BMW 7-Series receives mid-life facelift bringing more luxury and striking design

The BMW 7-Series is the latest model in the German manufacturers line-up to receive a facelift, bringing it closer in line with BMW’s upcoming X7 by emphasizing interior luxury and a more formal design language.

The new BMW 7-Series is longer, with the standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase models both being extended by 22mm, placing them at a total length of 5120mm and 5260mm respectively.

The facelift also receives thicker glass, improved sound reduction material in the rear wheel arches and new front wings that direct airflow to reduce the amount of road noise.

The exterior improvements include a set of new OLED tail lights connected by an LED light band across the rear, as well as wider tailpipes in a redesigned bumper. The changes up front are most controversial, with the new BMW 7-Series front grilles being 40% larger than its predecessor, sitting between two slimmer and wider head lights.

There are subtle improvements to the materials used across the cabin, as well as new connectivity functions. The new iDrive infotainment system also finds its way into the new 7-Series, as well as the digital instrument cluster that debuted on the new BMW X5.

There are also a host of driver aids, such as the new Reversing Assistant feature that reverses the car on the exact path that it drove in, for up to 50 meters. The BMW 7-Series facelift also comes with adaptive suspension as standard. Buyers also have the option of rear-wheel steering for improved agility.

The engine line-up includes a variety of petrol, diesel and a plug-in hybrid options. There are two petrol engines available – a 390kW 4.4-litre V8 and a full-fat 6.6-litre V12 engine capable of producing 430kW of power, allowing the M760Li model to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.1-seconds.

There are three diesel models that use the same 3.0-litre 6-cylinder but with different states of tune and turbocharging configurations. The plug-in hybrid 745e model features a turbocharged 3.0-litre 6-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor to create a total power output of 289kW, accompanied by 600Nm of torque.

The new BMW 7-Series is expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2019, with South Africa only receiving Long Wheelbase models.