Integral Active Steering is available as an option (standard on 760Li), which combines the Active Steering system with a rear axle that also plays its part: the steering angle and power assistance at the front and the rear is controlled with electric motors.

The large but lightweight braking system provides superb braking capability, and is backed up by a number of advanced electronic safety systems that are integrated into the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) package.

Using Drive Performance Control, the driver is able to alter the accelerator response characteristics, engine response, power steering characteristics and the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) thresholds. In addition, the Servotronic function, Integral Active Steering, the automatic transmission and Variable Damper Control are also integrated

into this system. Drivers can choose between ECO PRO, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes. Each of these predefined set-ups activates different settings for the relevant powertrain and chassis components, with a greater variance amongst the settings for the new car.

Another button allows the driver to change the DSC settings. Selecting Traction mode, for example, makes it much easier to pull away on loose surfaces or in deep snow. In this mode, as well as in Sport+, the Dynamic Stability Control thresholds are raised and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) is activated.

The new ECO PRO mode, meanwhile, helps the BMW 7 Series driver to make progress in an efficient, and therefore economical, manner. It does this by changing the accelerator mapping so that the same pedal travel delivers less power than in the standard mode; the transmission control strategy for the automatic gearbox is modified to bring forward upshifts and delay downshifts, while intelligent energy and climate management reduces mechanical power consumption and also the energy consumption of electrical systems – such as heated mirrors and seats.

Body and safety

The new BMW 7 Series is built around an extremely rigid passenger cell that strikes a perfect balance between weight reduction and core strength, satisfying the most stringent safety standards. Thanks to a carefully considered mix of materials – the roof, bonnet, front side panels, front spring struts and doors are all made of aluminium, while different grades of steel are used throughout. The body’s strength has been increased by around 60 per cent compared to its predecessor. Torsional resistance is now some 20 per cent higher too.

The new BMW 7 Series is equipped as standard with front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, plus head airbags for both rows of seats. Depending on the nature of the crash, integrated safety electronics ensure that only those airbags that are

able to provide effective protection are actually deployed. Airbags that are not required therefore continue to be ready for action in the event of a possible secondary collision. All seats are fitted with three-point inertia-reel seat belts, and the driver and front passenger also have the benefit of belt latch tensioners. In addition, to guard against whiplash injuries following a collision from the rear, the front seats are fitted with crash-activated head restraints as standard.

BMW ConnectedDrive

A unique combination of driver assistance systems and mobility services places the new BMW 7 Series at the forefront of vehicle technology, entertaining, assisting and protecting the occupants.

Among the optional systems helping to maximise safety are BMW Night Vision featuring Dynamic Light Spot with pedestrian recognition technology; the anti-dazzle LED High-Beam Assistant; Driving Assistant Plus with Stop & Go function and Speed Limit Display, including the no overtaking display from reading road sign symbols.

The new BMW 7 Series also includes Dynamic Safety with attention assistant as standard.  This safety feature initiates protective measures for the occupants if an accident situation is imminent. It includes seat belt tensioning, closure of any open windows, closure of sliding sunroof (if fitted), repositioning of passenger seat and automatic braking after impact.

A more powerful operating system governing the central Control Display ensures the entertainment programs are simpler to operate, optimises office and online services, and makes using the telephone that much easier. The BMW Professional Navigation system is now more powerful and features new and ultra-sharp map graphics and a 3D city mode, while passengers can take advantage of the full range of in-journey entertainment offered by BMW Online, all the office functions and BMW Mobile application preparation.

The new BMW 7 Series goes on sale in the UK on 22 September, 2012 priced from £58,115 OTR for a 730d SE rising to £104,050 OTR for a 760Li M Sport.

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The current, very elegant Vanden Plas-style suit of clothes was acquired in the ‘90s at the hands of Simon Isles of Pott Shrigley. Finished in a striking combination of Silver and Blue, it cut quite a dash at the sunny, well-attended sale, and was eventually knocked down for £94,080 – more than had been anticipated.

