For all the strides BMW->ke178 has made in expanding its lineup, one model that's still noticeably absent from its fleet is a performance-oriented 7 Series.

Talk of a potential M7 has floated around for years, but nothing has really come out of it, leading a lot of people to think that Bimmer is more than content letting Audi->ke14 and Mercedes->ke187 enjoy the high-performance luxury segment with the S8 and S63 AMG, respectively.

But not everybody inside BMW seems to agree to this point, including M development chief, Albert Biermann. Speaking to Autocar, Biermann indicated that if he had a say on the issue, he would emphatically call for the M division to develop the M7 so that it could compete with its aforementioned rivals, not to mention the suddenly resurgent Jaguar->ke39 and its prized luxury cat, the XJR.

Biermann did acknowledge that, while he feels strongly about having an M7, the company still has no current plans to make one, nor does it have any intention to do so in the foreseeable future.

Those who believe that an M7 isn't feasible can likewise point to the Alpina-tuned B7 as the car that can generally match wits and power with the S8s and S63 AMGs of the world. To that, Biermann contends that a B7 and an actual M7 could be packaged as two totally different models with the latter making full use of Bimmer's performance division.

But as they say, one voice won't exactly lead to the change of battle plans and Biermann appears to be resigned to the fact that an M7 isn't in the cards for the time being. It's a consequence that could be attributed to BMW's approach to limit its M models, opting instead to package its new babies as M Performance models the same way its doing with the X3->ke255 and the X4->ke2999.

It's a shame considering that an M7 would've been awesome. Really, really awesome.

Note: photo is of the 2013 BMW 7 Series

Click past the jump to read about the 2013 BMW 7 Series

2013 BMW 7 Series

For its 2013 model year, the BMW 7 Series received its share of exterior and interior changes, as well as a lineup of new and upgraded engine variants, all of which were added so that the 7er could keep up with the likes of the Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class.

For the exterior, BMW has added new full-LED headlights, a prominent BMW kidney grille, and a modified front apron, while the interior gets a multifunctional instrument display and a new Rear Seat Entertainment package.

The engine lineup also had some modifications, beginning with a 258-horsepower 3-liter straight-six petrol engine in the entry-level 730i all the way up to a 544-horsepower V-12 engine found in the top-of-the-line 760i. All of these versions will be feature a host of new technology, including Auto Start-Stop function, Brake Energy Regeneration, and the second-generation Driving Experience Control switch with ECO PRO mode.

Prices will range from $74,195 for the base model all the way up to $140,200 for the 760 Li version.