The G70 BMW 7 Series was the car that defined just how big Munich’s double-kidney grille could be allowed to get, having grown to ridiculously porcine proportions during this generation. You’d think that the stinging reception the luxury sedan got during its launch (yes, we saw the memes) – and the opposite direction the company has taken since – would’ve necessitated a rethink with the facelift, set to debut next month.
However, a shadowy new teaser shows that BMW is sticking to its guns – and in fact, the firm is set to give its flagship luxury sedan an even more imposing front end as part of the refresh, or Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) in BMW speak. The nostrils are as humongous as ever, and just as with the latest X3, the illuminated surrounds now encircle the entirety of the grilles, rather than going dark in the middle.
The grilles themselves are even more angular than before, forming massive twin octagons. They are flanked by flatter eyebrow-style daytime running lights (apparently still featuring Swarovski crystals), and it appears the main headlights are still cast off into separate units lower down. This is the kind of look that will scream “get out of my way” in your rear-view mirror.
Not much else has been revealed in terms of details, but you can expect BMW’s biggest dog to come with the company’s latest and greatest tech. This includes the new Panoramic iDrive array of screens that debuted on the “Neue Klasse” iX3, consisting of a full-width Panoramic Vision projected display and a 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. The jaw-dropping 31.3-inch 8K rear Theatre Screen – already copied by rival Mercedes-Benz in its new VLE – should soldier on, too.
The new 7 Series will likely be offered with the same range of six- and eight-cylinder engines – including plug-in hybrid options – that have been updated to meet stringent Euro 7 emissions regulations. The electric i7, meanwhile, should get the latest battery and motor technologies from the Neue Klasse EVs for greater performance and a longer range. We hope that BMW also implements an 800-volt electrical architecture for much more powerful DC fast charging (up to 400 kW on the Neue Klasse models).
Reports also suggest that the 7 Series will spawn the first new model from the now BMW-owned Alpina brand – a new version of the B7. The comfort-oriented performance brand is set to compete with Mercedes-Maybach, and you should expect more power, a more deftly-tuned suspension setup, a sumptuous leather-lined interior and modernised versions of Buchloe’s trademark 20-spoke wheels and side stripes.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
At this point, bmw should just use pigs from angry bird as their masscot.
More and more new BMW on the road I see nowadays, even after the price keep going up. Close to no new Merc. What happen? E and C class dead? All 330i and 530i on road.