The forlorn-looking 1968 Aston Martin DB6 MkI Auto on offer may have needed extensive restoration but still raised a respectable £69,500, while at £26,320 the handsome Silver 2001 DB7 Vantage Manual exceeded its top estimate. Jaguar E-Types continue to be strong currency and both examples from this auction sold well, with the White 1974 V12 Roadster fetching £31,360 and the Maroon 1962 4.2 Coupe realising £27,083. Good quality ‘Big’ Healeys can also be all-but-guaranteed to find buyers, and the 1956 100/6 that had been treated to a body-off restoration by Resco Auto Restorations found a new home for £24,920, while the younger 3000 MKII of 1961 made £21,280.

A number of lots surpassed their estimates by notable margins, including: a Maroon 1972 Triumph TR6 that had been the subject of a restoration back in 2002 and managed £12,600; a 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider that began life in South Africa and doubled expectations by making £13,440; and a 1953 Humber Pullman Limousine that was once employed for Royal occasions which, at £10,304, achieved three times the suggested figure. There were some good results from the ‘No Reserve’ lots too, with the 1977 Austin Allegro that had accrued just 6,751 miles before being consigned to life in a museum and was rehoused for £4,480 – £2,218 more than it cost new!

Motorcycles

The highest price achieved by the select group of motorcycles on offer was the £4,859 returned by a cosmetically ‘as new’ 1960 BSA A7 Shooting Star, while the unusual looking 125cc 1959 Rumi Formichino earned £4,256.

Said H&H’s Sales Manager Damian Jones: “We are more than happy with the result of our latest visit to Buxton, the sale percentage of which is well above that currently being achieved by some of our competitors. With five more sales to pack in before the end of August alone, we are currently the busiest we’ve been in the company’s 20 year history – exciting times!”

H&H’s next role is as agent for a memorable selection of privately entered Supercars and Super Classics at Motorexpo, Canary Wharf, June 11-17. That same week the company will also hold the second of its new ‘Specialist Sales’ – an ‘Excellence in Engineering’ auction in conjunction with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club in the glorious surroundings of Rockingham Castle, June 16.

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For the 10-second television advert, which airs during the ITV1 England versus Norway football match on Saturday 26 May, the standalone A-Class will simply be rotated alongside the hashtag call-to-action.

The imagery, which has been designed to entice the audience to discover more using Twitter, centres around a specific information hub: mercedes-benz.co.uk/newaclass, where people can go to find out more about this exciting new car, which will also be promoted via an email campaign and online advertising.

In addition, the television advert is the first automotive broadcast that can be used in conjunction with the Aurasma app to access additional hidden content by hovering over the A-Class image. Aurasma can also be used alongside the various media channels, including print within key motoring, fleet and national lifestyle publications and point of sale adverts, to view the special Mercedes-Benz A-Class site.

Alongside this, a promoted trend and tweets for #NewGeneration on Twitter will commence on 26 May, to encourage and build dialogue and excitement amongst motorists.

David George, Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars Marketing Director, said: “The A-Class is a real game-changer for the brand. The Pure and Simple campaign is designed to raise awareness of the new generation for Mercedes-Benz and is the beginning of a major launch for this exciting new vehicle.”

Mercedes-Benz will also be running a homepage takeover of Spotify.com, encouraging users of the free account to choose the song they would use for the new A-Class advert and tweet their selection to be in with a chance of winning a Spotify Premium membership.

Mercedes-Benz has created a car with an unmistakable road presence and the appearance of the new A-Class reflects the new design strategy of the manufacturer. For example, rather than a conventional radiator grille the new A-Class features the world’s first ever ‘diamond’ grille, with design and dynamism obvious characteristics of the new vehicle; the A-Class sets a new record Cd value of 0.26, which puts the vehicle at the top of its class.

The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class will offer a host of powerful, yet efficient engines: for the first time a Mercedes-Benz will produce emissions of just 98g of CO₂ per kilometre. At the same time the new model underlines that for Mercedes-Benz safety comes as standard and includes, amongst other things, the radar-based COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST system.

