A look at the all-new BMW 7 series

Quite frankly, there is no other way to describe the ride in BMW’s flagship, the all new BMW 7 Series. It floats and glides away, leaving one in complete awe of the smoothness of the ride. It’s as if you are on a magic carpet ride! And when I hand to hand the electronic key back, I did that very grudgingly. This is a very big saloon car that attracted all the looks and attention wherever I drove the vehicle. I have never driven something bigger than this! Luxury and comfort on the move.

There is no doubt that BMW has sharpened the profile of its flagship models in the luxury segment. The new edition of the BMW 7 Series makes a clear statement of intent with its confident presence, sophisticated elegance and strikingly innovative control/operation, driver assistance and connectivity technology. The new exterior design of the luxury sedan showcases its prestige and status more vividly than ever.

And on the inside, sumptuous leather trim with extended quilting and optimised acoustic comfort, not to mention the digital display grouping of instrument cluster and Control Display, the BMW Operating System 7.0 and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, set new benchmarks in wellbeing and comfort on the move.

Power it Up!

The line-up of power units for the new BMW 7 Series has also been updated and includes a new eight-cylinder engine, a six-cylinder in-line unit and plug-in hybrid systems offering extended electric range. And the driver assistance systems now boast a broader range of functionality. The latest advances towards automated driving are highlighted by technology such as the new Reversing Assistant.

The choice of power units for the new BMW 7 Series includes petrol and diesel engines with six, eight and twelve cylinders, as well as an all-new plug-in hybrid drive system. Topping the range is the 6.6-litre V12 engine at the heart of the BMW M760Li xDrive, which produces 430 kW (fuel consumption combined: 9.6 – 9.5 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 285 – 282 g/km*) and now comes with a gasoline particulate filter to minimise emissions.

More muscular presence with precise elegance

The extensive design refresh at the front end – which now rises 50 millimetres taller at its foremost point – plays a particularly prominent role in giving the new BMW 7 Series its more powerful visual presence. The new bonnet has more sharply cut contour lines and a larger BMW roundel. The dominant force of the reworked front end is the BMW kidney grille, with its single-piece surround, whose surface area has grown by some 40%

Image by Naresh Maharaj

The grille teams up with the slimmer headlights to create a stylistically appealing contrast and add a new strand to the character of BMW’s luxury-class models. BMW Laserlight with a high-beam range of up to 560 metres can be specified as an alternative to the standard Adaptive LED Headlights.

The integrated exhaust tailpipes have broader chrome surrounds, while the three-dimensional rear lights of the new BMW 7 Series are around 35 millimetres slimmer than on the outgoing car and cut a sophisticated, precise figure. Their LED light sources are positioned behind red and black surfaces arranged to emphasise their L-shaped contour. Other new features include a sharply defined and very slim light strip (it measures just six millimetres in width) sited below the chrome bar, which extends across the full width of the tailgate and connects the rear lights with one other.

Let’s check out the interior

Inside the new BMW 7 Series, generous levels of space, choice materials, harmoniously coordinated design details and exclusive workmanship combine to create a luxurious ambience refined in every respect. Exclusive Nappa leather with extended quilting has been added to the options list. The three-dimensional surface structure – encompassing large expanses of the front and rear seat cushions and backrests, the armrests integrated in the door trim and the centre console – gives the interior an expressive feel. New to the range of optional interior trim strips are the fine wood variants American Oak Dark with metal inlay and Poplar Grain Metallic Grey high-gloss.

Time to go live

The new BMW 7 Series comes with the BMW Live Cockpit Professional as standard. This comprises a navigation and multimedia system, together with a fully digital, high-resolution instrument cluster behind the steering wheel with a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches and a Control Display measuring 10.25 inches across. The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is another element of the operating system.

The digital companion can be activated with the spoken prompt “Hey BMW” and helps the driver to use various vehicle functions. What’s more, he will keep acquiring new capabilities all the time thanks to the updates transmitted seamlessly by Remote Software Upgrade. The driver and passengers can also use natural voice commands with the help of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to activate the Experience Modes and the vitality and relaxation programmes, which offer need-based compositions of various functions – such as interior lighting, air conditioning, fragrancing and shading, not to mention seat massage, heating and ventilation.

Image by Naresh Maharaj

What’s this going to cost you?

Petrol

• 740 Li: R1,638,400 incl.
  
• 750 Li: R2,156,700 incl.
  
• M760 Li xDrive: R2,800,000 incl.

Diesel

• 730Ld R1 669 400 incl.

All new BMWs sold in South Africa include a 5 year/100,000 km Motorplan maintenance contract.