Finally found these two key E65 development articles after searching forever.
At times rough english translation of an article from AutoBild issue 9,
March 3rd 2000 written by Georg Kacher
The 7th Sense
Here he stands: The new BMW 7-Series.
Target: The top of the upper class.
Technique: Typically BMW - comfortable and dynamically at the same time.
Special characteristics: The body design, which found acceptance at the second glance only.
Even when he was nearly fully blind Herbert Quandt insisted on an unwritten privilege: The design acceptance of new BMW models, if needed by pure feeling of the shape of the design. Also the heirs of the charismatic tycoon take lively personal part in the fate of BMW. When the new CEO, Joachim Milberg, lead the principal shareholders through the design studios shortly after his assumption of office at the end of February 1999, the group stopped in front of the successor of the 7-Series, which shall come onto market in summer 2001. The opinion of the delegation from ((the German town of)) Bad Homburg: A representative car, but not necessarily a perfect BMW. Above all the high front of the car and the squared rear let the flagship look bulky and fussy.
The critics fell on fertile ground. In the second half of the year 1999 the model with the project number E65 was revised in record time. The result: Front and rear now look elegant and sporty, the 7-Series presents itself optically again more like a driver's car than a chauffeured limousine.
Left:The 7-Series has Bi-Xenon headlamps and neon turn signals, but still not the new light which shines into corners.
Right: Completely new, but no formal revolution. The fourth generation of the 7-Series is clearly more round, massive, but nevertheless not fat.
Caught: How the 7-Series drove in front of our lens
The first photos of the new big BMW: Good disguise is half the battle. That begins with the black body paint which even contrasting surfaces lets melt into an optical unity. Also with the disguises on front and rear there's method in, because the front grille and the lights are the characteristics of a car. And those one wants to remain secret as long as possible. Completely undisguised: The arch-shaped roof, the generous glazing, the new hanger-type handles, the wide-track chassis. In all the 7-Series adopts many design elements from the big Audi ((A8)).
Although the two traditional round instruments will stay, the overloaded centre console will also be sorted out like the surrounding mess of buttons. The most important operation elements in the future will be the central colour monitor and the push- and turn-button located between the seats, which is equally good accessible for the driver and the front passenger. Intuitive operation concept BMW calls this simple and at the same time practical solution, with which one has the four functional groups audio, communication comfort and driving extremely well has under control in the true sense of the word.
In contrast to the Mercedes S-Class with air suspension and to the Audi A8 fully dressed in aluminium the new 7-series on the whole trusts on old values. The suspension is conventional, the body mostly consists of high-grade steel and even on the aged strut front axle the guys from Munich want to hold onto.
Rejected: BMW didn't want the 7-Series this way
Artist
Huckfeldt - Unmasked by Auto Bild two years ago, but
changed in the meantime: The slightly
baroque original version from
1998
When BMW began with the development of the new 7-Series, Rolls-Royce was as good as lost for the people from Munich. The noble marque was in possession of VW (in the meantime Wolfsburg sold it to BMW), but BMW didn't want to give up the segment without a fight.
Therefore the then members of the board Pischetsrieder and Reitzle set on a conservative, markedly classic design. The idea behind that:
A version with lengthened wheelbase could have taken part in the absolute luxury class as 9-Series. But then things turned out very differently: Rolls-Royce after all went to BMW, Pischetsrieder and Reitzle left BMW - and with them the end for the "Cathedral on wheels".
Jumper cables from the trunk leave speculation
the battery is placed in the trunk.
New rear: Retracted waistline, diagonal rear
lights. Plus full tires. For the new 7-Series
18, 19 and even 20 inch wheels are available.
New however is the integrated chassis management (ICM). It contains a further refined stability programme, an active sway compensation and an interesting attenuation force control system which enhances the suspension comfort as well as the driving security. Beyond that BMW works at an electro-hydraulic brake system which reacts on electronic impulses (brake by wire).
The dual-circuit on-board net with 48 instead of 24 volts necessary for that shall be supplied with electricity from a camshaft-startgenerator. To the advantages of the super brake count constant pedal forces, shorter stopping distances also in corners as well as an automatic parking brake with roll-back protection on hills and at traffic light starts. Sounds complicated, but becomes reality soon.
The same is valid for the light technique, which stands under the motto "more sight - more security". The Xenon-technique for high- and low-beam is already existent at Audi and Porsche, but with neon turn signals and brake lights BMW plays the pioneering role. The advantages: Shorter reaction times and different light strengths. The higher the pedal pressure the higher the brightness.
To the old practices which do have no more place in the upper class belongs the manual transmission. Therefore the new 7-Series will be available with automatic transmission only. But also here BMW does not leave the known five-speed box, but together with ZF has developed a six-speed self-shifter with Steptronic.
The new 7-Series will be presented in July 2001
In Europe the by far most sold engines with the 7-Series are the six-cylinders with a market share of nearly 60 per cent. In this important segment with the model change the 728i will be substituted by the 730i, which mobilizes 231 hp ((DIN)) and 300 Nm. The two V8-models 735i and 740i get revised engines, too. With an unchanged displacement of 3.5- and 4.0-litres power output and torque shall be risen and the fuel consumption reduced.
Especially economical are the two diesel variants. The revised 730d delivers 193 hp ((DIN)) and 430 Nm. Even more hefty is the 740d V8 which with 238 hp ((DIN)) and 560 Nm acts powerful especially in the middle rev range. In the top model of the new 7-Series again a 12-cylinder engine is on duty. But the model designation 750i is misleading - the displacement of the revised twelve-cylinder engine climbs from 5.4- to 6.0-litres. At the same time the power output shall rise to roughly 400 hp ((DIN)) and the torque to 575 Nm. The technical clou of the new V12 is the gasoline direct ignition, which later also shall come to the benefit of the other engines.
The dual-circuit on-board net with 48 instead of 24 volts necessary for that shall be supplied with electricity from a camshaft-startgenerator. To the advantages of the super brake count constant pedal forces, shorter stopping distances also in corners as well as an automatic parking brake with roll-back protection on hills and at traffic light starts. Sounds complicated, but becomes reality soon.
The same is valid for the light technique, which stands under the motto "more sight - more security". The Xenon-technique for high- and low-beam is already existent at Audi and Porsche, but with neon turn signals and brake lights BMW plays the pioneering role. The advantages: Shorter reaction times and different light strengths. The higher the pedal pressure the higher the brightness.
To the old practices which do have no more place in the upper class belongs the manual transmission. Therefore the new 7-Series will be available with automatic transmission only. But also here BMW does not leave the known five-speed box, but together with ZF has developed a six-speed self-shifter with Steptronic.
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"Auto Motor und Sport", July 1999 written by Birgit Priemer
..Also in the meantime the design of the 7-Series was fixed. ...In contrast to that ((the new BMW roadster Z8 which will be presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September)) one wants to achieve higher numbers with the new 7-Series, which shall attract attention from 2002 on. Instead of orientating here on the own past, too, BMW after all risks a view into the future with its top model.
"A car like from another star", Ex-BMW chief of distribution Wolfgang Reitzle went into raptures still before his departure to Ford and announced a "great design step, which then will also make its arrival into the model line from the base".
Fact is that the new 7-Series sees the world with different eyes. Although the base structure will be kept with double round headlamps behind a cover, but above that the turn signals stretch like a small eyebrow. The rear lamps present themselves newly designed, too, which from both sides stretch like a small light band into the trunk lid.
Newly shaped bumpers with protection strips painted in the body colour emphasize the more sporty charm of the new 7-Series as well as the now more prominent spoiler edge on the trunk and the smooth body, which especially in the area of the end of the hood and the rear roof area looks more round than up to now.
The 7-Series will lack nothing which makes dealing with the car pleasant, because, as friends of the house of BMW are saying, "since Reitzle isn't there anymore in all divisions a boost of creativity is noticeable".
That will stretch into the deepest inside of the 7-Series (internal code E 65), because although the aluminium chassis basically is an evolution of the 5-Series, in view of comfort and handling a new standard shall be set.
This is enabled by an electronically adjusted chassis with air suspension and computer controlled hydraulic cylinders for reduction of pitch- and roll movements of the body, similar to the so-called Active Body Control ((ABC)) from Mercedes. The difference is that Mercedes offers this system for the time being with the new CL-Coupe in combination with steel suspension only, but BMW with the 7-Series builds on the more comfortable air suspension.
The interior shall be designed comfortable, too, which despite nearly unchanged exterior dimensions shall be more roomy than up to now. In the future a navigation system and internet connection will be natural
in the daily routine of a 7-Series driver.
Whilst the sale probably will start with the known eight-cylinder engines, later the programme shall be completed with a modified twelve-cylinder. This builds on the block of the known engine ((two-valve V-12 built since 1986, max. torque 490Nm at 3900 revs)), but then will be equipped with new heads with four-valve technique and probably with gasoline direct ignition. The displacement shall be raised from 5.4 to nearly six litres, the power output from 326 to nearly 400 ((DIN-)) HP.
The power transmission onto the rear wheels here is taken over by a new six-step automatic
transmission, which will also be offered in combination with the 245- ((DIN)) HP V8-diesel. The advantage of the stronger dimensioned transmission with the self-igniter: The maximum torque, currently flattened at 560Nm due to the lack of a suitable transmission, could be raised to 600Nm.
A development which should increase the fun of driving as well as the new chassis technology. Only for Mercedes things could be spoilt with the then already a little aged S-Class.
