BMW 7 Series review

• Overview
• What is it?
• PLEASE TELL US THAT IT LOOKS BETTER IN THE FLESH…
• It looks humongous…
• UNDERSTOOD. WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
• What if I don’t want a full EV?
• What's the verdict?
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• Audi A8
• Jaguar XJ
• Driving
• What is it like to drive?
• THEY’VE DILUTED THE MESSAGE LATELY, BUT AREN’T BMWS STILL SUPPOSED TO BE THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINES?
• WAIT. YOU’RE NOT ABOUT TO COMPARE THAT WITH THE I7, ARE YOU?
• AND WHAT ABOUT ITS STOPPING POWER?
• BMW 750i review: V8 turbo limo tested in the UK
• BMW M760Li review: V12 7 Series driven in the UK
• BMW 7 Series review: 602bhp M760 Li driven
• Interior
• What is it like on the inside?
• ANY OTHER INNOVATIONS/NEW GADGETS/GIMMICKS?
• Buying
• What should I be paying?

Overview

What is it?

This is the i7, BMW’s sixth pure electric car although it’s wrapped up in the guise of the all-new 7 Series. That’s right: rather than hive off its electric luxury limo in the manner of the Mercedes EQS or Porsche Taycan, the i7 arrived at the same time as the rest of the regular new 7 Series range. In fact, it actually came to the UK before the petrols, diesels and hybrids, and at the time of writing in 2023 the i7 is still the only current-gen 7 Series we’ve tested on our shores.

“It’s a 7 Series, regardless of drivetrain,” insists BMW.

This is actually the seventh generation of the company’s range-topper, a model which debuted in 1977 offering more poise and a greater dynamism than Mercedes’ rather patriarchal and uptight S-Class, and more modernism than Jaguar’s gin and cigars XJ. Around two million have since been sold, and the innovations have come thick and fast.

Remember, it was 2001’s gen four car that ushered in the Bangle design era and premiered the over-wrought iDrive. Yet the received wisdom is that the Mercedes S-Class has always had the edge as the putative ‘best car in the world’, which is probably rather annoying. You get the sense that BMW has chucked everything it knows into the new car in an effort to finally, definitively get the upper hand on the old foe.

The rules have changed, though, and the electric i7 moves centre stage as BMW re-frames the luxury car experience around on-board well-being, a class-leading digital experience via its new OS8 software, and standard-setting sustainability. Oh, and a huge 31.3in panoramic television (‘theatre’) screen that folds out of the roof for the rear-seat passengers. Everyone got very juiced up about that. Who knows, it might be good to drive, too.

PLEASE TELL US THAT IT LOOKS BETTER IN THE FLESH…

There’s no doubt BMW has committed itself to a challenging new design philosophy. Some critics – i.e. virtually all of the internet – seem to think the new 7 Series is further proof that BMW has taken leave of its senses (or less pleasant words to that effect). On the move, it kinda works. No, really. In white, with all the shiny bits in gloss black, or fully, erm, ‘murdered out’ in matt paint, it’s modern and defiantly, unapologetically different. The M Sport Package Pro helps, and adds 21in alloy wheels and bigger brakes (19in wheels are standard but under-nourished). Think all new cars look the same? Not here, they don’t.

That huge grille illuminates at night and the upper lights are the focal point, with the option of Swarovski ‘iconic glow’ crystal glass. This face sure is in-your-face. The low- and high-beam headlights are recessed into the front apron; adaptive LEDs are standard. The new 7 Series could flood-light a Coldplay concert.

Oddly enough, it’s not the split-level lights and brick out-house front end that bothers us, it’s the rear where the new 7 Series loses the courage of its convictions and becomes oddly generic. Which is ironic given the rumpus 2001’s E65 iteration caused back in the day.

