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Buying a new BMW looks set to become a much more hands-on process, because the car manufacturer’s begun using Microsoft’s Surface touchscreen ‘table’ to tempt drivers into buying its motors.

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In a promotional video, the German manufacturer describes how Product Navigator – which is based on Microsoft Surface - is the easiest, quickest and simplest way to customise a shiny new Beemer.

Of the options available to a potential buyer, most appear to be based on colour schemes, and the video mentions changing a car’s colour, rims, bars and seat cushions by placing small coloured blocks onto Surface. So if you want green seats, put a green block onto Surface.

Presumably you don’t upgrade the engine by putting a V8 onto the interactive table.

The German car manufacturer plans to connect Product Navigator up to a wall-mounted LCD to show the user a 360° interior and exterior view of their finished car. Details can also be transferred onto a USB Flash drive from Surface.

It’s yet not known how many of BMW’s showrooms will be equipped with Product Navigator technology.

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