RSS_Auto_Poster
Well-known member
Written by Dan Carney
Prestige car manufacturers are trading body blows amongtheir top-segment models, with each ladling on more lavish content and morecutting-edge technology with each new introduction. So it was for BMW at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, where it pulledthe cover off its 7 Series and released it to take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Classand Audi A8. We may not have yet reached the day when carbon-fiber chassis seenin sports cars have proliferated among these sedans, but the 2016 7 Seriesoffers a step in that direction with a chassis featuring significant carbon-fiber reinforcement to a mostly steel structure. BMW terms this hybridmaterials approach "carbon core." The car"s doors and trunk lid are aluminum, and use of thatmetal in the suspension, brakes, and wheels slashes unsprung weight by 15%. "Its innovative combination of carbon-fiber structures withsteel, aluminum, magnesium, and plastic means that the 750i xDrive is 130kg (287 lb) lighter than the previous model," noted Klaus Frolich, BMW Board Member for Research and Development. "Lightweight design measures adding up toroughly 200 kg (440 lb) have enabled us tointegrate additional comfort and safety features," he said. "This ensures thatthe 7 Series is the lightest luxury sedan in its segment." Outside, the body shell is smoothed and airflowed aided byactive measures such as grille shutters, an "air curtain" that steers airflowpast the side of the wheel arch, while "air breathers" direct air into thefront wheel arches through vertical intakes in the front fenders. Thesemeasures, along with a sealed underbody, contribute to a 15% reductionin aerodynamic drag. Front and rear self-leveling air suspension lets driversmanually raise the car by 20 mm (0.8 in) when approaching steep entrances andautomatically lowers is by 10 mm (0.4 in) when driving at highway speeds for reduceddrag. An active anti-roll bar is a feature increasingly seen onSUVs because it permits disconnection for wheel articulation when driving offroad, then returns to its normal function of reducing body lean in turns onroad. The new 7 Series uses one so it can disconnect the bar when the car isdriving in a straight line to let each corner"s suspension respond to bumpsindividually, without affecting the others. When turning, the anti-roll barreturns to its normal function. The 7 Series also has a variable ratio steering rack andactive rear steering, which combine to provide improved maneuverability. What else? How about remote control self-parking? "Thismeans the vehicle can maneuver itself in and out of a garage or parking spotwithout the driver behind the wheel," Frolich explained. The driver will useBMW"s new Display Key, which appears to combine the appearance of a smallsmartphone with functions such as starting, the car"s lock status, and evenservice notifications. Remote-control parking will not be available when carsreach dealers this fall, but is scheduled to follow soon afterward, he added. Frolich boldly invited customers to try the 7 Series" newgesture-control system, an interface for the car"s infotainment systems thatreads the driver"s gesticulating in its direction and interprets that tocontrol functions like radio and phone. Considering the mixed record of voicecommand systems and BMW"s iDrive interface, it is worrisome to consider whatgestures the computer system might induce. BMW continues to refine its signature iDrive infotainmentinterface, finally combining touch screen inputs with its control knob despitea decade of insisting that fingerprints make touch screens undesirable. A Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound systemfeatures a 10-channel, 1400-W amplifier and 16 speakers to immerse occupantsin sound. Meanwhile a new headup display projects information for the driverwith an image on the windshield that is 75% larger than the previoussystem, with improved image quality and detail. BMW has announced three U.S. gasoline drivetrains for the 7 Series; a445-hp (332-kW) twin-turbo 4.4-L V8 for the 750i, a 320-hp (239-kW) 3.0-L twin-turbo inline sixfor the 740i, and a 258-hp (192-kW) 2.0-L twin-turbo inline four and 83 kW electric motor plug-inhybrid-electric combination in the 740e. The hybrid"s total system output is 243 kW. All three cars use eight-speedautomatic transmission. The V8 is a hot-vee design, nesting a pair of Honeywell twinscroll turbos in the valley of its vee. Compression for this iteration of theengine climbs a half-point to 10.5:1, with cooling optimized with separate flowto the heads and cylinder liners determined by a map-controlled water pump.System flow can be restricted to 10% of normal for faster warmup oncold starts. BMW is debuting a new inline-six for 2016 featuringall-aluminum construction, variable valve timing, and direct gasoline fuelinjection for a good combination of smoothness and power. The plug-in hybrid 740e has a lithium-ion battery pack thatcan propel the car with no fuel consumption at speeds as high as 75 mph (120 km/h) or fordistances as far as 23 mi (37 km). Charging is via standard household current,public charging station or BMW"s i Wallbox. BMW claims maximum efficiency of 112mpg for the plug-in hybrid Global markets will also enjoy the 730d, a 265-hp (198-kW) 3.0-L, 52-mpgfuel-sipping 3.0-L inline six-cylinder diesel.
