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2016 BMW 7 Series First Drive [w/video]

Flagships demonstrate strength. "This is what we can do," these cars say with emphasis. Since 1977, the 7 Series has been a rolling showcase of BMW's capability. Sure, BMW makes racecars, but the mighty 7 is a proud reminder that the Roundel also stands for luxury. Except the 7 Series has been eclipsed by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a technological tour de force that Mercedes haughtily calls the industry's flagship. BMW makes a pretty nice car, but no one would dare call it that. Bimmer should probably just lower the flag, right? Not yet. Most of history's famous flagships have been fighting machines. They exude confidence, but also pack a punch. And with the 2016 7 Series, BMW is unleashing a broadside on Mercedes and the rest of the industry. Rather than raw power, the sixth generation of the iconic 7 Series is loaded with sophisticated technology that makes the new sedan more luxurious and comfortable. While it looks familiar from the outside, most of the improvements are in the cabin or under the skin. Things like the carbon fiber used for the passenger cell that help the 7 Series shed 190 pounds compared to its predecessor. Or the touchless gesture control that allows you to accept or decline phone calls with simple hand motions. Even the infotainment system is better, with a pinch-to-zoom feature that makes iDrive less confusing and more like the user-friendly iPad. BMW is unleashing a broadside on Mercedes and the rest of the industry. It's a lot of high tech stuff, but the driving experience is still the top priority for BMW. To test its mettle, we traveled to the Monticello Motor Club in rural New York. After several hot laps on the road course (more on that later) we slip behind the wheel of an Arctic Gray Metallic 750i xDrive for some public road driving. The big sedan immediately masks its size on the twisting rural state routes. With 445 twin-turbo V8 horsepower urging us forward, we barrel ahead as the countryside blurs by. Once we settle into a relaxed, legal pace and get our bearings inside the car, we check out some of the new tech. The gesture control is easy to activate while driving, and with a twirl of a finger we turn up the silky-sounding Bowers & Wilkins system. Gestures actually work as advertised. No one calls us, but during an earlier demonstration we were able to decline a call with a dismissive backhand. It felt good.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe blows the doors back on [w/video]

BMW sure seems to take pleasure in confusing the hell out of us. It used to be pretty simple: if you wanted a compact Bimmer, you had to look no further than the 3 Series. Then it was just a matter of which bodystyle you wanted. But the smaller end of BMW's lineup has gotten more complicated lately. Never mind the 1 Series and 2 Series (in their various iterations) that have slotted in below it - now the 3 Series has been split in two: Want a four-door, get the new 3 Series. Want a two-door, the 4 Series is your address. Right?
Almost. Because now there's a 4 Series Gran Coupe that keeps the two-door's roofline (or some approximation of it) but adds an extra set of doors in the back, thereby bridging the gap between the 3 Series sedan and 4 Series coupe. And it's just made its public debut here at the Geneva Motor Show.
The difference between this and the two-door 4 Series is plain to see: it's got two extra doors. But what's the difference between this and the 3 Series sedan? About two or three grand, to start with - depending on which version (428i Gran Coupe or 435i Gran Coupe) you choose. But it's also sleeker, more muscular and altogether that extra bit sexier. Which is a good trait, as you can see from our gallery of live shots above, to have in your European sports sedan, coupe, or whatever you want to call it.

BMW's new strategy: Electric everything

Mercedes isn't the only car maker determined to beat Tesla before it gets huge. Sources speaking to German business daily Handelsblatt claim that BMW is in the midst of planning an executive shuffle that will also include a big shift in its electric vehicle strategy. While the company would still offer ground-up EV designs like the i3, the new strategy would greenlight electric versions of some of BMW's most important vehicles, including the 3-series sedan, X4 crossover, and iconic Mini. If the leak is accurate, management is likely to approve the change at the end of September. We've asked BMW for its take on the report, although it declined to comment to Handelsblatt. It wouldn't be shocking to see the Munich crew change tack, though. While Tesla has received hundreds of thousands of Model 3 pre-orders, i3 sales dropped in 2016 – the upscale (if oddly-shaped) EV just isn't as hot as it once was. If BMW electrifies some of its most popular cars, you wouldn't have to choose between a super-efficient, eco-friendly EV and the familiar designs of the brand's mainstream driving machines.The story originally appeared on Engadget, your guide to this connected life.Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Vision Next 100 Concept View 38 Photos Green BMW MINI Electric Hybrid engadget