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The combination of aluminium roof and steel body is unique in this segment. Quite apart from the weight saving of some seven kilograms over a steel roof, the aluminium construction has the effect of lowering the vehicle’s centre of gravity resulting in even sharper handling. The body’s bonnet, front side panels, front spring struts and doors are all likewise made of aluminium on the BMW 7 Series. The doors alone shave a whole 22 kilograms or so off the weight. By incorporating a high-tech mix of materials, body strength has been increased by around 60 per cent compared to its predecessor, while torsional resistance is now some 20 per cent higher too. Not only do these advances boost passive safety, they form the ideal basis for majestic handling qualities.

Individual protection at every seat. The exemplary crash responses of the body, including precisely defined deformation zones, provide the best possible basis for the optimum design and set-up of the car’s restraint systems. The BMW 7 Series is equipped as standard with front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, plus head airbags for both rows of seats. Depending on the nature of the crash, integrated safety electronics ensure that only those airbags that are able to provide effective protection are actually deployed. Airbags that are not required therefore continue to be ready for action in the event of a possible secondary collision. All seats are fitted with three-point inertia-reel seat belts, and the driver and front passenger also have the benefit of belt latch tensioners.

Active head restraints lower the risk of injury. To guard against whiplash injuries following a collision from the rear, the front seats are fitted with crash-activated head restraints as standard that are controlled by the safety electronics. In the event of such a collision, the system responds by causing the front part of the head restraint to shoot forwards by up to 60 millimetres and upwards by a maximum of 40 millimetres. The effect of this is to narrow the distance to the occupant’s head before it starts to be thrown back by the force of the impact. Thanks to the active head restraints, there is therefore less risk of sustaining cervical spine injuries or hyperextension.

To minimise the risk of a collision occurring in the first place, an array of electronic aids can be found in the BMW 7 Series that make an active contribution to driving safety. The functions of the main assistance systems have already been described in detail in the chapter on BMW ConnectedDrive, but the most noteworthy accident prevention features include: the new full-LED headlights with anti-dazzle High-Beam Assistant that are making their debut in the BMW 7 Series, Adaptive Headlights including cornering lights and variable light distribution, the Active Protection system with Attentiveness assistant featuring an eCall function and automatic vehicle location, plus, to limit the risk of rear-end collisions, adaptive brake lights. If the driver brakes very heavily and the ABS system has to take corrective action, the LED brake lights flash conspicuously as a warning to drivers behind that they too should brake as hard as possible. After the vehicle has been braked to a particularly sharp stop, the hazard warning lights will additionally switch on automatically.

The new BMW 7 Series goes on sale in South Africa from September 2012. The following engines will be available locally:

1. 1.      BMW 730d
2. 2.      BMW 740i
3. 3.      BMW 750i
4. 4.      BMW Active Hybrid 7
5. 5.      BMW 750Li
6. 6.      BMW 760Li

BMW 740i

BMW 750i

BMW 760i

     BMW ConnectedDrive    Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera (standard in the BMW 760i), BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

     Transmission    Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic

 Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

1.000

                                                VII

:1

0.839

0.839

0.839

                                                VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.295

3.317

3.317

Final drive

:1

3.077

2.813

2.813

     Performance    Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

7.8

5.9

5.3

Output per litre

kW/hp

78.9

75.1

67.0

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

5.7

4.8

4.6

                      Standing start km

sec

25.2

22.9

22.5

Top speed

km/h

250

250

250

     BMW EfficientDynamics    BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control (standard in the BMW 760i)

     Fuel Consump EU Cycle    Urban

ltr/100 km

10.6

11.9

19.6

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

6.3

6.6

8.8

Combined

ltr/100 km

7.9

8.6

12.8

CO₂

g/km

184

199

299

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

EU5

KH / VK / TK

n.b.

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets/homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight).

1)  Oil change

BMW 750i xDrive

BMW 750Li xDrive

     BMW ConnectedDrive    Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera (standard in the BMW 760i), BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

     Transmission    Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic function

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

                                                VII

:1

0.839

0.839

                                                VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

                                   Reverse                                                Reverse

            :1

3.317

3.317

Final drive

     :1

2.813

2.813

     Performance    Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

6.1

6.2

Output per litre

kW/hp

75.1

75.1

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

4.6

4.6

                      Standing start km

sec

22.9

22.9

Top speed

km/h

250

250

     BMW EfficientDynamics    BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

     Fuel Consump EU Cycle    Urban

ltr/100 km

13.0

13.2

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

7.2

7.2

Combined

ltr/100 km

9.3

9.4

CO₂

g/km

217

219

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

     Insurance group    KH / VK / TK

n.b.

