Showroom

BMW officials say the company’s restyled flagship 7-Series will hit U.S. dealers’ showrooms early next year.

In addition to the curvy new body, the big luxury sedan will feature the industry’s first six-speed automatic transmission, a new 333-horsepower V-8 and an electronically controlled suspension.

It will make its world debut in September at the Frankfurt (Germany) Auto Show, with a U.S. unveiling scheduled for January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Despite sagging sales of the V-12 powered 750 model, company insiders say plans for a new V-12 are in the works as well. It probably will be added to the lineup as a 2003 model.