BMW wants 7 series to top Mercedes S class on multiple levels

FRANKFURT -- BMW says its latest 7-series flagship sedan will provide segment-leading fuel-efficiency as well as technological firsts such as remote-control parking and the ability to understand gestures as the automaker seeks to compete better against the Mercedes-Benz S class.

“When our 740e plug-in hybrid comes to market next year, it will set the benchmark in terms of fuel consumption and electric range. Our goal is 49 grams [of CO2 per kilometer] and circa 40km [of full-electric driving],” BMW development chief Klaus Froehlich said. By comparison, the S-class plug-in hybrid offers CO2 as low as 65g/km and an electric range of 33km.

BMW says the new 7 series will be the first production car that can be parked without a person at the wheel. Another first for a production car is the 7 series’ gesture recognition system, which allows hand movements to be used to do such things as decline a call or make the radio volume higher.

Globally, BMW has sold about 370,000 units of the current 7 series during the car’s life cycle (2008-2015). The automaker aims to top that total with the new sixth-generation 7 series, which debuts in Europe and the U.S. on Oct. 24.

Volumes for the current sedan peaked in 2011 at about 67,200 cars, which is low compared with the 100,000 units of the S class that Mercedes sold last year.

Fast facts

Autonomous parking: The driver brings the vehicle to a standstill in front of the space, climbs out of the car and using the key fob can direct the car to move into our out of the space. The car uses sensors to make slight steering adjustments of 10 to 15 degrees and it also brakes itself. The driver and the key must remain near the car until the maneuver is completed. The system will be offered in some models starting in November.

Safety: The 7 series will be the second BMW to offer laser headlight after the i8 plug-in hybrid supercar. Laser headlights provide a high-beam range of 600 meters, double that of the standard LED headlights.

Leaner: BMW has also improved the fuel economy in its non-hybrids. The 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine in the 730d requires about a fifth less diesel than its predecessor because it is up to 130kg lighter than the model it replaces thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber in the passenger cell.

Connectivity & convenience: The car offers wireless charging for Android smartphones as well as BMW’s Touch Command removable tablet. Using the tablet’s 7-inch display, occupants can control everything from the music list to the positions of seats and interior temperature, not to mention surf the Internet through the car’s WiFi hotspot.

The basics

Launch date: October (U.S. and Europe); November (China)

Base price: 81,900 euros (Germany)

Where built: Dingolfing, Germany

Lowest CO2 emissions: 49g/km (740e/Le plug-in hybrid)

Annual production: 50,000 (Inovev forecast)