It looks humongous…

Although it is bigger in every dimension and blocky looking, the long wheelbase-only new 7 Series is also highly aerodynamically efficient. This is key in the world of EVs, in which slipperiness equates to efficiency, and the i7’s drag coefficient is just 0.24. Back in the early Eighties aero was a big deal in car design. Well, it’s happening again, and it’s doing funny things to the way cars look.

UNDERSTOOD. WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Pretty much everything. BMW says that the new 7 Series was ‘designed from the ground up for particularly demanding target groups in a globalised marketplace’. It has greater body rigidity, a wider front and rear track, and it’s generally bigger and more purposeful. It uses a new steel and aluminium flexible vehicle architecture engineered from the start to accommodate three different drive types.

We’ll focus on the i7 for now. The mid-level xDrive60 has a combined 536bhp from two electric motors, its hardware very similar to the set-up in the excellent iX SUV. The front motor delivers 255bhp, the rear one 308bhp, with 549lb ft of torque overall. And nope, that doesn’t quite add up: “The complete system output depends on all the electric powertrain components and cannot be simply added together,” says BMW. The claimed 0-62mph time is 4.7 seconds and the top speed is limited to 149mph.

Other i7 powertrains include the entry-level, rear-wheel drive eDrive50 with 449bhp or the all-out M70 xDrive that gets a staggering 650bhp and a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds. That makes it essentially a mobile cinema that’s just about as quick as a V12-engined Lamborghini Murcielago.

So, as you might have guessed, there’s constant progress in terms of powertrain evolution, and we’re now up to Generation Five of BMW’s electric system. The drive units are compact and carefully integrated, and BMW says that the charging software has been improved compared to the i4 saloon and iX. The battery’s temperature is now even more precisely controlled, for improved efficiency and a smoother charging curve. The battery’s cooling has been optimised, too, and it’s possible to store customised charging settings for specific charging points. You can also manually pre-heat the battery when you’re heading to a fast charger. And because the motor uses an electrically excited synchronous motor rather than one with fixed permanent magnets, BMW says it has eliminated the need for rare earth metals in the rotor.

The lithium-ion battery pack in all i7s provides 101.7kWh of useable energy, and with a cell height of just 110mm sits comfortably under the floor. Interestingly, range is apparently at its best in the twin-motor xDrive60, where BMW quotes up to 387 miles on a full charge. The company has also worked hard to keep the best- and worst-case range scenarios closer together, which is a valuable USP. Find a 195kW rapid charger and BMW claims you can add 106 miles in about 10 minutes too. That’s the sort of mid-journey energy bump that matters in the real world.

China is its biggest sales region, and owners there – 95 per cent male – are an average age of 38 versus 56 in the US and 57 in Europe. Clearly, the demographics have changed somewhat over the years. Bear it all in mind when you’re looking at the new car.

What if I don’t want a full EV?

When the latest 7 first arrived the answer to that question was pretty much “tough luck”. But now you’re almost spoilt for choice. We don’t get every available ICE powertrain in the UK, but you can still choose between the 750e xDrive and the M760e xDrive. Both are plug-in hybrids with straight-six petrol engines, but while the former makes do with 483bhp and 516lb ft of torque, the latter gets 563bhp and 590lb ft.

This is a fascinating moment in the evolution of the electric car. Being able to judge the i7 directly against its petrol-engined equivalent suggests that a crossover point has been reached. BMW, it appears, is on a rapid upward trajectory with its EVs, and the i7 is a phenomenally accomplished machine.

And it’s a machine with real character, which is a major achievement. BMWs have always relied on their mostly great engines for the soul and sensation we all crave, as well as their dynamics, but the focus is shifting elsewhere now. The new 7 Series has arguably the finest interior in the automotive world, beautifully executed, well-made and imaginative. You can argue among yourselves about the exterior design, but inside is a knock-out.

