The current BMW 7 Series is a sales success, especially in North America and Asia, but its controversial looks have been a downer for the luxury brand. Not surprisingly, the appearance of the flagship will be changed with the next-generation model as insider sources tell Inside Line the next 7 Series, coming in late 2008, will be less radical-looking, smaller and sportier.

HAMANN, a German tuner long associated with BMW and all things efficient, Teutonic and powerful (although they never say why their name is in all caps like that), has just released the details on their latest working over of BMW’s 7 series flagship. HAMANN calls it ” Individualisation on the highest level”, but if you want it shortened to just three words it would be “Power. Power. Power.”

The flagship model for BMW will soon be available, and this could be the a look at its design. Should be unveiled sometime mid to late 2007.

What do most car companies do in these troubling financial and economic times? They release smaller, more efficient cars. What does a company like BMW do in this situation? They release a huge, snarling, expensive beast of a luxury car, which carries a twin-turbocharged V12 engine capable of 544 horsepower and 553 ft-lbs of torque. Sound about right?

BMW has released a video of BMW 7 Series Night Vision System with FIR (infrared) camera in front air dam. Video includes night driving scene with a jogger and a skater on the road. Infrared image is displayed on the on-board monitor.

According to Motor Trend, BMW will no longer use the internal "E" chassis designation to specify the particular model, but will instead move to an "F" designation. The next 7-series will break in the new codes, known as the F01 and the F02 (LWB).

Spoil-sport Motley Fool questions the hooplah surrounding the Hydrogen 7 (h7), BMW’s hydrogen-powered 7-Series sedan. Fool calls the vehicle a “PR stunt” to appeal to consumers’ growing demand for alternative, environmentally friendly fuels.

BMW announced that it will start production of a hydrogen-powered 7-Series in under two years. The maker has experimented with such concepts before, and has actually made working prototypes that were tested in real conditions. This could be a major move forward for hydrogen-powered vehicles.