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

Power Unit    Power Unit    Config/No of cyls/valves

In line-six / 4

V 8 / 4

V 12 / 4

Engine technology

BMW TwinPower Turbo, second-generation direct injection (High Precision Injection)

BMW TwinPower Turbo, second-generation direct injection (High Precision Injection)

BMW TwinPower Turbo, second-generation direct injection (High Precision Injection)

Capacity, effective

cc

2979

4395

5972

Stroke / bore

mm

89,6 / 84,0

88,3 / 89,0

80,0 / 89,0

Compression ratio

:1

10,2

10,0

10,0

Fuel

min. ROZ 91

min. ROZ 91

min ROZ 91

Max output

kW/hp

235 / 320

330 / 450

400 / 544

at

rpm

5 800

5 500

5250

Max torque

Nm/lb-ft

450

650

750

at

rpm

1300–4 500

2000–4 500

1500–5000

     Electrical System    Battery/location

Ah/–

90 // luggage comp

105 / luggage comp

90 / luggage comp

Alternator

A/W

210 / 2940

210 / 2 940

220 / 3080

     Driving Dynamics and Safety Suspension, front

Double track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium construction, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston fixed-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control, optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management (standard in the BMW 760Li)

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyre Defect Indicator

Steering

Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

17,1

 Tyres, front/rear

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 18 light-alloy

8J x 18 light-alloy

8J x 18 light-alloy

BMW 740Li

BMW 750Li

BMW 760Li

     BMW ConnectedDrive    Comfort

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and Real time Traffic Information RTTI, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile terminals, Rearseat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: access to the internet, BMW Online including features such as Parkinfo, 3D-City-Mode, Nationalinfo, Google directory service, News, realtime weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes and online music title update

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Bending Lights (standard in the BMW 760Li), LED-High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control (standard in the BMW 760Li), Side View, Top View, back-up camera (standard in the BMW 760Li), BMW Night Vision with detection of persons + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with no passing Info, Active Protection with tiredness detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

     Transmission    Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic

 Gear ratios                           I

:1

4,714

4,714

4,714

                                                II

:1

3,143

3,143

3,143

                                                III

:1

2,208

2,208

2,208

                                                IV

:1

1,667

1,667

1,667

                                                V

:1

1,285

1,285

1,285

                                                VI

:1

1,000

1,000

1,000

                                                VII

:1

0,839

0,839

0,839

                                                VIII

:1

0,667

0,667

0,667

                                                Reverse

:1

3,295

3,317

3,317

Final drive

:1

3,077

2,813

2,813

     Performance    Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

7,9

5,9

5,4

Output per litre

kW/hp

78,9

75,1

67,0

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

5,7

4,8

4,6

                      Standing-start km

sec

25,2

22,9

22,8

Top speed

km/h

250

250

250

     BMW EfficientDynamics    BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto StartStop-Function, ECO PRO Modus, Brake Energy Regeneration, Coasting Mode, Varioserv steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced roll resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control l (standard in the BMW 760Li)

     Fuel Consump in EU Cycle    Urban

ltr/100 km

10,6

11,9

19,8

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

6,3

6,6

8,9

Combined

ltr/100 km

7,9

8,6

12,9

CO₂

g/km

184

199

303

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

EU5

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets/homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight).

1)  Oil change

BMW ActiveHybrid 7

BMW ActiveHybrid 7 L

     BMW ConnectedDrive    Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

     Transmission    Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic

 Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

                                                VII

:1

0.839

0.839

                                                VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.317

3.317

Final drive

:1

2.929

2.929

     Performance    Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

8.4

8.5

Output per litre

kW/hp

78.9

78.9

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

5.7

5.7

                      Standing start km

sec

25.2

25.2

Top speed

km/h

250

250

     BMW EfficientDynamics    BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

BMW ActiveHybrid, Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, Coasting and Green Driving Assistant, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

