GoKawiilis transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
Ever since BMW first announced its “Neue Klasse” next-generation electric vehicle architecture and design language way back in 2021, the question on many fans’ minds was when the new technology would reach the automaker’s flagship 7 Series.
Well, that moment has finally arrived. Today, at events in New York City and Beijing, BMW unveiled its new 7 Series on the Neue Klasse platform. And while some of the styling choices remain polarizing, the power and technology riding under the surface is sure to give these $100,000-plus machines a strong selling point. Simply put, BMW wants to transform its decades-old advertising slogan as “the Ultimate Driving Machine” to the “Ultimate Computing Platform.” Will it succeed? Let’s take a look at what’s being revealed.
Image: BMW
First thing to note is BMW’s decision to release multiple powertrains. The 7 Series will launch with not one, not two, but six different variants: there’s the EVs, the i7 50 xDrive and i7 60 xDrive; the internal combustion models, the 740 and 740 xDrive; the plug-in hybrid, 750e xDrive; and in 2027, a V8 M performance model. This is likely a reflection of the current reality in which EV sales are on the upswing in some markets, and struggling in others.
The 7 Series will launch with not one, not two, but six different variants
All versions will feature BMW’s massive illuminated kidney grilles, offset by a pair of accent light eyebrows. The grille is a little slimmer than the 2026 model year, but it’s hardly noticeable. The adaptive headlights are also tucked further into the air curtains, making them almost invisible until they’re switched on.
Image: BMW
Yes, BMW heard all your negative comments about its buck-toothed design, and still went ahead and slapped it on its flashiest, most popular vehicles. Why? In short, sales are still good. People aren’t fleeing from the brand because of the grille. So the Chiclets remain.
... continue reading