Date: 21-Sep-2015 02:10 EDT
More of this article on the SAE International website
ID: 1370
Prestige car manufacturers are trading body blows amongtheir top-segment models, with each ladling on more lavish content and morecutting-edge technology with each new introduction. So it was for BMW at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, where it pulledthe cover off its 7 Series and released it to take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Classand Audi A8. We may not have yet reached the day when carbon-fiber chassis seenin sports cars have proliferated among these sedans, but the 2016 7 Seriesoffers a step in that direction with a chassis featuring significant carbon-fiber reinforcement to a mostly steel structure. BMW terms this hybridmaterials approach "carbon core." The car"s doors and trunk lid are aluminum, and use of thatmetal in the suspension, brakes, and wheels slashes unsprung weight by 15%. "Its innovative combination of carbon-fiber structures withsteel, aluminum, magnesium, and plastic means that the 750i xDrive is 130kg (287 lb) lighter than the previous model," noted Klaus Frolich, BMW Board Member for Research and Development. "Lightweight design measures adding up toroughly 200 kg (440 lb) have enabled us tointegrate additional comfort and safety features," he said. "This ensures thatthe 7 Series is the lightest luxury sedan in its segment." Outside, the body shell is smoothed and airflowed aided byactive measures such as grille shutters, an "air curtain" that steers airflowpast the side of the wheel arch, while "air breathers" direct air into thefront wheel arches through vertical intakes in the front fenders. Thesemeasures, along with a sealed underbody, contribute to a 15% reductionin aerodynamic drag. Front and rear self-leveling air suspension lets driversmanually raise the car by 20 mm (0.8 in) when approaching steep entrances andautomatically lowers is by 10 mm (0.4 in) when driving at highway speeds for reduceddrag. An active anti-roll bar is a feature increasingly seen onSUVs because it permits disconnection for wheel articulation when driving offroad, then returns to its normal function of reducing body lean in turns onroad. The new 7 Series uses one so it can disconnect the bar when the car isdriving in a straight line to let each corner"s suspension respond to bumpsindividually, without affecting the others. When turning, the anti-roll barreturns to its normal function. The 7 Series also has a variable ratio steering rack andactive rear steering, which combine to provide improved maneuverability. What else? How about remote control self-parking? "Thismeans the vehicle can maneuver itself in and out of a garage or parking spotwithout the driver behind the wheel," Frolich explained. The driver will useBMW"s new Display Key, which appears to combine the appearance of a smallsmartphone with functions such as starting, the car"s lock status, and evenservice notifications. Remote-control parking will not be available when carsreach dealers this fall, but is scheduled to follow soon afterward, he added. Frolich boldly invited customers to try the 7 Series" newgesture-control system, an interface for the car"s infotainment systems thatreads the driver"s gesticulating in its direction and interprets that tocontrol functions like radio and phone. Considering the mixed record of voicecommand systems and BMW"s iDrive interface, it is worrisome to consider whatgestures the computer system might induce. BMW continues to refine its signature iDrive infotainmentinterface, finally combining touch screen inputs with its control knob despitea decade of insisting that fingerprints make touch screens undesirable. A Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound systemfeatures a 10-channel, 1400-W amplifier and 16 speakers to immerse occupantsin sound. Meanwhile a new headup display projects information for the driverwith an image on the windshield that is 75% larger than the previoussystem, with improved image quality and detail. BMW has announced three U.S. gasoline drivetrains for the 7 Series; a445-hp (332-kW) twin-turbo 4.4-L V8 for the 750i, a 320-hp (239-kW) 3.0-L twin-turbo inline sixfor the 740i, and a 258-hp (192-kW) 2.0-L twin-turbo inline four and 83 kW electric motor plug-inhybrid-electric combination in the 740e. The hybrid"s total system output is 243 kW. All three cars use eight-speedautomatic transmission. The V8 is a hot-vee design, nesting a pair of Honeywell twinscroll turbos in the valley of its vee. Compression for this iteration of theengine climbs a half-point to 10.5:1, with cooling optimized with separate flowto the heads and cylinder liners determined by a map-controlled water pump.System flow can be restricted to 10% of normal for faster warmup oncold starts. BMW is debuting a new inline-six for 2016 featuringall-aluminum construction, variable valve timing, and direct gasoline fuelinjection for a good combination of smoothness and power. The plug-in hybrid 740e has a lithium-ion battery pack thatcan propel the car with no fuel consumption at speeds as high as 75 mph (120 km/h) or fordistances as far as 23 mi (37 km). Charging is via standard household current,public charging station or BMW"s i Wallbox. BMW claims maximum efficiency of 112mpg for the plug-in hybrid Global markets will also enjoy the 730d, a 265-hp (198-kW) 3.0-L, 52-mpgfuel-sipping 3.0-L inline six-cylinder diesel.
Date: 21-Sep-2015 02:10 EDT
More of this article on the SAE International website
ID: 1370
