The new 2016 BMW 7 Series has just been launched on the Chinese car market with pricing starting at 1.18 million yuan and ending at 1.98 million yuan ($187,000-$313,000). BMW has repeatedly said the Chinese market is the second most important after U.S. and the Bavarians plan to offer all the gimmicks available in the new 7er. One of them is an old school car phone which will find its home in the armrest between the rear seats.
BMW has omitted to mention the optional car phone in their marketing materials, but apparently it’s an option in some markets. In Germany for example, one can purchase the car phone for 830 Euros. The phone is likely connected to the cars’ telematics and all calls will go through the carriers network. For the previous generation 7 Series, the official brochures described the car phone as the following: “The optional extra identified by option code 6NB is a car hotspot with a holder for a SIM card and a cord- less handset. Both components are built into the centre armrest. The car hotspot is directly connected to the car’s external aerial.”
We’ve reached out to BMW to learn more about the new car phone.
Much like the current segment leader, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the new 7 Series’ main priority is the passengers inside of it. The way it looks on the outside is far less important than the way it looks and feels on the inside and for the interior, BMW has spared no expense. The amount of technology and luxury features in the new 7 Series is dizzying – from gesture control and head-up display to touchscreen LCDs and keyfobs – the flagship sedan is a mobile office on four wheels that not only takes you from point A-to-B, but also offers the latest and greatest in technology.
But this is just the beginning for BMW. Historically, some of the innovations found on the 7 Series eventually trickled down to other models as well – the next one being the 2017 5 Series.
[Source: CarNewsChina]
