The new machine will go by the G11 moniker internally for the standard wheelbase version, while the long wheelbase model will be the BMW G12. It’s not all that long ago that BMW moved on from the ‘E’ numbering system that served it so well for 40 years to the ‘F’ numbers for all the current models, with the first F model being the F01 7 Series that made its debut seven years ago. I must admit that the E numbers somehow made more sense as the E stood for ‘Entwicklung’ – which means development – and thus there was a reason for why all the cars had an E number. The F and new G prefixes simply seem to be an alphabetical progression and I’ve never understood why BMW didn’t just go to a three-digit E number. Perhaps we’ll never know the reason why, but I have a feeling that even though there are plenty of F numbers left to use BMW has moved onto the G prefix for the 7 Series to separate it from the models that do not share its unique construction method which uses steel, aluminium and carbon for the car’s structure.
From its clever construction (that saves up to 130 kilos over the previous generation Seven) to its opulent interior, BMW has really tried to push the boundaries with this car and while some of the items on the options list might appear to be a little off the wall the car’s technology will no doubt filter down to the rest of the range in the years to come. I’m not fully convinced that I’d be particularly keen on having the Ambient Air package (that pipes a choice of eight different fragrances into the car) and I could also probably live without the Sky Lounge Panoramic glass roof (an LED encrusted sunroof that simulates a starry sky – in six different colours, of course) but I would be keen on having inductive charging for my phone. And then there’s the intriguing semi-autonomous parking system where the driver can hop out of the car and use the key to guide the car into a garage or parking space. Okay, it’s not quite up to James Bond levels of driving your 7 Series from outside the car but it’s not all that far off either! Enjoy the Drive-MY.
