Fresh-faced BMW 7 Series breaks cover

BMW has uncovered its updated 7 Series overnight that brings new looks, more technology and a reworked engine line-up to its flagship sedan that is expected to launch in Australia mid-year.

 

The new 7 Series will again be available in two body styles, but both versions are now 22mm longer than before with the standard measuring 5120mm and the extended wheelbase now 5260mm.

 

Wheelbase dimensions however, remain as before at 3070mm and 3210mm for the regular and extended body styles respectively.

 

Width (1902mm) and height (1467mm in the sedan and 1479mm in the extra-long version) are also unchanged. 

 

The 7 Series’ front end is now 50mm taller at its highest point than before, owing to BMW’s new 40 per cent-larger double-kidney front grille that is flanked by two slim LED headlights, while the bonnet has also been reworked in the update.

 

The rear fascia has also been lightly reworked with new tail-lights that are connected via an LED strip and an updated bumper design.

 

Inside, the new 7 Series also benefits from BMW’s new Operating System 7.0 and the brand’s Intelligent Personal Assistant software for its infotainment system, while instrumentation and switchgear carryover as before.

 

Finished in Nappa leather with new find wood highlight options, the new 7 Series is also quieter inside than before thanks to thicker glass and added sound deadening to the rear wheelarches, B-pillars and seatbelt outlet covers.

 

As an option, BMW also offers laser headlights.

 

Powering the flagship BMW sedan is either a twin-turbo V8, inline six-cylinder engines, a plug-in hybrid powertrain or 6.6-litre petrol V12.

 

The Australian range is expected to mirror the exiting 7 Series line-up that includes the 730d, 740i, 740Li, 740e iPerformance, 750i and 750Li, however the V12 M760Li xDrive was available locally in 2017.

 

Likely topping the Australian line-up will again be the 750i and 750Li, which is propelled by a force-fed 4.4-litre V8 that now outputs 390kW – a 60kW improvement – that sends drive to all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive system. Torque figures were not revealed, but the outgoing version boasts 650Nm.

 

The plug-in petrol-electric 7 Series is also upgraded with a new 290kW (up from 240kW) system thanks to “a specially adapted six-cylinder inline petrol engine and a more advanced high-voltage battery”, according to BMW.

 

As a result, the electrified 7 Series moniker has been updated to 745e.

 

The inline turbocharged six-cylinder engines for the oil-burning 730d and petrol-powered 740i/740Li are also expected to carryover as before with power outputs pegged at 195kW/620Nm and 240kW/450Nm respectively.

 

Pricing is also expected to receive a small bump in line with the update. For reference, BMW Australia’s 7 Series currently kicks off at $195,900 before on-roads for the 730d and stretches to $294,900 for the 750Li.

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