The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is nothing but a declaration of high-tech war aimed at its two main rivals, the Audi A8 and the 7 Series. BMW’s flagship received a hefty facelift in 2019 for the 2020 model year and other than the enlarged grille, it got a tech upgrade, including BMW’s then-new iDrive 7.0 setup. However, you can only stay relevant for a short time in the current luxury car climate and with the S-Class making no rebates on the technology front, BMW is already working on the next-generation 7er. Here’s everything we know so far.
Update 2-3-2022: The 2023 BMW 7 Series has been caught testing again, this time looking a little more production ready.
2023 BMW 7 Series
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- Model: 2023 BMW 7 Series
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Spy Shots
This prototype is wearing a production front end, although, it’s still under some pretty heavy padding and camo. What we can say for sure is that the front end of the 7 Series will be sportier than ever. Notice the split corner air intakes and the unique air dam that almost looks M-like. One thing of particular note is that this will still look largely like a 7 Series, so expect a large grille to be hiding under the padding and camo. The rear end is still pretty concealed; however, those are production headlights peeking out through the camo. The most interesting part is that this is actually a hybrid test vehicle, as you can see from the sticker below the rear decklid. As for when the new 7 series will debut, that’s still a mystery, but we expect to see the camo come off sometime in 2022 with it to launch as a 2023 model.
2023 BMW 7 Series - Platform
BMW Blog reports that the G70/G71 7 Series is going to be underpinned by BMW’s CLAR architecture, but in an upgrade form, especially of the weight-saving ilk. The platform will be suited to all types of powertrains, from ICEs to hybrids and pure electric.
2023 BMW 7 Series - Powertrain
A diesel unit is also likely – under the 735d badge- with around 280 horsepower. On the gasoline front, we might see a 740i powered by a twin-turbo 3-liter mill good for around 350-360 horsepower while the hybrid team might find a player in the 745e PHEV moniker.
Exterior and interior
Powertrain aside, we expect the new 7 Series to stand out when it comes to interior and exterior design, but also on the technology front. While we don’t know what sort of approach BMW will take in shaping the sedan’s exterior and interior, these two aspects are definitely paramount for a car of this kind so expect fireworks nonetheless. What’s more, given the company’s big grille approach for the 4 Series and M3/M4, who knows what’s written in the stars for the new 7er.
A recent report from Bimmerpost brought to our attention by Motor1 suggests the new BMW 7 Series is going to borrow features from Rolls-Royce, especially Phantom-like fully automatic doors, as well as an illuminated grille a la X6 and 5 Series.
Delving deeper into the tech front, the 7 could also get autonomous technology, a handful of screens front and rear, as well as BMW’s Natural Interaction function, which is essentially a way of smoothing your interaction with the car via voice, gestures, and a gimmick called gaze control. The system is set to debut on the BMW iX electric SUV and we believe it might trickle down into other models as well, including the all-new 7 Series.
Needless to say, the 7 will offer BMW’s best in terms of materials, trims, leather, and so on, as well as the familiar Bowers and Wilkins audio system and the Sky Lounge roof.
Price and availability
It’s hard to just invent a price tag for the incoming BMW 7 Series, so the least we can do is just look at the current lineup. The most basic 7er starts at $86,800 so the new one might come with a $90,000 price tag justified by the extra technology baked into it.
Should the new BMW 7 Series debut in the summer of 2022, then it’s fair to say BMW won’t start rolling out its flagship sedan earlier than late 2022, maybe even early 2023.