1996 BMW ZBF 7er Conceptv - AllCarIndex

The BMW 7 Series ZBF from 1996, in turn, boasts a much more sophisticated figure. As a true luxury limousine, it points clearly to the future exclusivity and elegance of the 7 Series, and indeed ZBF even stands for zukünftige BMW Familie, or “future BMW family". This prototype was designed as one of a possible family of BMW sedans, with the legendary designer Joji Nagashima working on the 3, the 5 and the 7 series. The BMW ZBF introduced technologies and features that would soon make the 7 Series a hit with fans everywhere, including a centrally located control element reminiscent of the iDrive Controller introduced in the 2001 BMW 7 Series, mirror cameras, and flush door handles, just to mention a few (although the latter two never found their way into serial production). Interestingly, its large kidney front grill is not too different from the ones you see today on the BMW 7 Series (G11 and G12) luxury saloons. The concept may not have been fit for its time, but the BMW ZBF surely was a sign of things to come.