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2016 BMW 7 Series First Drive [w/video]

Flagships demonstrate strength. "This is what we can do," these cars say with emphasis. Since 1977, the 7 Series has been a rolling showcase of BMW's capability. Sure, BMW makes racecars, but the mighty 7 is a proud reminder that the Roundel also stands for luxury. Except the 7 Series has been eclipsed by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a technological tour de force that Mercedes haughtily calls the industry's flagship. BMW makes a pretty nice car, but no one would dare call it that. Bimmer should probably just lower the flag, right? Not yet. Most of history's famous flagships have been fighting machines. They exude confidence, but also pack a punch. And with the 2016 7 Series, BMW is unleashing a broadside on Mercedes and the rest of the industry. Rather than raw power, the sixth generation of the iconic 7 Series is loaded with sophisticated technology that makes the new sedan more luxurious and comfortable. While it looks familiar from the outside, most of the improvements are in the cabin or under the skin. Things like the carbon fiber used for the passenger cell that help the 7 Series shed 190 pounds compared to its predecessor. Or the touchless gesture control that allows you to accept or decline phone calls with simple hand motions. Even the infotainment system is better, with a pinch-to-zoom feature that makes iDrive less confusing and more like the user-friendly iPad. BMW is unleashing a broadside on Mercedes and the rest of the industry. It's a lot of high tech stuff, but the driving experience is still the top priority for BMW. To test its mettle, we traveled to the Monticello Motor Club in rural New York. After several hot laps on the road course (more on that later) we slip behind the wheel of an Arctic Gray Metallic 750i xDrive for some public road driving. The big sedan immediately masks its size on the twisting rural state routes. With 445 twin-turbo V8 horsepower urging us forward, we barrel ahead as the countryside blurs by. Once we settle into a relaxed, legal pace and get our bearings inside the car, we check out some of the new tech. The gesture control is easy to activate while driving, and with a twirl of a finger we turn up the silky-sounding Bowers & Wilkins system. Gestures actually work as advertised. No one calls us, but during an earlier demonstration we were able to decline a call with a dismissive backhand. It felt good.

2016 Tech of the Year | Autoblog Minute

Deliberation on the winners of Autoblog's Tech of the Year Award is under way. Nominees for best car in 2016 are: the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt and the BMW 7 series. Nominees for best tech in 2016 are: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, VW's MiB II with AppConnect, Ford Sync 3, Audi Virtual Cockpit, the Smart Cross Connect App, and Volvo Sensus. Autoblog's Chris McGraw reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Audi BMW Chevrolet Ford smart Tesla Volvo Technology of the Year Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video volt android auto ford sync 3

AC Schnitzer's hotrod BMW 318ti remembered by MotorWeek

There are plenty of compact luxury cars available in the US today, including the Audi A3, BMW 2 Series, and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. In the '90s, the BMW 318ti tried to offer a similar mix of luxury at a reasonable price, but it never quite found much success in America. The 318ti looked like an E36-generation 3 Series in front but featured a stumpy liftback at the rear. The only engine available in the US was a four-cylinder. If you had the money, though, the aftermarket was ready to give you more power and more aggressive looks. AC Schnitzer dropped a bored and stroked 3.0-liter inline-six under the hood to create a pocket-sized hot rod, and MotorWeek took it for a drive. The model in this video was the promo car for AC Schnitzer's US importer, and it had every upgrade possible to show off what the German tuner's produced. Under the hood, the company installed an upgraded engine with 241 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, a US-spec M3 of the era had 240 horsepower and either 225 or 236 lb-ft, depending on the model year. AC Schnitzer also sharpened the 318ti with a suspension overhaul and short shifter. According to MotorWeek's tests, the mods got the hatchback to 60 miles per hour in 6 seconds and gave 318ti laudable handling. So much performance wasn't cheap, though. The upgrades on the promo car cost more than twice as much as the 318ti's base price. Watch this Retro Review to find out the massive amount you needed to pay to get M3 performance in a tiny package. Related Video: