BMW believes its latest 7-series offers levels of comfort that will help it close the gap with the segment-leading Mercedes-Benz S class, especially in the key China market where wealthy executives prize comfort features above driving dynamics.
For the latest-generation of BMW’s flagship sedan, engineers were tasked with delivering a more refined vehicle with a smoother ride than the current model, without losing the brand’s characteristic agility and handling.
The end result is what the company calls the lightest, most dynamic and fuel-efficient car of its class. BMW has sold about 370,000 of the current, fifth-generation sedan since sales began in 2008 and the automaker expects to beat that total with the new version, which will go on sale this October.
BMW sold 48,480 units of the 7 series globally in 2014, less than half the 101,428 units of the S class sold by Mercedes, but more than the 37,158 Audi A8s sold that year. Whether BMW’s new flagship can outsell the S class going forward, however, remains in doubt.
