By Roshan Cherian/Staff Reporter


The centrepiece of BMW’s display at this year’s Dubai Motor Show (November 10-14) was the new 7 series which was being launched for the first time in the UAE. It has already been launched in Doha.
Also being showcased as part of the 7 Series line-up at the BMW display was the 7 Series Solitaire - a limited edition. The new custom flagship built exclusively for the Gulf.
The Solitaire features 5 Carat diamond inlays and is the most luxurious and expensive 7 Series car ever built by BMW.
Three regional launches were conducted for the BMW 7 Series, BMW X1 and Mini Clubman.
At hand for the launch was Karim Habib, head of BMW Design. He introduced the new 7 Series and spoke to journalists and customers.
“Diesel sales will be under pressure after the recent controversy and nobody is amused. We are looking at the problem very seriously,” said Habib.
“Diesels remain a very major part of our portfolio and we consider diesel an important element of our future plans. They are not only clean but also important from the performance standpoint. Diesels also continue to be popular in Europe. A case in point is our tri-turbo diesel engine.”
“Practicality is a critical design consideration. Every aspect of design is influenced - from considering the size of the tyres to the shape of the boot. A larger wheel will interfere with the layout of the engine. The height of the car is influenced by ease of entry.”
“Driving a car has to be a rewarding experience. If you spend money and time on a vehicle, you definitely have demands and expectations.”
“You buy this kind of car because you want it not because you need it.”
The 7 Series continues to be the car that easily switches roles from “being the vehicle that the customer would choose to be driven around in on the weekdays and is just as easily a driver’s car on the weekends.”
“The BMW flagship’s rear seats or ‘executive lounge’ as BMW calls it has the perfect environment–combining technology and comfort.
“It allows the customer to seamlessly run the show from the comfort of the cabin even as he or she is driven to work.”
Touch control is at the heart of the executive lounge involving built in 7-inch tablets – that allow the passenger to control every aspect of the car’s cabin features. That includes entertainment and comfort settings. The tablets also serve to connect the passenger with the outside world.
A fold away table and foot rest complete the picture in the executive lounge.
The 7-series also introduces ‘gesture control’ which permits driver and passengers to control the volume of media systems and answer the phone.
The critical engineering achievement in this vehicle is the lightweight ‘carbon core’ – shaving 130kg of the weight.
A “pioneering” headlamp technology, BMW Laser Light, has been introduced for the 7 Series. It offers a high beam range of up to 600 metres, double the length of regular LED headlamps.
The new model comes with two revised engines: The 6 cylinder 740Li and 8 cylinder 750Li xDrive. The latter offers 450hp, and the 6-cylinder equivalent puts out 326hp.
BMW also revealed the new BMW X1 alongside the complete X range.
The second generation of the successful X1 model, more than 730,000 units of which have now been sold worldwide, has a body design straight out of the BMW X model mould.
The interior of the new BMW X1, offers more space for passengers and luggage, “a cutting-edge premium ambience and functionality grounded in solid engineering”. BMW Group also displayed the new ‘Mini Clubman’. “Embodying the brand’s new corporate identity, which was rolled out earlier this year, this third generation MINI Clubman has grown and matured.”
Just over 32cm longer and around 12cm wider than its predecessor, the new clubman provides plenty of space to “meet the demands of youthful, urban mobility across the region”.
It features four doors and split doors in the back, which provide a generous 360 to 1250 litre capacity. The interior of the new MINI Clubman has also expanded along with the exterior.