► BMW’s flagship updated for 2026
► Styling isn’t quite so controversial
► Neue Klasse interior introduced
‘This car is all about presence.’ So says Max Missoni, in charge of designing BMW’s larger cars, as he unveils the facelifted 7-series.
‘Presence’ is one way of putting it. The original G70-generation car from 2022 came out in the midst of BMW’s design reset when the enormous grilles were in vogue – this time around some of the wildness has been dialled back but it’s still not a car I’d want to bump into down a dark alley.
The grille is still aggressive and the narrow lights still make it squint, but by shifting the lights below off to the side, it has been tidied up. Sharper creases down the flanks give it a tighter feel and make it seem more polished.
In the UK, we’re restricted to i7 50 xDrive, i7 60 xDrive, i7 M70 xDrive, along with the two plug-ins.
The electric i7s have now got more range thanks to a battery that’s 11kWh larger and also uses more efficient, sixth generation cylindrical cells, technology that’s borrowed from the new BMW i3. 10 to 80 per cent charge is possible in under 30 minutes.
Other changes are more minor but are designed to keep the 7-series up to date in software terms. Level two driver assistance systems have been upgraded, so the car is better placed not to irritate the driver by getting in the way unnecessarily. BMW calls is ‘Symbiotic Drive’.
Because of the timescales of these things, Missoni has had minimal input on the styling so for his 7-series, we’ll need to wait for the all-new model probably due in around 3 years. For now, the 7 soldiers on.