MUNICH: Mercedes-Benz has its EQS; BMW has its i7.
BMW revealed at its annual conference on Wednesday some details of its flagship electric sedan ahead of its world premiere in April.
BMW AG board member for development Frank Weber delivered the presentation with a focus on technology highlights, a new front-end design based on hallmark BMW design features and a unique interior experience consisting of digital features and exclusive materials.
Come April, the Munich car maker will present the all-electric i7 and with it the entire new 7 Series. The i7 has a range of more than 600km.
Weber said the i7 would be the most powerful 7 Series, touting that it offers "the best driving experience with the ultimate digital experience".
In the i7, the characteristic design elements of twin round headlights and BMW grille have been revamped to achieve a modern and distinctive look. Some of the special design statements are upper light elements made of crystal glass and the illuminated contour of the kidney grille.
In the interior, the focus is on the user experience created with new My Modes and the latest generation of the iDrive operating system.
My Modes enable the driver to customise the car’s driving characteristics and interior ambience.
In addition to the BMW Curved Display, a new type of light and function strip on the instrument panel and the doors provides a visual and haptic quality that is modern and exclusive.
The BMW Interaction Bar is part of the ambient lighting and also features integrated control buttons.
In addition, the newly developed Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof adds to the feeling of spaciousness, modernity and well-being that prevails in the interior of the new BMW 7 Series with LED light threads that can be individually adjusted.
The rear of the i7 is said to offer new levels of travel comfort and sets new entertainment standards offering a unique cinematic experience.
The BMW Theatre Screen, which moves out of the roof liner, is an ultra-wide screen with a 31 inch screen, 32 : 9 panoramic display format and 8K streaming resolution.
BMW said it transforms the rear seats into an exclusive, private cinema lounge where passengers can select their personal entertainment programme from a range of streaming offers.
On a different note, it looks like Mercedes-Benz may beat BMW from the starting block in being the first to market in Malaysia with its EQS. It is already soliciting expressions of interest from Malaysians as evident on its local website.
