April15
Just yesterday we reported that the 2009 BMW 7-series will feature an eight-speed automatic transmission, and now comes word of another feature that will be available on BMW’s flagship model — four-wheel steering.
According to BMWBlog.com, BMW will offer four-wheel steering as an optional extra when the all-new 7-series launches next year. It remains unclear why BMW has decided to offer four-wheel steering on the 7-series — as most buyers won’t be carving up any back roads with the automaker’s largest sedan — but it could be to offer a feature not found on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Audi A8.
Unfortunately, four-wheel steering isn’t something that we can necessarily see from spy shots, but all should be revealed when the wraps come off the new 7-series in a few months.
Reminds me of the old Z, 300GT and Prelude
this thing will rule….
4-wheel steering does have its benefits on bigger vehicles like this. It’s generally laughed at because for whatever reason it was put on vehicle in the past such as the Honda Prelude, completely unneeded on such a small car. BMW knows what it’s doing though, and I’m sure this new 7 will be a Grand Slam. The only thing that will possibly hold it back is if the styling is as “controversial” as people made the current one out to be.
Having driven a Silverado with Quadrasteer, its certainly useful and the 7 could really benefit from such a system. Currently the 7 has a lamer turn radius than the longer wheelbased and wider Lincoln Town Car.
Frylock: hasn’t GM cancelled out the Quadrasteer for it’s larger trucks now? I thought I remembered reading that and wondered why as I thought the system was well made and a great idea.
great car, can’t wait to see it.
4 wheel steering will certainly make auto parking easier.
Gimmick and nothing more. Many have tried but none are still around. There’s a reason for that. That said, if any group of buyers are into complicated, unnecessary and expensive features that would be BMW’s.
4 wheel steering is on the Infiniti G37 and from my understanding it helps the cars performance
Great. More German over-engineering to go wrong and leave BMW service bays full of 7s.
Agreed johnnycanuck
LexusSoarer- Yes, they canceled it not too long ago. It was pretty expensive, I believe that’s why they discontinued it; nothing to do with the reliability or performance.
Soarer: yeah, the new 7 will be a grand slam …. it has to be
Add the Mazda 626 GT 4WS to the list of cars that had 4-wheel steering.
Oh… and I almost forgot, most of the original Hook-and-Ladder Firetrucks!
Dont forget Infinity has active rear steer option on M45 (not actual steering). GMC with quadrasteer is amazing while towing and in parking lots, loved it. Yes they killed it, too expensive an option. I have seen one guy put the system from GMC truck on Jeep rock crawler, amazing turning radius. Very useful on trails.
I don’t understand, why RWD which inherently has shorter turning radius needs 4 wheel steering, but I am not buyer for luxury market. Perhaps it does. I’ve seen 7 being aggressively driven only in a movie.
I agree that this will be a slam dunk. BMW does know what they’re doing, and generally develop very useful and practical gadgets to put on their cars. If nothing else, this option will make parking lot maneuvers real that were never possible on sedans this big before. Hell I’d get a 7 with 4 wheel steering.
Probably just be offered only on the long wheelbase car Ex. (750il).
My mate still has a 3rd Gen Prelude with 4WS and the pop up headlights… bless.
“In 1987, Road & Track published a test summary that shows the 1988 Honda Prelude 2.0Si 4WS out slalomed every car of that year, including all Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches. It went through the slalom at 65.5 mph (105.4 km/h), an amazing result for the time. For reference, the 1988 Corvette took the same course at 64.9 mph (104.4 km/h).”
JohnnyBlazE- The only reason why they had used all wheel steering on the Prelude was because it had under steer, and why it wasn’t available on the 4th gen with a new independent susp. configuration. Nice quote from wiki, by the way, wanted to look up what year
I remember a while back seeing some guy park his Prelude, it was an older model that’s all I know, and kept thinking to myself why the rear wheel was out of alignment. Maybe that was it…
I’m surprised that 4 wheel steering was available on a lot of cars in the 80’s. Honda Prelude, Nissan Skyline, Isuzu Piazza, Mazda MX-6 and RX-7, Geo Storm (not totally sure about that one), and even passive rear wheel steering on current Subaru’s. And yes, the Infiniti M and G cars have passive rear wheel steering, unfortunately only at high speeds.
The 87 Skyline was the only car earlier than the 88 Prelude to have 4WS, but this was only for high speeds… Prelude had both…
Quality stuff - yeah wiki is the way sometimes
Its still ugly