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#1 · (Edited)
BMW 7 series LCI 2013

The F01 7 Series Life Cycle Impluse (LCI) was just announced with much excitement. The big list of changes include -

  • New front and rear bumpers
  • New headlights
  • New front seats
  • More power for the V8
  • N55 6 cylinder replaces N54 6 cylinder
  • And much more

BMW 7 series TFT display

One feature that was shown in the press photos but will not be making it to the US for the start of the model year 2013 (MY) is the TFT instrument panel. BMW's TFT panel replaces the traditional needles and gauges with what is in effect an LCD panel. The gauges, needles and numbers are simply displayed on a screen, nothing is physically moving.

BMW 7 series US LCI 2013 not getting TFT dispaly

Despite information to the contrary my sources indicate that there was not enough time to get the TFT panel tested and integrated for US spec model year 2013 vehicle before production starts in July. I expect the TFT display will come state side for the 7 series in model year 2014. Will a lack of a TFT instrument panel keep you from buying a 7 Series LCI?
 
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#4 ·
I was planning to get a 2013 740LI via European Delivery. Now it looks like I'll have to reconsider that. Why are we being treated like 2nd class citizens? BMWUSA, do you hear that? This is your largest market! Come to your senses and make it happen!
 
#9 · (Edited)
However, you don't roll out a major upgrade and then not have it in all your markets.
So you say they should hold back until everyone is ready? I'm not sure that makes sense. In that case, we still wouldn't have GPS navigation, since it's not available for all markets. Every company has staggered roll outs - food, technology, auto etc. The reasons can be technical, regulatory, and market driven for example. How about the X1? Hold that back until all markets are ready for it?

Let me ask you this - how would it make better financial sense for BMW to hold the TFT panel back worldwide than stagger the release as they are doing now? Naturally, it's not ideal, but if a product is not yet ready, then that is a fact of life, and the choice is wait, or stagger.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Surely you don't expect that BMW, selling record high ~500.000 vehicles in three months, out of which only like 60.000 are sold in the US (and out of which the amount of 7 series is, well, miniscule - compared to the German and world market) - will postpone a whole roll out just because some US bureaucrats took their time and couldn't get the TFT screen approved for the release.

It's a large market, but not large enough to have the German market wait and/or adjust for it :D
 
#10 ·
If a supply chain issue then have it for all the markets.
Hard to advertise to the US how wonderful the TFT is and then not have it

Don't advertise it if you can't deliver. Not on such high end cars where buyers are extremely particular. Delay the rollout for the 2013 until it is ready to go in the US. It's. It like you can just do a software update.

Whatever the reason. They should not have marketed the screen or have some fine print saying not available in US
 
#11 · (Edited)
They should not have marketed the screen or have some fine print saying not available in US
I don't think I have seen the TFT display as being marketed on any BMWNA release. The BMWNA releases just lists the ECO Pro mode, which is probably implemented with the existing bottom display.

I still don't see how your approach would make financial sense to BMW. How would they sell more cars by holding the update back worldwide? And if they could, why wouldn't BMW do that? Remember, there are folks coming off lease, and I'm pretty sure most would likely want a watered down 2013 than a 2012.
 
#13 ·
What supply chain??? They're manufactured in Germany.
I bet it's even more expensive for BMW to produce the US-non-TFT cars in the same production line/MY as all the rest TFT-cars.
 
#15 ·
I'll wait and see, but don't doubt you. Will it affect my purchase, absolutely. Mercedes has some neat stuff on the S that I'll be looking at before deciding to wait or go another direction. No hurry either way...
 
#17 · (Edited)
Disappointing to say the least. Below is one example of how nice a TFT can be. Jaguar XJ has had a TFT since the new model but at last check it was not configurable so pretty pointless. It's also a good way to get killed if you try to fiddle with it while driving-I expect limited inputs are allowed whilst in motion.

 
#18 · (Edited)
Tim: Any updates on this? Anything official yet? How close is your source and how certain is he?

