BMW has revealed the updated 7 Series, which will make its premiere at this week’s Beijing motor show, describing it as the most extensive model update the BMW Group has ever carried out.
The updated flagship saloon introduces a range of technologies from BMW’s Neue Klasse programme into the existing model range, although it’s not a complete clean-sheet design like the new i3 and iX3 models.
Three all-electric i7 variants will launch in the UK from September, with two plug-in hybrid models following in November. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Electric range and powertrain
The updated i7 range will consist of three variants at launch. The i7 50 xDrive produces 455hp and claims up to 452 miles of driving range – an increase of around 73 miles over the outgoing rear-wheel-drive model, achieved through a new battery cell design. The i7 60 xDrive produces 544hp and claims up to 451 miles. The range-topping i7 M70 xDrive produces 680hp and 1,015Nm of torque, with 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and up to 426 miles of claimed range.
All three electric models support charging at up to 250kW at a suitable public fast charger, taking the battery from 10% to 80% in about half an hour. On a home wallbox at 22kW, a full charge takes around six hours – most homes only have 7kW wallboxes, so expect a full charge to be an overnight job.
The two plug-in hybrid variants – the 750e xDrive and M760e xDrive – will arrive in November. Both use an updated petrol engine paired with an electric motor producing 197hp, drawing from a 19kWh battery with up to 50 miles of claimed electric range. The 750e produces a combined 489hp; the M760e produces 612hp.
Design and interior
The exterior update introduces BMW’s Neue Klasse design language to the 7 Series, with a revised kidney grille in slimmer, more vertical proportions, new slim LED daytime running lights and redesigned tail lights spanning the full width of the rear. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary – the 7 Series remains recognisably itself.
Inside, the update is more significant. BMW Panoramic iDrive – the display and operating system introduced on the new iX3 – arrives in the 7 Series for the first time, bringing a full-width Panoramic Vision display at the base of the windscreen and an 18-inch central touchscreen. A new 15-inch passenger screen is fitted as standard across the range – a first for BMW – giving the front passenger their own dedicated display for entertainment and video calls.
The optional Theatre Screen gains an upgrade to 8K resolution with Dolby Atmos audio and, for the first time, an integrated camera for video conferencing. Audio is handled by a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system; an upgraded Diamond system with up to 35 speakers is available as an option.
Personalisation options are extensive. BMW Individual offers over 500 exterior colour combinations, including a new Dual-Finish paint option that pairs a matt lower body with a hand-applied metallic upper section – a process that takes more than 75 hours per vehicle.
First look: Impressions from an exclusive sneak preview
BMW invited a small number of UK journalists to a static preview of the updated 7 Series in Munich ahead of its official world premiere in Beijing – so these impressions are based on seeing and sitting in the car rather than driving it.
The exterior changes are subtle but better resolved than the rather awkward original version of the car launched nearly four years ago, and take in elements of the new Neue Klasse design language seen on the iX3 and i3 models. The revised kidney grille remains huge, but it sits a little more comfortably within the overall design than it did on the outgoing model. It’s still a very square car and certainly not subtle, but BMW hasn’t done design subtlety for more than 25 years now…
The interior is where the improvements are most noticeable, and most valuable to potential customers. The previous 7 Series already had one of the best cabins in the luxury saloon class, and the updated model takes it a step further. The materials, the detailing and the overall sense of quality feel genuinely exceptional – not just competitive with the best in class but ahead of it. The Panoramic iDrive system, familiar from the new iX3, is well integrated here, and the addition of the standard passenger screen gives the front cabin a notably more sophisticated feel than before. There’s a lot going on across the dashboard, and again it’s not subtle, but it works logically.
The engineering changes beneath the surface – updated air suspension, revised steering, new battery technology – are more substantial than the relatively restrained styling updates might suggest. On the basis of this preview, the updated 7 Series looks like a significant step forward rather than a cosmetic refresh.
