LA 2008: 2009 BMW 7 Series and Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid unveiled LIVE

We already knew pretty much everything there is to know about the U.S. 2009 7 Series, but BMW pulled the covers, both literally and symbolically, off its new range-topper right on schedule anyway. In person, the new 7 has much more presence than it appears to have in photos, with an eye-catching crease that runs the length of the car and incorporates the large protruding door handles. The only engine option at the time of launch is the twin-turbo 4.4L V8 that's capable of launching the big 7 to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds, but we'd be surprised if a force-fed 3.0L gas-powered inline-six didn't make an appearance sooner or later, as well. The Bavarian automaker also revealed that it has production plans for a hybrid 7 Series as previewed by its Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid and believes it can get it launched within a year. What's more, BMW made a big deal about its upcoming diesel technology, so we could definitely see an oil-burning 7 Series on our shores before too long.

Live Photos Copyright (C)2008 Jeremy Korzeniewski, Sebastian Blanco, Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

LA 2008: 2009 BMW 7 Series and Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid unveiled LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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