Autocar - First for car news and reviews

BMW has revealed a unique set of innovations for its forthcoming 7-series – both in its cabin and chassis – which it believes will make its new flagship the best equipped luxury car on sale in Europe.

We’ve already seen the external design, but now BMW has released full details of what lies beneath the 7’s svelte surface detailing, too.

The new car introduces a new active chassis management system (branded as IMS) similar in principle to Land Rover’s Terrain Respose. This groups ...Read the full article

So there are now 2 versions of the twin-turbo 3.0d in the BMW range (242bhp & 286bhp) or is that just a typo?.....Me thinks the latter.

And surely BMW cannot forego the lucrative V12 market, especially in such regions such as China where this engine is a big seller?

Will someone tell me why BMW and Mercedes have both engaged in extremely puzzling model nomenclature?

A 523i has a 2.5 liter engine.  So the Merc C230 also has a 2.5 liter.  The Merc E280 sports a 3.0 liter, while the S320 CDi actually has only 3.0 liters.  Now the 740i is not a 4.0 liter .....

It almost defeats the original logic of both manufacturers' model identification system altogether.  I would suspect the marketing mavens have their hand in this plot.

What is amusing however, is that BMW and Mercedes are engaged in battle even in this plot to confuse!  Utterly hilarious, actually!

I'll pick one up off Ebay in 2018 for a couple of grand.

airgith76:

So there are now 2 versions of the twin-turbo 3.0d in the BMW range (242bhp & 286bhp) or is that just a typo?.....Me thinks the latter.

No. Autocar cocks up again. You may as well read the back of the cornflakes packet as read Autocar's write ups for definitive info. on most any auto subject.

It is not the twin-turbo 3 litre diesel in the new 7 series 730d - they would have denoted it as 735d, as in 335d. It is the new 3 litre single turbo diesel already announced for the facelifted 3 series. It is 245 PS/242 bhp. See http://www.bmw.de/de/de/newvehicles/3series/sedan/2008/allfacts/engine/6c_diesel.html

A new bi-turbo V12 in a 760i version and a jointly with Mercedes-Benz developed hybrid version will be available in 2009.

Why don't you take a deep breath and go and read the story? Unless I'm going completely mad I can't see any reference to a 286bhp diesel in the 7-series. p.s do you actually like anything?

Chas Hallett.:

Why don't you take a deep breath and go and read the story? Unless I'm going completely mad I can't see any reference to a 286bhp diesel in the 7-series. p.s do you actually like anything?

from original article:

"The big seller will be the 730d, powered by a twin-turbo version of BMW’s 3.0-litre six cylinder diesel engine, producting 242bhp..." Autocar.

"...a twin-turbo version..."

That is wrong. It is single-turbo - the same brand-new engine in the 330d, not the existing twin-turbo in the 335d . Hence airgith76's comment over a possible typo.

Before you jump down someone's neck for pointing out a blatant mistake in your magazine's writings make sure you read the article first, the subsequent comments and properly understand them! Have the grace to correct it and move on, that's all.

I do have the good grace to recognise mistakes and recognise that they occur in any publication or website. I think that jumping down someone's neck for a mistake is your stock in trade. Good luck with it

I'm with Autocar on this. Its only a tiny error, subsequently corrected, and really not worth the level of anger exhibited above! As for the car itself, having previously thought it bland, I have now seen one in the flesh and I think it looks quite elegant. Although if I had the money to buy one I think I'd probably give that Fisker guy a call and get him to tart up the nose a bit.

julianphillips:

"subsequently corrected"[the "tiny error"].

It is not. @11:15am 29/7/2008.

Chas Hallett.:

I do have the good grace to recognise mistakes and recognise that they occur in any publication or website. I think that jumping down someone's neck for a mistake is your stock in trade. Good luck with it

My proclivity for 'jumping down someone's neck' is as to your inability to acknowledge the errors in your fact-based write ups and subsequently to correct them, when brought to your attention, and without attacking the messenger. 

A R Chen:

Will someone tell me why BMW and Mercedes have both engaged in extremely puzzling model nomenclature?

Well, it's quite simple actually - a combination of tradition and change.

These days you can get, for example, a 3-series with a 2-litre engine in two different specs (143 or 170 hp). Being German, BMW couldn't possibly re-badge the 3er. On the other hand, it can't name two different models 320i. The marketing department would go berzerk.

What's the solution? Name one 318i, the other 320i, and the public would understand easily why they're paying more. Maybe.