     Fuel Consump EU Cycle    Urban

ltr/100 km

6.0

6.0

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

7.2

7.2

Combined

ltr/100 km

6.8

6.8

CO₂

g/km

158

158

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

braked/unbraked

kg

2100 / 750

2100 / 750

Max roofload/max towbar downl

kg

100 / 100

100 / 100

Luggage comp capacity

ltr

500

500

Air drag

Cd  x A

0.28 x 2.42

0.28 x 2.42

Power Unit

Config/No of cyls/valves

In-line six / 4

In-line six / 4

Engine technology

Second-generation direct injection

(High Precision Injection)

Second-generation direct injection

(High Precision Injection)

Capacity, effective

cc

2996

2996

Stroke / bore

mm

88.0 / 85.0

88.0 / 85.0

Compression ratio

:1

10.7

10.7

Fuel

min RON 91

min RON 91

Max output

kW/hp

190 / 258

190 / 258

at

rpm

6600

6600

Max torque

Nm

310

310

at

rpm

2600–3000

2600–3000

Electrical System

Battery/location

Ah/–

90 / luggage comp

90 / luggage comp

Alternator

A/W

210 / 2940

210 / 2940

Driving Dynamics and Safety

Suspension, front

Double-track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium construction, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston fixed-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control, optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyre Defect Indicator

Steering

Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

      17.1

                                       17,1

Tyres, front/rear

245/55 R17 102W

245/55 R17 102W RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 17 light-alloy

8J x 17 light-alloy

BMW 730i

BMW 730Li

BMW ConnectedDrive

Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

Transmission

Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

                                                VII

:1

0.839

0.839

                                                VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.295

3.295

Final drive

:1

3.462

3.462

Performance

Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

9.3

9.4

Output per litre

kW/hp

63.4

63.4

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

7.4

7.5

                      Standing start km

sec

27.4

27.5

Top speed

km/h

250

250

BMW EfficientDynamics

BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

Fuel Consump EU Cycle

Urban

ltr/100 km

12.4

126

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

6.3

6.4

Combined

ltr/100 km

8.6

8.7

CO₂

g/km

199

199

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

braked/unbraked

kg

2100 / 750

2300 / 750

2100 / 750

Max roofload/max towbar downl

kg

100 / 100

100 / 100

100 / 100

Luggage comp capacity

ltr

500

500

500

Air drag

Cd  x A

0.29 x 2.42

0.29 x 2.42

0.30 x 2.42

Power Unit

Config/No of cyls/valves

In-line six / 4

In-line six / 4

In-line six / 4

Engine technology

Turbocharger with variable intake geometry, common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 1800 bar)

BMW TwinPower Turbo (Variable Twin Turbo), common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 2000 bar)

BMW TwinPower Turbo (Variable Tri Turbo), common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 2200 bar)

Capacity, effective

cc

2993

2993

2993

Stroke / bore

mm

90.0 / 84.0

90.0 / 84.0

90.0 / 84.0

Compression ratio

:1

16.5

16.5

16.5

Fuel

Diesel

Diesel

Diesel

Max output

kW/hp

190 / 258

230 / 313

280 / 381

at

rpm

4 000

4300

4400

Max torque

Nm

560

630

740

at

rpm

1500

1500

2000

Electrical System

Battery/location

Ah/–

90 / / luggage comp

90 / / luggage comp

90 / / luggage comp

Alternator

A/W

180 / 2 520

180 / 2520

180 / 2520

Driving Dynamics and Safety

Suspension, front

Double-track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

(air suspension with self-levelling standard on long-wheelbase version)

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control, optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management,networked with xDrive all-wheel-drive system in Integrated Chassis Management

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyre Defect Indicator

Steering

Rack-and-pinion power steering with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

