Will have "intelligent composite construction" which utilizes carbon fiber

BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer has revealed some new details about the 2015 7-Series.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Reithofer said the next-generation model is a "great vehicle" that will set an "example in terms of weight reduction." He also confirmed the car will have better driving dynamics and "intelligent composite construction" which utilizes carbon fiber.

Reithofer went on to say we shouldn't expect radical styling as he believes a "major design change" would be "wrong" for 7-Series customers. However, he contends the model will be a "very innovative car."

Besides talking about the 7-Series, Reithofer said he is "very pleased" with the success of the i3 and the i8 is in high demand ahead of its launch. Despite the initial success of the i lineup, the executive says it will be at least ten years before electric vehicles are sold in "really high numbers."

Was loaded on a carrier

A prototype of the 2015 BMW 7-Series Plug-in Hybrid malfunctioned on a public road in Germany.

Our spies say the vehicle was beyond immediate repair as the driver was waiting for the tow truck to pick it up and transport the prototype to the technical center. It was clearly the plug-in hybrid version of the next-gen 7-Series judging by the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" lettering on the rear bumper camouflage and especially by the charging port located below the left mirror.

The next generation 7-Series will be launched sometime next year and according to BMW's chairman Norbert Reithofer it will set an "example in terms of weight reduction" thanks to the implementation of carbon fiber in the vehicle's "intelligent composite construction."

As far as design is concerned, it won't be a major departure from today's model but nevertheless the next 7-Series will be a "very innovative car." Without any doubt, the plug-in hybrid version seen here will be the most frugal 7-Series ever made but probably won't come out right away.

Aside from its hideously large and disproportionate grille, the BMW Vision Future Concept bears the promise of bringing about the first elegant 7-Series since the time of the imposing and angular E38.

Confirmed as an actual preview for the production car, we can speculate how it will be changed for production…and how it won’t.

One way it won’t be changed for is through adding an estate-style rear end. What X-Tomi tried to achieve here is clearly not an impossibly tapered, coupe-like shooting brake shape, but a what looks like full-blown load lugger. That’s pretty fitting, since the concept it’s based on still retains many classic sedan cues, by no means being a four-door coupe.

This Luxury Touring vision has absolutely zero chance of ever becoming a series model. The only way you’ll ever get to drive one of these is to wait for it to be put into production, then in true BMW tradition, turn it into an estate by yourself, in your free time. You may need to enlist Italian help, but that shouldn’t be a problem.

Fuelled by increasingly stricter emission regulations and the need for more fuel efficient cars, the trend towards lightweight construction has migrated beyond the boundaries of the sports car segment. BMW has invested heavily on lightweight materials and especially on carbon fiber, not only for its i3, i8 and M models, but for the rest of the range, including the next 7-Series.

Speaking at the 94th Annual General Meeting of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, today, brand boss Norbert Reithofer, confirmed the use of carbon fibre on the upcoming G11-codenamed 7-Series sedan that's due for an introduction in 2015 and will sport similar design cues to the Vision Concept shown in China.

"BMW i is the spearhead of innovation within the company, with lightweight construction playing a central role," said Reithofer. "We are now also applying this expertise to other series models. Customers already appreciate the carbon-fibre roofs in our BMW M models. I can also reveal that we will use carbon fibre in the next BMW 7 Series. Its low weight will set a very high standard for the segment," he said.

Earlier this week, BMW announced plans to triple the capacity of the carbon fiber plant (from 3,000 to 9,000 tons of carbon fiber) it operates with its joint venture partner SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers in Moses Lake, Washington, by investing $100 million on top of the $200 million it has spent so far.

The four-year old site's expansion will be completed by early 2015 and will make it the largest carbon fiber plant in the world with output equaling about one-fifth of total global demand.

"Due to the automated production processes, the expansion of the site in Moses Lake will make it possible for the BMW Group to apply carbon fiber material also in other model series in the future, at competitive costs and in large quantities," BMW said in a statement.

Several prototypes for BMW’s next-generation 7-Series, the G11, have been caught on video while testing in Italy. The prototypes give us a good idea what the new 7-Series will look on the road when it’s finally launched, with the reveal likely to take place midway through next year, making it a 2016 model.

The video, posted to YouTube by user Emile Oomen, includes prototypes for regular 7-Series models as well as a new plug-in hybrid model. The prototype for the latter is identified by “Hybrid Test Vehicle” stickers located on its flanks and trunk. Another new model expected with this generation of the 7-Series is a sporty M Performance model.

Underpinning the car is believed to be a new modular platform destined to form the basis of most of BMW’s lineup from the 3-Series up. Previewed in the Future Luxury concept from the 2014 Beijing Auto Show, the modular platform will feature plenty of new technologies including carbon fiber construction for some elements. This should help BMW keep weight of the new 7-Series down.

Despite the radical changes taking place under the skin, it appears the styling of the vehicle is only making evolutionary steps. The proportions look identical to the current model, although one could describe it as being slightly sportier—it appears the hood sits lower and is more sloped at the front compared to the current model. Once again, the Future Luxury concept hints at what’s to come.