FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: BMW to unveil 40 Jahre 7 Series

BMW plans to rip the shroud off its 7 Series 40 Jahre ('40 Years') model at the Frankfurt motor show less than two months from now, the company has revealed today.

As the name suggests, the limited-edition 7 Series will commemorate 40 years of 7 Series history, beginning with the car entering production in 1977 at BMW's Dingolfing factory in Germany. Since that original E23 generation, there have been five others following.

Not by any means the first large, luxury sedan to wear the BMW badge, the 7 Series has been, nonetheless, the most successful.

Just 200 units of the 40 Jahre model will be built for world-wide consumption, BMW advises, with the on-sale date a month later. BMW will market the celebratory model with all available drivetrain options – six-cylinder, V8 and V12, all-wheel drive and plug-in hybrid, where available. Two BMW Individual colours will be offered: Frozen Silver metallic and Petrol Mica metallic (a blue).

In addition, the 40 Jahre models will be kitted out with the M Aerodynamics Package, high-gloss Shadow Line and 20-inch BMW Individual alloy wheels in a V-spoke design. Exclusive badging appears on the B pillars and door sills.

Merino leather upholstery is standard in coordinating combinations of either Smoke White and Cohiba (brown) or Smoke White and Black for the Comfort seats. The hand-woven piping is also Smoke White, as is the headlining in BMW Individual Alcantara.

Decorative trim around the cabin is a choice of black piano lacquer or high-grade wood veneer (Eucalyptus) Smoke Brown high gloss finish, according to the colour of leather chosen.

The 7 Series 40 Jahre will be equipped with sophisticated active safety features such as steering and lane guidance assistant, lane departure assistant and remote parking, which has been cleared for Australia.