19.1

19.1

19.1

Tyres, front/rear

245/55 R17 102W

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 17 light-alloy

8J x 18 light-alloy

8J x 18 light-alloy

BMW 730d xDrive

BMW 740d xDrive

BMW 750d xDrive

BMW ConnectedDrive

Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

Transmission

Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic function

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

1.000

                                        VII

:1

0.839

0.839

0.839

                                        VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.317

3.317

3.317

Final drive

:1

2.563

2.647

2.813

Performance

Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

10.1

8.4

7.1

Output per litre

kW/hp

63.5

76.8

93.6

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

6.0

5.4

4.9

                      Standing start km

sec

26.4

25.2

24.0

Top speed

km/h

250

250

250

BMW EfficientDynamics

BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

Fuel Consump EU Cycle

Urban

ltr/100 km

7.2

7.3

7.3

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

5.3

5.3

5.9

Combined

ltr/100 km

6.0

6.0

6.4

CO₂

g/km

158

159

169

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

EU6

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

braked/unbraked

kg

2300 / 750

Max roofload/max towbar downl

kg

100 / 100

Luggage comp capacity

ltr

500

Air drag

Cd  x A

0.30 x 2.42

Power Unit

Config/No of cyls/valves

In-line six / 4

Engine technology

BMW TwinPower Turbo (Variable Tri- Turbo), common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 2200 bar)

Capacity, effective

cc

2993

Stroke / bore

mm

90.0 / 84.0

Compression ratio

:1

16.5

Fuel

Diesel

Max output

kW/hp

280 / 381

at

rpm

4400

Max torque

Nm

740

at

rpm

2000

Electrical System

Battery/location

Ah/–

105 / luggage comp

Alternator

A/W

180 / 2520

Driving Dynamics and Safety

Suspension, front

Double-track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control, optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management,networked with xDrive all-wheel-drive system in Integrated Chassis Management

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyre Defect Indicator

Steering

Rack-and-pinion power steering with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

19.1

Tyres, front/rear

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 18 light-alloy

BMW 750Ld xDrive

BMW ConnectedDrive

Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

Transmission

Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic function

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

                                        VII

:1

0.839

                                        VIII

:1

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.317

Final drive

:1

2.813

Performance

Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

7.2

Output per litre

kW/hp

93.6

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

4.9

Standing start km

sec

24.1

Top speed

km/h

250

BMW EfficientDynamics

BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

Fuel Consump EU Cycle

Urban

ltr/100 km

7.3

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

5.9

Combined

ltr/100 km

6.4

CO₂

g/km

169

Emission rating

EU6

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

braked/unbraked

kg

2100 / 750

2100 / 750

Max roofload/max towbar downl

kg

100 / 100

100 / 100

Luggage comp capacity

ltr

500

500

Air drag

Cd  x A

0.28 x 2.42

0.28 x 2.42

Power Unit

Power Unit

Config/No of cyls/valves

In-line six / 4

In-line six / 4

Engine technology

Turbocharger with variable intake geometry, common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 1800 bar)

BMW TwinPower Turbo (Variable Twin Turbo), common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max injection pressure: 2000 bar)

Capacity, effective

cc

2993

2993

Stroke / bore

mm

90.0 / 84.0

90.0 / 84.0

Compression ratio

:1

16.5

16.5

Fuel

Diesel

Diesel

Max output

kW/hp

190 / 258

230 / 313

at

rpm

4 000

4300

Max torque

Nm

560

630

at

rpm

1500

1500

Electrical System

Battery/location

Ah/–

90 / luggage comp

90 / luggage comp

Alternator

A/W

180 / 2 520

180 / 2520

Driving Dynamics and Safety

Suspension, front

Double-track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

(air suspension with self-levelling standard on long-wheelbase version)

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control; optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyres Defect Indicator

Steering

Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

17.1

17.1

Tyres, front/rear

245/55 R17 102W  RSC

245/50 R18 100Y RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 17 light-alloy

8J x 18 light-alloy

BMW 730d

BMW 740d

BMW ConnectedDrive

Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

Transmission

Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic function

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

1.000

                                        VII

:1

0.839

0.839

                                        VIII

:1

0.667

0.667

                                                Reverse

:1

3.317

3.317

Final drive

:1

2.563

2.647

Performance

Power-to-weight ratio

kg/kW

9.7

8.1

Output per litre

kW/hp

63.5

76.8

Acceleration       0–100 km/h

sec

6.1

5.5

                      Standing start km

sec

26.3

25.2

Top speed

km/h

250

250

BMW EfficientDynamics

BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

Fuel Consump EU Cycle

Urban

ltr/100 km

6.8

6.9

Extra-urban

ltr/100 km

4.8

4.8

Combined

ltr/100 km

5.6

5.7

CO₂

g/km

148

149

Emission rating

EU5

EU5

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

braked/unbraked

kg

2100 / 750

Max roofload/max towbar downl

kg

100 / 100

Luggage comp capacity

ltr

500

Air drag

Cd  x A

0.28 x 2.42

Power Unit

Config/No of cyls/valves

In-line six / 4

Engine technology

Turbocharger with variable intake geometry, common-rail direct fuel injection with piezo injectors (max, pressure: 1800 bar)