It’s blissfully smooth, fast and easy to drive, and impressively efficient for such a large car. A lot of clever, highly motivated people have dug very deep here and you can tell. The i7 is one hell of a car.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

£74,480 – £202,075

Audi A8

£70,785 – £115,310

Jaguar XJ

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Driving

Driving

What is it like to drive?

The big play here is the i7, not least because it’s still the only version we’ve driven in 2023. BMW has built much of its reputation on its ICE over the years so we don’t say this lightly, but drive the i7 back-to-back with the not-for-Brits 760i xDrive and it’s clear that the Rubicon has been crossed. The 4.4-litre twin turbo in the 760i is a hell of an engine, no question, but all the things that you expect a car like this to do are done so beautifully by the i7 you’d really need to be a diehard petrolhead to go there. We’re talking class-leading refinement, effortless performance, and that superior sense of well-being derived from travelling in something that’s so meticulously engineered.

Previous 7 Series’ have proven highly adept at repelling the real world and its myriad irritations. Well now there’s one that does all that while bathing the occupants in the holy glow of zero emissions.

THEY’VE DILUTED THE MESSAGE LATELY, BUT AREN’T BMWS STILL SUPPOSED TO BE THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINES?

The transition is not at the expense of BMW’s treasured dynamism, although bosses suggest the company has decided to broaden the traditional remit. Chucking your 5.1-metre electric super limo (über Uber?) into a corner isn’t really top of the list of priorities right now. But this is still one of those cars that feels instantly right and absolutely demolishes the first 50m test. We’ll get to the interior on the next tab of this review, but as for the rest, well, there are upgraded double wishbones at the front, a five-link set-up on the rear, with self-levelling air suspension and electronically controlled dampers… so yeah, the ride is absolutely magical.

Oh, and we also happen to have driven the i7 on the sort of driver’s roads that would have challenged the new M4 CSL.

WAIT. YOU’RE NOT ABOUT TO COMPARE THAT WITH THE I7, ARE YOU?

Nope. But despite its sub-optimal mass – how does 2.6 tonnes grab you? – the i7 is an amazingly fluent machine on the move. In Sport mode, the ride height automatically drops by 10mm, beefing up the dampers’ responses at the same time (It can also be raised by 20mm to clear awkward garage entry ramps or rough ground). Electric power steering is standard, and active steering an option that brings with it rear steering up to 3.5 degrees that helps low speed manoeuvring and sharpens cornering inputs at higher speeds. BMW has been playing with active steering for almost 20 years, and it’s got the hang of it now. This is a very nimble large car, with a tidy turning circle.

There’s the further option of Executive Drive Pro which is basically a 48-volt anti-roll stabilisation system, that also suppresses body vibrations. In fact, the whole car has the most phenomenal acoustic properties (there are trick mountings on the front axle and on the motors for maximum hush). The i7 also includes BMW’s ‘near-actuator’ traction control system which means that corrective inputs are now 10 times faster than usual.

The upshot is a supremely comfortable car that handles in a way nothing this big and heavy has any right to, while maintaining an air of interior calm that Trappist monks might deem excessively quiet. Given no-one ever went looking for big sideways thrills in a 7 Series, we’ll forgive the i7 its deliberate, ingeniously engineered lack of drama. That’s the point of it. But boy, can it still move. And that’s the mid-range 536bhp xDrive60, remember. There’s still the 650bhp M70 xDrive if you want even more grunt.

AND WHAT ABOUT ITS STOPPING POWER?

The brakes are sensational, too, and use a fully integrated system that basically matches the driver’s inputs precisely for maximum feel and confidence. The friction brakes and regenerative element are seamlessly combined, to much greater effect than on the Mercedes EQS, for example. The regen now factors in downhill sections or traffic lights on a planned route, and the system can use the sat nav to work out the optimum charger location. An Efficiency Trainer encourages you towards the most energy efficient driving style, but the lack of noise and general refinement might mean that you accidentally end up at corners carrying far too much speed.

