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Reveal of next-gen BMW 7 Series set for June 10

Executive vice presidents of the world, your next sedan is debuting in just a few days. BMW is finally taking the wraps off the next-gen 7 Series on June 10, and the Bavarian brand's teaser video provides a few early hints about the high-class model. Highlighting a 750Li, the camera in the teaser swoops around the sedan to show off its laser headlights. The badge for BMW's Carbon Core also gets some of the limelight here to proclaim the extensive use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. This clip doesn't give much more away, though. However, BMW has already spilled the beans about some of the other futuristic features for the new 7 Series in an earlier tease. The sedan is essentially a rolling technological showcase and offers functions like remote-controlled parking that's run from the key fob. Inside, using the infotainment system is possible with three-dimensional gesture control by waving your hand in the air in the right area. The extensive amount of CFRP in the passenger cell also helps save 287 pounds over the previous generation. If buyers are really looking for opulence, they can also reportedly order a massive, panoramic glass roof and a leather-covered engine cover. Expect a full rundown of all of the 7 Series' lavish features when the sedan debuts.

BMW hires Ferrari chief engineer Fedeli

There's going to be a little bit more Prancing Horse in some future BMWs because the Bavarian brand is hiring Ferrari chief engineer Roberto Fedeli to join the company in November. Fedeli's new position is still somewhat of a mystery though, and he reportedly might be lending his talents to the high performance M division or possibly even Rolls-Royce. When asked by Automotive News Europe, BMW said that it "currently can't say what his role will be."
Regardless of his new job, Fedeli was a big get for BMW because of his strong résumé. He has been with Ferrari since 1988 and led the engineering for the famous Italian automaker's vehicles since 2007. Fedeli tendered his resignation in September at around the same time that chairman Luca di Montezemolo announced his decision to leave the company. However, Ferrari told ANE that there was no connection between the two events.

Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well."