If it's not coming to the US, what's the deal with this car(?) [It's at the US debut for the LCI in California, has the full TFT instrument cluster, along with a US-spec trunk lid, no rear fog lamps (US-spec) and no rear iDrive controller (US-spec)]:

 
#25 · (Edited)
No updates, it is confirmed not coming to the US for MY 2013. I was at that event, it was the Gran Coupe (driving review) and F12 M6 Press Drive (M6 driving review) event and they showed us the 7 Series LCI as well. While we were all (journalists) looking the car over, it was specifically mentioned that the TFT display wasn't coming for MY 2013, which I then double checked with BMW in case I misheard them.

BMW 7 series LCI press event
 
#19 ·
...and no US homologation. It's a show car.
 
#22 ·
I would be shocked if they brought in and showed a car with something that was not approved. That would seem rather ridiculous to me but then again, one never knows.

I ordered a loaded 7 Individual yesterday with a July production date subject to the new TFT panel being included. The sales manager said he will get me the answer.
 
#20 ·
Ticks me off that many manufacturers treat the US as an unwanted stepchild. VW and Ford are famous for keeping their best products in Europe. The lack of rear fog lights is typical as if to say that the US does not get fog. Truth be told, US drivers are so clueless they wouldn't use it anyway. My 92 Alfla 164 had rear fog lights on the US model. Name one item on a US model that is not available on the European model? The 85 mph speedometer of the late 70sto mid 80s is not a good example. Ford had a brilliant response to that on the Xr4ti. They put a 140 mph speedometer in and had the numbers read only to 85 with hash marks for the remainder of the numbers to 140.
 
#67 ·
Ticks me off that many manufacturers treat the US as an unwanted stepchild. VW and Ford are famous for keeping their best products in Europe. The lack of rear fog lights is typical as if to say that the US does not get fog. Truth be told, US drivers are so clueless they wouldn't use it anyway. My 92 Alfla 164 had rear fog lights on the US model. Name one item on a US model that is not available on the European model? The 85 mph speedometer of the late 70sto mid 80s is not a good example. Ford had a brilliant response to that on the Xr4ti. They put a 140 mph speedometer in and had the numbers read only to 85 with hash marks for the remainder of the numbers to 140.
VW and Audi are horrible about it. I agree completely, but BMW is getting up there. I want a 535d.
 
#21 ·
I wouldn't assume it's the manufacturers - I mean why would they underfeature their products in one specific country ? I think it's the differences in homologation procedures.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I have communicated with Honda and Vw on the simple issue of xenon headlights available in 1998 on MB. The reply from VW was because of "marketing objectives" xenons are not available. In other words, if you want xenons buy an Audi. Honda does the same vis a vis Acura. This explains why little 1.4liter boxes in Europe get xenons and not a 2012 $35k US passat. I saw a south African crv with xenons 7-8 years ago and today's us models still don't have them
 
#40 · (Edited)
An order is placed at a dealer, routed to corporate, assigned a production slot / week and the info is bounced back to the dealer (NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD). Instead of actual production dates, BMW revolves around production weeks, weeks 1 - 52 of a given year, 52 in a year. If a dealer has an allocation, meaning they were already set to receive a vehicle already assigned to a particular production slot / week AND there is still enough time for the order to be modified, such that the order is not definite (i.e.: the dealer simply knows they will receive a 7 Series assigned to production week 26 in the year 2012, which is the last week of June, 2012), THEN when taking your order, the dealer need not first reach out to corporate before telling you their soonest available production slot for the order would be the last week of June, 2012; as if they knew they would be selling a vehicle and reserved a spot in line for their customer even before one transpired. So, production slots / weeks have NOTHING to do with model years! In the United States, model years are mere gimmick, having no regulation. Manufactures can brand models they sell in 2012 as 2014 model year vehicles for all they care; it's all about marketing and getting a leg up on the competition; how far they can push the envelope of reality. However, Germany is more true in that vehicles are advertised for sale based on their ACTUAL month and year - sometimes season and year - of FINAL production, not their model year, therefore the actual month and year of final production ends up being close to the vehicle's production slot / week, but the former is the start of production for the vehicle and the latter, the model year, is the end of production. Otherwise, there is NO question that when there is a new model debut, you're almost certain to see same delivered and hit German roads before US roads; I'm pretty sure that's even the case with the X5 and Z4, which are built in the US.
 