There’s also the full suite of assistance systems, as we inch ever closer to autonomous driving. Driving Assistant Professional, Emergency Lane Assistant, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Active Cruise Control, Parking Assistant, Reversing Assistant… all the gang are here. Don’t get too clever or marginal with your reversing or the car will slam the brakes on. Sometimes we wonder if modern cars are basically infantilising the driver.

In North America, the i7 will let you drive hands-off up to 81mph, but when we tried it, it immediately asked for our hands to go back on the wheel (much to our BMW expert’s bewilderment). The controls on the wheel that govern this function are a bit fiddly, too. The 7 Series will also park itself remotely, or via the BMW App, but if you’ve got one of these cars, you’ve probably also got a driver. So they can finagle their way into the stupidly small multi-storey concrete hell-hole while you take the express elevator to the penthouse.

BMW 750i review: V8 turbo limo tested in the UK

BMW M760Li review: V12 7 Series driven in the UK

£136,210

BMW 7 Series review: 602bhp M760 Li driven

£136,210

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Overview

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Interior

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

Although there’s no accounting for taste, and there are umpteen different interpretations of luxury, we’re going to call it: this is the best car interior in the world. With the new 7 Series, BMW has managed to harmonise the elements, make the technology user-friendly, and create an environment that feels wholly modern: connected, mindful, and phenomenally comfortable. It’s also impeccably put together.

The Curved Display we know from the iX, and it’s being rolled out across the range. This is core to BMW’s push to digitalisation, and combines a 12.3in instrument display behind the wheel with a longer 14.9in main infotainment glass touch-screen. It tidies up the real estate around what’s still quaintly known as the dashboard – an area that was getting pretty busy on recent BMWs – removing virtually every physical button. Including, perhaps controversially, the climate control switchgear, which is now subsumed within the central screen. As a rule, we’d prefer to maintain some proper physical interaction here, rather than jabbing at a screen, but experience with the iX proves that it works well. It also means that the four-zone system’s air vents are almost imperceptible (there’s a little haptic panel underneath for hot and cold, but it’s near invisible and we didn’t notice it at first).

The curved screen looks high-end and sits on slender brackets atop an open-pore matt wood trim. Audio, navigation, Apple CarPlay and so on live in individual, customisable tiles. There’s voice activation, too, which actually works for a change, and passengers can now access the Personal Assistant. There’s even a funky digital clock widget by Qlocktwo that spells out the time. Go for the Heat Comfort package and you’ll get a heated steering wheel and panel heating for the arm-rests and centre console. This is a more efficient way of staying warm in an EV than cranking up the air con.

ANY OTHER INNOVATIONS/NEW GADGETS/GIMMICKS?

Beneath the central screen is the ‘Interaction Bar’, new on the 7 Series, which has a crystalline surface and backlighting, and stretches pretty much the width of the cabin. Activate the hazard lights and the whole thing pulses red; it also takes its colour cues from whichever of the ‘My Modes’ you’ve gone for. Red for Sport, green for Expressive, and so on. Recent BMW Art Car artist Cao Fei has even created a Digital Art Mode. This also alters the sound signature, as co-developed with Hollywood movie soundtrack superstar, Hans Zimmer. Mostly, it’s a variation on an escalating sci-fi whoosh; it’s fun and adds perceptible character to the electric experience, but we’re not sure how often you’d change it. The centre console is lower and more conventional looking than in the iX, but has the same little (optional) crystal drive controller and other haptic touch points. It’s an easy, swift way to get going, and feels satisfying.

As on the iX, you push a button to get out. New on the 7 are automatic doors. There’s a little button below the wheel that closes the door from inside, or you can set the system so that the driver’s door shuts when you press the brake pedal. Or use the voice activation if you’re incredibly lazy. The doors’ gyros recognise inclines and possible hazards and it’s all very clever, but there’s a touch of overkill here, perhaps.

