Talking about a revolution? - BMW bigwigs call the all-new, technology-packed 7-Series a revolution, but were the testing procedures employed more advanced than those traditionally applied to their products?

摘要

A degree of over-exuberance is to be expected during the launch of any new car, but with the launch of the new "E46" 7-Series, BMW's spin machine has gone into hyperdrive. The new Seven, BMW chiefs boldly claim, is a "revolutionary car". It "marks a quantum leap into the future", and "offers a cavalcade of innovations in technology". Indeed, the new 7-Series arguably pushes the technical boundaries forward and places particular demands on testing and evaluation systems. A few Key technical areas dominate the new 7-Series story. There are two new V8s, unthrottled, thanks to the new Valvetronic valvetrain. There's a new ZF six-speed automatic gearbox, a semiactive suspension system dubbed 'Dynamic Drive' comprising active anti-roll bars and dampers, while inside there's the 'i-Drive' driver interface, first seen on the Z9 concept.