Background
The BMW 7 Series has been with us for almost half a century and it's always been a showcase for the Munich maker's latest technology. What it's never really had though, is what a large luxury saloon like this really needs: presence. But that changes right here, right now with this seventh generation model. What do you think?
Makes more of a statement doesn't it? The 7 Series has long provided the basic engineering for Rolls Royce models; now, it gets Rolls Royce-style visual impact. And if you don't like it, BMW won't mind too much because 75% of 7 Series production is aimed at markets like China and the US who've long demanded this kind of enhanced pavement presence. For too long, BMW's flagship four-door has been merely an enlarged 5 Series. This one aims to stand out. It has to.
Of course, the changes made to create this MK7 model weren't only about aesthetics. It's significantly larger, more luxurious and considerably more spacious than before. Plus the underpinnings have had to be substantially redeveloped, not only for the enhanced PHEV tech but also for an all-electric i7 model. It all sounds intriguing. Let's take a look.
Driving Experience
The introduction of a full-Electric model to the range meant the need for a substantial six year redevelopment of the previous generation design's CLAR architecture. The resultant, evolved 'Flex' platform supports pure EV, Plug-in Hybrid and 48V hybrid drivetrains, the latter a diesel, the 740d xDrive with 299hp from its 3.0-litre straight six. If you want petrol, you'll need a PHEV, either the 750e xDrive (with 490hp) or the M760e xDrive (with 571hp). Both use an in-line six cylinder petrol unit and can travel up to around 50 miles on their 18.7kWh battery.
If you're looking at the all-electric i7 with its 101.7kWh drive battery, the range starts with the rear-driven sDrive50 version with 449hp, but i7 sales are primarily based around the mid-level AWD xDrive60 model, which uses two electric motors, a front one with 258hp and one at the rear with 313hp. The combined total is quoted at a potent 544hp. BMW quotes a WLTP-rated range for the '60' model of up to 387 miles (curiously about 8 miles more than the sDrive50). Of course you'll get nowhere near these figures if you habitually enjoy the rapid 0-62mph sprint time of 4.7s, en route to a 149mph maximum. Should the i7 xDrive60 somehow not be fast enough for you, your dealer can brief you on an alternative i7 M70 xDrive model with 660hp. Like the combustion variants, the i7 is clearly engineered for motorways as well as the metropolis. And secondary roads should feel cruisey too, thanks to adaptive self-levelling air suspension (fitted to all 7 Series models), which lowers itself by 10mm in 'Sport' mode (and at speeds of over 75mph) to improve stability. You can also use it to raise the ride height by 20mm to avoid damage on rougher sections of road.
Design and Build
For some time, BMW has known that the 7 Series needed a more striking look, hence the ungainly grille added to final versions of the old sixth generation model. This replacement car is striking for more of the right reasons, a larger, more sophisticated and more cohesive design, though one that still references the familiar long bonnet and three-box silhouette proportions of its model line. It's 130mm longer, 48mm wider and 51mm taller than before and is only offered in long wheelbase form, that body shape's between-axles length being 5mm longer than the previous model. The main visual talking point is the huge (and optionally glowing) front grille, flanked by two-tier matrix LED headlights. The main beams sit on the lower tier. The upper tier delivers daytime running lights and indicators bejewelled with Swarovski crystals.
The cabin provides even more evidence of BMW's desire to deliver something quite different in this segment. Much, predictably, is borrowed from the brand's iX flagship EV; the curved display with its central infotainment monitor and instrument screen; the two-spoke steering wheel; and the crystal iDrive controller. But there clever touches too, the main one being this 7's so-called 'Interaction Bar', a glossy back-lit panel that stretches across the fascia. It reacts to inputs and what's happening as you drive - so will flash, for instance, if you get a phone call.
There's even more tech in the rear, which can be had with an 'Executive Lounge' package featuring a reclining seat with foot rest, allowing for a torso angle of up to 42.5-degrees. Once you're comfortable, you can even enjoy your own private cinema experience. The car can be fitted out with an enormous 31.3-inch 'BMW Theatre Screen' that folds into the ceiling when not in use and has built-in Amazon Fire TV. There's also a black-out screen for the rear window, touchscreens in the door panels and the option of 'seat exciters', which vibrate and pulse the seat with loud sounds from the 'Theatre Screen'. Out back, there's a big 540-litre boot in combustion models, which shrinks to 525-litres in the Plug-in Hybrids and 500-litres in the i7.