#42 ·
...except that all the domestic orders are processed before any other foreign markets get their production slots. In fact my BMW dealer laughed when I asked him how many "allocations" they get. They don't speak that language. BMW will put as many productions as neccessary when the order comes from BMW Niederlassung Hamburg.
So, anywhere in the world - yes. But not in the domestic market. And it's not an "almost certain" but a definite yes.

To go back ontopic: I have no confirmation of the production date for the LCI's we've ordered a few weeks ago. In fact the first LCI to be available for test-drive will be in the main BMW Niederlassung in Hamburg only in the middle of July. I've reserved a test-drive for August, hope I will have something to report then.
 
#41 ·
I find this thread very interesting! I had this "virtual" instrument cluster in my 2011 Range Rover. I had the car for about 18 months (flawless, 100% trouble free!!). After having virtual instruments, I am so, so, so happy my 2012 7 Series does NOT have this. TRUST ME...the gauges we have in our current 7 Series are much better than digital/virtual needles and readouts. While I never had a problem ever, with the Range Rover's instruments...they are so artificial, especially the RPM digital needle. IMO, the current USA gauges are an amazing blend of virtual and real. I LOVE, LOVE the instrument cluster in the current 7 Series.
 
#43 · (Edited)
Nice; I've been wondering the same exact thing! While I believe the new 7 Series TFT panel to be far superior to the TFT panel of the Range Rover - and XJ - guess one needs to experience same for himself. Having had numerous loaner vehicles, believe it or not, the "Extended Black Panel Displays" of the F10 5 Series improved SIGNIFICANTLY from the 2011 to 2012 Model Years (sharper, smoother); so I can't wait to see the levels of refinement the - let's just say - 2014 7 Series TFT display will put forth. But yes, where do we draw the line; just like with timepieces, analogue is luxury.
 
#47 · (Edited)
I think we're in a quandry - manufacturers/designers want to have a fresh design, but need to appease purists. They end up pleasing none with compromises.

What's next, a TFT Rolex? You can change the face at the touch of a button.
 
#48 ·
I agree. To please purists the TFT should be configured to their tastes and to please those who want a video presentation, likewise they set the TFT to their tastes. Long before there was any discussion on TFTs, yours truly presented an idea to Apple called the iGauge which was essentially an ipad screen for the gauges. You want an oil pressure gauge here or temp gauge there just drag and drop. I would love a temp gauge on my '08 750. You want a big central analog tach like a Porsche, so be it. You want to add a small digital speedo in that tach, done. Pinch and zoom, drag and drop, add an app for additional customization. You want pure analog like a mid 80s BMW, done. This idea went nowhere with Apple but you can see the beginnings with cars like the lowly Dodge Dart (Alfa Giulietta). With today's "space age" technology, there is unlimited potential and no reason why consumers can't have fully custom gauges. Cost is not an issue if a $17K Dodge Dart has a configurable TFT. Even on high end cars, configurable TFTs should be reasonable and costs will come down just like laptops and other tech items unlike the $8K carbon ceramic brakes on a Porsche.
 
#50 ·
Just remembered...does the current (almost life cycle finished) S -Class still have the virtual speedometer and center instruments, TFT? Our 2008 S550 had this, and while like our 2011 Range Rover...flawless, no problems, but artificial. I also agree in the very near future, TFT will be much, much more cost effective for auto companies than elegant, classic analog gauges :(
 
#52 ·
I also agree in the very near future, TFT will be much, much more cost effective for auto companies than elegant, classic analog gauges :(
Also TFT is 1 display world wide - programmed separately. How many different variations with metric/imperial, languages etc. variations are there with the analog gauges?
 
#53 ·
Well, pulled the trigger yesterday on another new Designo S class with a one year lease.

That will put me into the position to look at the new 2014 S class and compare to the LCI 7 which will hopefully have the TFT by 2014.

I wish i had know this earlier as I just ended up with two one year leases for the last 2 cars now. Not the cheapest way to have gone. UGH :dunno:
 
#54 ·
Nice. You only live once and can't take $$ with you so a short lease is great whilst waiting on the right thing if one can afford it.

When you guys are talking TFT, do you mean a fully customizable unit and not just TFT electronic gauges. In my mind, there is no point in having TFT if I can't configure the cluster to my tastes.
 
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