Nick Jul 3rd, 2008 Link
Does anyone know if this make it to just the sedan E90 or will it be present across the entire 3 series E92/93?
While we know that we will all get to see the new system premier throughout the world in the new 2009 7 series within the next few days we still thought it would be interesting to discuss what we have been hearing about the new iDrive’s menu system
Sources indicate that the menus look more like the Audi MMI interface in the design of the lists and manner in which selections are highlighted. With the increase in screen resolution the fonts and maps are much cleaner looking and are also more visually appealing. The submenus will function more like bookmarks within the interface and include links to other menus.
The controller will still require to be moved to access the other side of the split screen (when active). Unlike the current system in which both windows in the split screen have flat sides and are highlighted when selected the new system will add an oval like curve to the selected window. We have heard that the navigation map can now take up the entire display if so desired, something that was lacking in the past.
Radio and CD are now two separate menus and can be quickly accessed via the new shortcut buttons. Within the CD menu the current track will be displayed in a top “frame” while in the bottom will be the list of songs which you can then scroll through with the controller or steering wheel controls.
A welcome change to the phonebook is multiple numbers listed for one named contact. The current system would require additional entries in the phonebook for each number.
The date, time and radio station bar at bottom of the current screen has been removed. It will now find its home within the gauge cluster.
The new system will require some transition to those familiar with the current system because of variations in the menu structure and the location of certain features may not be the same as in the past.
The system in general is faster and appears to be stable. The new shortcut buttons (cd, radio, navigation, telephone, menu, back, option) around the controller work well and are placed in very accessible locations making the system easier to use.
We have not had first hand access to the system yet so this information is based on the experience of others and may or may not accurate or be based on the final product. However we believe this information to be reliable and at the very least a peek at some of the possibilities.
Does anyone know if this make it to just the sedan E90 or will it be present across the entire 3 series E92/93?
What are the chances the 2009 3 series will have LEDs in the front/rear lights similar to the 2009 7 series? Will the new 3 series receive anything else that is supposed to be put in the new 7 series (aside from the new i-Drive)?
[...] Bimmerfile] addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fauto.cooone.com%2Fnext-bmw-idrive-to-take-cues-from-audis-mmi%2F’; [...]
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
[...] should also receive a refresh with new materials and strong indication is that optionally the new iDrive system we exclusively reported on earlier will be [...]
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
[...] are to be utilized in future marketing for the model. Our information on the menu layout of the new iDrive is also partially confirm within these photos. We will of course have more detailed info within the [...]
Dan,
The rear lights of the LCI will have the LED lights as in the X6 and 7 series. The headlights will be Xenon not LED as can be seen in our exclusive PHOTOS
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
Follow>Lead
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
[...] week we mentioned many of these iDrive features from the experiences of those who had access to the system in testing, but now we can [...]
My short car sales career (just under four years) began about a year or so after the dot bomb had detonated and about a year after iDrive was introduced on the 7 Series. The first version was a bit challenging not so much because it lacked the function buttons around the controller as it was an entirely new way to access and control features particularly entertainment and data. With a bit of use as practice the patterns of movement to achieve a result such as adding a favorite radio station was done by moving rotating and pressing the controller (”clicking”) without looking down to verify the selection except a brief glance at the screen. As it happened I sold Audis for about 9 months (BMW’s for the balance) and found the MMI system very good but not so much for the buttons as for the feel and flow of the of the processes. For the initial introduction of a iDrive type of auxiliary control the buttons are helpful however they will increase the likelihood of looking down, deeply into the cockpit, around the controller which takes the eyes off the road longer. While the training period was a bit more lengthy and frustrating for some, the original naked iDrive, once mastered, was easier to operate without taking one’s eyes off the road at all or for less time and fewer times compared to the MMI type. Just my observation.
[...] [Source: Bimmerfile] [...]
HTML Formatting Tips
BimmerFile also allows use of Markdown formatting in the comment section. This accomplishes the same formatting as HTML but is typically easy to use.
| _your text_ | → | your text |
| **your text** | → | your text |
| `my code` | → | my code |
| * Bulleted list * Second item | → | • Bulleted list • Second item |
| 1. Numbered list 1. Second item | → | 1. Numbered list 2. Second item |
| [link name](URL) | → | link name |
| *** | → | Horizontal ruler |
| <http://url> <email@add.com> | → | Auto-linked |
|  | → | Image |