Capacity, effective

cc

2993

Stroke / bore

mm

90.0 / 84.0

Compression ratio

:1

16.5

Fuel

Diesel

Max output

kW/hp

190 / 258

at

rpm

4 000

Max torque

Nm

560

at

rpm

1500

Electrical System

Battery/location

Ah/–

105 / / luggage comp Gepäckraum

Alternator

A/W

180 / 2520

Driving Dynamics and Safety

Suspension, front

Double-track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level in aluminium construction, small steering roll radius, anti-dive

Suspension, rear

Integral-V multi-arm axle in aluminium with steering function, anti-squat and anti-dive, double acoustic separation, air suspension with automatic height adjustment

Brakes, front

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Brakes, rear

Single-piston swing-calliper disc brakes / vented

Driving stability systems

Standard: DSC incl ABS and DTC Dynamic Traction Control, CBC Cornering Brake Control, DBC Dynamic Brake Control, Dry Braking, Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Dynamic Damping Control, optional: Dynamic Drive anti-roll stability management

Safety equipment

Standard: airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear, active headrests at the front, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners at the front, crash sensors, Tyre Defect Indicator

Steering

Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with speed-related steering assistance (Servotronic) and CO₂-optimised pump

Steering transmission, overall

:1

17.1

Tyres, front/rear

245/55 R17 102W RSC

Rims, front/rear

8J x 17 light-alloy

BMW 730Ld

BMW ConnectedDrive

Convenience

Optional: BMW Assist including Enquiry Service, remote-control function and RTTI Real Time Traffic Information, BMW TeleServices, integration of mobile devices, Rear Seat Entertainment, Comfort Access with contactless opening of the tailgate

Infotainment

Optional: internet access, BMW Online including features such as Park Info, 3D City Mode, National Info, Google Local Search, News, Realtime Weather, Office functions, Speech to Text, BMW Routes, Online Update Music Tracks

Safety

Optional: Adaptive Headlights with Cornering Lights, LED High-Beam Assistant, Park Distance Control, Side View, Top View, rear-view camera, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian detection + Dynamic Light Spots, Head-Up Display, Active Cruise Control premium with Stop & Go and emergency brake assist, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info, Active Protection with fatigue detection, Automatic/Advanced Emergency Call

Transmission

Type of transmission

Eight-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic function

Gear ratios                           I

:1

4.714

                                                II

:1

3.143

                                                III

:1

2.208

                                                IV

:1

1.667

                                                V

:1

1.285

                                                VI

:1

1.000

                                        VII

:1

0.839

BMW EfficientDynamics

BMW EfficientDynamics standard features

Auto Start-Stop function, ECO PRO mode, Brake Energy Regeneration, coasting mode, Varioserve steering assistance pump, intelligent lightweight technology, air flap control, on-demand fuel pump, on-demand coolant pump, final drive with optimised thermal management, tyres with reduced rolling resistance, a/c compressor detachable, optional Dynamic Drive with on-demand pump control

Specifications applicable to ACEA markets / homologation data applicable in part only to Germany (weight)

1)  Oil change

1. The new BMW 7 Series: Sporting poise and luxurious comfort in perfect harmony.
2. BMW 7 Series Design: Stylish presence, unique equipment features, an unforgettable way to cover the miles.
3. BMW 7 Series: Powertrain and chassis
4. BMW 7 EfficientDynamics: Increasing power and cutting-edge functions while lowering fuel consumption and emissions
5. BMW 7 ConnectedDrive: The new benchmark for infotainment, convenience and safety.
6. BMW 7 Body and safety: Optimised protection and intelligent lightweight design as a founding principle.

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