► 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.
Unlike Mercedes-Benz, the ICE and EV look largely the same – according to BMW, this has helped sales because of the common styling across the powertrains, allowing the EV and ICE to benefit from the association with the other. Chauffeurs in inner cities can use their EV and still get the cachet of a 7-series without having to explain an entirely separate model to clients. A plug-in hybrid is also still available.
There’s a big spread of powertrains. For combustion engines, there are four (735 and 740, neither of which are available in Europe, 740 xDrive with a six-cylinder petrol and 740d xDrive with a six-cylinder diesel). A V8 is coming later. The electric i7 gets three options, all with the same 112kWh battery but varying power levels from 449bhp to an absurd 670bhp. Range has been increased and varies from 426 miles to 452, with a max charging rate of 250kW (an increase from 195kW).
Finally there are two plug-in hybrids, mating six-cylinder engines to a single electric motor to drop the 0-62mph time as low as 4.2 seconds. EV-only range in the PHEVs is around 50 miles.
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’.
Inside, the Neue Klasse theme continues as the 7 gets the same Panoramic Vision display that sits underneath the windscreen and wraps across the width of the dash. It’s in combination with a 17.9-inch central touchscreen. We’ve tried both in the new iX3 and found it worked really well, to the point of no longer needing a head-up display.
All models get a 14.6-inch passenger display as standard and the car now comes with Dolby Atmos – not altogether unusual as lowlier cars like the Mercedes GLC have it – which should pair well with the 7’s enormous theatre screen for rear seat passengers. Localised apps have also been added. In other words, Chinese market cars get connectivity to software like the Alibaba shopping app.
Ironically enough, this facelifted 7 comes in the middle of another design reset for BMW, with Missoni recently appointed vice president of design and the man in charge of how all new BMWs from 5-series and up will look. Oliver Heilmer takes everything from 3 and down.
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.