Clear thought and imagination has gone into the door trims – if we can call them that – and the seats are absolutely magnificent, with multi-functionality and massage programmes and so on. The back of the headrests have wood trim with electro-plated accent strips. The (optional) wool cashmere trim is sustainable and looks and feels lovely. Various different interior treatments are available for the wood and metals. The overall effect is absolutely dazzling.

As is the much-anticipated 31.3in 8K Theatre Screen. Obviously, posh cars have had televisions in them for years, but this really is next-level. Not just because the screen folds out of a recess in the headlining, but also because it has built-in Amazon Fire TV connectivity, and runs Bowers & Wilkins surround sound (an optional version gets you 36 speakers and 1,965 watts of output, with exciters in the seat back-rests). Streaming capability varies according to territory, but we watched some ‘content’ travelling down a twisty road without regurgitating our breakfast, the rear and side sun-blinds automatically raised and the panoramic sunroof closed.

That’s done via a 5.5in digital control unit with a screen integrated into the rear door trim. Theatre is the word. Although pity the driver, whose rear view is blocked by the screen. For some unfathomable reason, BMW hasn’t fitted a rear-view camera mirror (like Land Rover’s ClearSight one). That’s a weird omission on this otherwise unimpeachable technocrat.

As in the front, the seats are fantastic. Order the Executive Lounge option and you’ll get perhaps the finest, most complex seat ever fitted in a car: the front passenger seat slides and tilts as far forward as it’ll go, leaving the rear occupant free to recline to 42.5 degrees – a record in this class – and there’s no gap in the calf support area, either. Interior design lead Henri von Freyberg tells us that the seats are the thing he’s most proud of. BMW has raised the game and then some on the new 7 Series.

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Driving

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Buying

Buying

What should I be paying?

Prices for the i7 xDrive60 that we’ve mostly talked about here start at £113,970, but as ever, be mindful of the options ‘list’. We suspect it wouldn’t take long on the configurator to send that figure soaring towards the £150k mark. Many of the new car’s juiciest features aren’t standard.

If you want to save a bit of cash and release the front wheels from having to do any powertrain work, the eDrive 50 starts at £100,205. Or you can have the hugely powerful M70 xDrive for the not insignificant sum of £161,905.

For the plug-in hybrids, the 750e starts at £103,895 and the M760e is £119,305.

Again, experience with the iX suggests that the i7 should get close to the 3.1-3.3 mi/kWh that BMW claims for it. If it’s anything to go by, this will be an efficient car despite its size and weight. Charge at home on a 7.4kW wallbox and you’ll get 62 miles range in around 2.5 hours. On a 195kW rapid charger, BMW claims it’ll go from 10 to 80 per cent in 34 minutes.

In Europe, a one-off registration to BMW Charging provides access to 305,000 public charging points. The infrastructure is always improving, but BMW says it’s already one of the top charging providers. It also says that ‘green energy’ used in the i7’s battery cell production and use of secondary raw materials cuts CO2 emissions by around 20 per cent. There’s no cobalt from the Congo in the battery, but having invested in a local project there to improve conditions for mine workers, it may revisit that decision.

The i7 also hastens what we might call the new ownership model. BMW Group has a computing centre – somewhere in Munich we think – that oversees the cars’ assistance functions and over-the-air updates. Software algorithms analyse data and create ‘environment models’, as well as visualisation and control functions. The i7 has the latest eight-megapixel cameras that reduces the number of front cameras on the car while doubling the number of measurement points. If you ever watched the BBC paranoid thriller The Capture, this isn’t the car for you. No high-end new car will be, whether it’s electric or not, because we’re through the looking glass now. They are always watching. BMW even has something called the Drive Recorder that can capture footage from around the car, including the 30 seconds before and after a collision. If this all bothers you, we’ll direct you to a pre-loved 1998 E38 740i. That’s probably the best-looking 7 Series of the lot.

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Specs & Prices

Keyword: BMW 7 Series review