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BMW teases new 7 Series with gesture control tech, LCD display key

Want an early glimpse at what features you can expect to see in your next car a few years down the line? Look to flagship luxury sedans, where automakers often roll out their most advanced technologies. Like on the next-generation BMW 7 Series. Previewed in this teaser clip above, detailed in the press release below and pictured in the massive gallery at bottom, Munich's upcoming flagship model will be packed with innovative features. It'll have a remote-control parking feature that won't even require the driver to be on board when entering or exiting a parking space, controlled through an LCD touchscreen on the key fob. Once on board, you'll also be able to control the infotainment system with three-dimensional gestures made in the air or through the touchscreen display. Power will be provided by a new generation of engines, starting with a turbocharged inline-six mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. An adaptive air suspension promises to offer a sporty or cushioning ride as desired. And it's all being built around a structure made partially out of carbon fiber, cutting nearly 290 pounds off the curb weight. All of which paints a picture of the next-generation 7 Series as a rolling technology exhibit, and one we're looking forward to experiencing first-hand. Technology and innovation workshop on the new BMW 7 Series model range. PreDrive Miramas. 17.04.2015 BMW is using a technology and innovation workshop to present an initial selection of development highlights which the next generation of the BMW 7 Series model range will use to set new benchmarks in lightweight design, driving dynamics, comfort, intelligent connectivity and operation. The extensive use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the structure of the passenger cell, the rigorous and detailed application of lightweight design and a new generation of engines combine to reduce the weight of the luxury sedan along with its fuel consumption and emissions figures. The comfort, safety and driving experience offered by the new BMW 7 Series benefit from new chassis technology, exceptional scope for interaction with the car's infotainment technology and a wider selection of driver assistance systems from BMW ConnectedDrive. BMW EfficientLightweight: Carbon Core helps to reduce weight by up to 130 kilograms. Thanks to the BMW EfficientLightweight strategy, the new BMW 7 Series line-up will tip the scales up to 130 kilograms lighter than the outgoing generation of models.

The 2014 Alpina B4 Bi-Turbo Cabrio powers up luxury and speed

The BMW specialists at Alpina know how to exploit a niche when they see one. With the BMW M4 still not technically official, it saw the need for a higher performance four-seat convertible than the 435i 'vert. Enter the new B4 Bi-Turbo Cabrio that is debuting at the Geneva Motor Show.
The European-exclusive model takes BMW's 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-6 and massages it up to 410 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, which is less power but more twist than the M4 would give buyers. Alpina's tend to be built more as quick, luxurious grand tourers, and the B4 Bi-Turbo gets is no different with an adaptive sport suspension and an eight-speed automatic. Plus it wears the classic pinstripes and 21-spoke wheels that are the brand's design hallmarks.
While the added weight for the convertible means that the Cabrio takes 4.5 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour, about a half-second slower than the coupe, at the moment it is the only way to get this kind of performance in a BMW convertible. Orders for the convertible open in March in Europe and prices in Germany start at 74,800 euros ($102,878 at today's conversion rates).

This Or That: 1980 Oldsmobile 442 vs. 1989 BMW 635CSi [w/poll]

The last time I roped a coworker into an automotive debate, I lost. Resoundingly, I might add. Still, 2,385 voters chose to cast their lots for the Fiat 500 Abarth, as opposed to 5,273 choosing the Ford Fiesta ST, and so I can rest easy in the knowledge that at least 30 percent of you, dear readers, see things my way. I still like to think we have more fun, too.
My loss in the first round of our This or That series, in which two Autoblog editors pick sides on any given topic and then attempt to explain why the other is completely wrong, didn't stop me from picking another good-natured fight, this time with Senior Editor Seyth Miersma. Last time, our chosen sides were eerily similar in design, albeit quite different in actual execution. This time, our vehicular peculiarities couldn't seemingly fall any further from one another: A 1980 Oldsmobile 442 wouldn't seem to match up in comparison to a 1989 BMW 635CSi.
How did we come up with such disparate contenders? Simple, really. Seyth and I mutually agreed to choose a car that's currently for sale online. It had to be built and sold in the 1980s, and it had to be a coupe. The price cap was set at $10,000. The fruits of our searching labors will henceforth be disputed, with Seyth on the side of the Germans, and myself arguing in favor of the Rocket Olds. Am I setting myself up for another lopsided loss?