Oliver Zipse, a man not exactly known for his humbleness, recently called the new BMW 7 Series restyling the most comprehensive update in the history of the Bavarian brand. Usually, when a CEO talks like that, we prepare for a “groundbreaking” change in stitching colors. This time, however, seeing the first real-world images of the updated G70, it’s hard to call him a liar.
The front end has been redesigned with a radicalism usually reserved for entirely new generations. It’s a bold, polarizing statement that makes the previous version look like a shy wallflower. At the back, the elongated light clusters draw a sharp line with the past.
BMW showcased both the i7 M70, the high-performance electric titan, and the traditional internal combustion 7 Series, both sporting the M Sport package as standard. Even the most dignified captains of industry now need to look like they’re ready to attack the Nürburgring.
The subtle differences between the two are where the German obsession with detail shines. The electric model introduces a new side mirror design, shared with the M760e and destined for the V8 M760 by 2026, complete with M-color inserts. Even the optional automatic doors have been “cleaned up,” losing the visible button on the handle.
Step inside, and you’ll realize this isn’t an update; it’s a digital manifesto. In an unusual move for a Life Cycle Impulse (LCI), the entire dashboard has been gutted and reborn. Dominating the view is a massive 17.9-inch touchscreen, now joined by a mandatory 14.6-inch display for the front passenger. Add the 31.3-inch Theater Screen that drops from the ceiling and the 5.5-inch displays in the door panels, and the cabin starts to look more like a Best Buy showroom than a luxury car.
Completing this tech-fest is the Panoramic Vision, a projection stretching across the base of the windshield that effectively executes the traditional instrument cluster. With production starting this July in Dingolfing, the new 7 Series is set to rule until the 2030s, eventually joined by an ALPINA G72 variant for those who find “standard” luxury too pedestrian.
Meanwhile, the competition is simply giving up. With the Lexus LS and Audi A8 headed for the scrapyard of history, only the Mercedes S-Class remains to challenge this Bavarian spaceship.
