Ask anyone to name the most luxurious car they can think of and I'll bet good money they say Rolls-Royce. But having spent some time with the BMW i7's new Theater Mode, which includes a 31.3-inch 8K screen that gracefully slides down from the roof, they may have to revise that opinion.
There's no real RRP when it comes to a Rolls, while customers can specify pretty much any conceivable option they can dream up, so long as the budget stretches. But dig a little deeper and you'll notice BMW has a big part to play in the story. Ever since the German giant acquired the British brand in 1998, it has been providing parts and know-how in order to streamline the manufacturing process.
Whisper it, but the latest Rolls-Royce Spectre, the brand's first EV, has a lot in common with the BMW 7 Series – in particular, the all-electric i7. However, in a bold move, BMW has reserved arguably its most impressive tech for its own vehicles, rather than letting its altogether more opulent sibling bask in all the touchscreen glory. Armed with the keys to one of the more 'entry-level' UK-specific i7s, which start at £106,000 (around $105,000 / AU$320,00) but rise to over £160,000 (about $168,500 / AU$364,00), I spent a few days prodding buttons and having my lower back pummeled in the name of journalism.
Screen burn (Image credit: BMW) Before we get to that incredible Theater Mode, let's take a short tour around the rest of the i7's interior. The modern approach to automotive interiors appears t.