Market and Model
The days of a relatively affordable 7 Series are long gone. And the final nail in that particular coffin was hammered in by BMW's decision not to sell in the UK the more accessible mild hybrid diesel-engined 7 Series variants it offers in some other European markets. We won't get the 760i xDrive V8 mild hybrid petrol version either. Instead, every '7' sold here will be one you have to plug in - either a PHEV or, as in the case of the i7 variant, a full-EV.
At the time of this test in early Summer 2023, the PHEV 7 Series range was split between the entry-level 750e xDrive, offering 490hp, priced at around £104,000 and offered in either in base 'Excellence' spec or, for £4,500 more, in 'M Sport' trim. The PHEV alternative is the M760e xDrive, offering 571hp and available in a single M spec costing just over £119,000. As for this all-electric i7, prices start from a fraction over £100,000 for the entry-level sDrive50 rear-driven version. At the time of filming, you needed around £114,000 for this AWD xDrive60 model with 544hp. Either way, there's a choice of two spec levels - 'Excellence' or, for £4,500 more, this 'M Sport' version. At the time of this test, BMW hadn't yet provided a price for the faster i7 M70 xDrive model, which ups power to 650hp, but we think you should budget around £130,000 for one of those.
At least your 7 Series or i7 is likely to come fully loaded, with features like adaptive air suspension, rear wheel steering, a gesture-controlled powered boot lid and a panoramic glass sunroof. But you'll want to spend more on some of the key features. The highlight is the 'BMW Theatre Screen' rear seat cinema system we briefed you on in our 'Design' section. We'd also want to spend more on the automatic door mechanism. With this, to open or close the front and rear doors, all those on board need to do is touch the handles set flush into the body, or use the buttons in the 'BMW Interaction Bar' at the front of the cabin or on the rear door trim. The opening and closing sequence can also be activated using the radio-operated key.
Also leave some spend for the optional 'Sky Lounge panoramic glass sunroof', which will delight those inside the car with a bespoke light show, which uses light threads back-lit by LED units. The structure this creates replicates the pattern of the quilting on the seat surfaces. The glass construction consists of three highly functional and fully integrated individual sections of glass. A pattern within this construction emits the light and intensifies the feeling of acceleration when the car is moving. Lovely.
Cost of Ownership
Let's start with the petrol Plug-in Hybrids. The 750e xDrive manages up to 282.4mpg on the combined cycle and up to 22g/km of CO2; for the alternative PHEV variant, the M760e xDrive, the figures are up to 256.8mpg and up to 25g/km. As we mentioned in our 'Driving' section, both the PHEVs can offer up to 53 miles of all-electric driving range when fully charged.
We gave you the i7 xDrive60's driving range figure in our driving section - 387 miles, 8 miles more than the base sDrive50 version. It's up to 348 miles for the i7 M70 xDrive variant. These range figures come via an extremely slim high-voltage battery with a cell height of just 110mm, located low down in the vehicle floor and providing 101.7kWh of usable energy. The heat pump technology used in the integrated heating and cooling system for the cabin and drive system also helps boost efficiency, as does the adaptive or individually adjustable recuperation feature. The high-voltage battery is heated using a dedicated 5.5 kW electric flow heater.
The Combined Charging Unit in the i7 xDrive60 allows AC charging at a rate of up to 11kW, while DC power can be taken on board at a rate of up to 195kW. This allows 106 miles (WLTP) of range to be added in just ten minutes at a high-power charging station. The 'BMW Charging' package comes as standard on the i7, which gives owners attractive kilowatt hour tariffs for AC and DC charging throughout the UK and Europe. The high-power charging network run by the BMW Group's joint venture IONITY also forms part of the BMW Charging network. Almost 16,000 charging points are included in the UK and Ireland, while the monthly fee for BMW Charging and IONITY is waived for the first 12 months for all retail customers.