Munich is a city you never tire of visiting. Among its many historic Bavarian buildings and landmarks are the famous Marienplatz and equally iconic4-Cylinder complex, which is the global headquarters of BMW. Just across the street from the “4-Cylinders” is Olympiapark and it was here in April that BMW unveiled its latest and most luxurious 7 Series model.

Prestige was privileged to have been invited to the special event where details of the new 7 Series were presented. As always, with any new BMW and especially the high-end models, the car is brimming with the latest technology and plenty of features never before seen on any BMW or other luxury brands in the past. Moreover, this brand new variant, badged i7, features a fully electric drivetrain.

Luxury electrified The new model, coded internally as G70, is a clean-sheet design from the ground up, and other than the internal combustion engines on some versions, nothing has been carried over from its predecessor, the G11. It is bigger and more luxurious, with some new styling elements that critics may find rather controversial. A double-stacked row of lights flanking the large central grille is its most unique feature. For me, this spin on headlamp design works better on the 7, and visually at least, reduces the expanse of the grille that thankfully has not grown any bigger.

As a special bonus, the slimmer upper rows that house daytime running lights and indicators can be specified with Swarovski crystal lenses. Even when the lights are not lit, the crystals reflect any ambient light that falls on them, offering a sparkle that is a fascinating visual treat.

Every version of the new 7 shares the same body and all with the same wheelbase that is 5mm up on even the L (long) variants of the previous model. BMW has chosen to maintain the 7’s distinctive looks that have been so loved by tycoons all over the world. Hence, from the front, side or rear (although the rear number plate now sits on the bumper, not boot lid), you would not mistake this car for anything other than a BMW 7 Series. Even the electric i7 differentiates itself only by the badge and the silence of its motor.

Top of the new range from the start will be the aforementioned fully electric i7 xDrive 60. BMW’s latest, fifth-generation electric-drive system provides this car with all the new technology in power and drivetrain controls for a higher level of efficiency, with precise management of energy usage and motor output. Electric motors in the front and rear provide drive to all four wheels with a total system power of 554hp and 745Nm torque available from zero to 5000rpm. That is enough for a dash to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds. A more powerful electric i7, the M70 xDrive, will be available later.

You are probably more interested to know just how far you can drive the i7, and critically, how long it takes to recharge. Well, there is total usable battery energy of 101.7kWh when fully charged and this is claimed to be good for a range of between 590km and 625km, depending on your driving style. The batteries can be recharged using either 11kW AC or 195 kW DC. Obviously, the DC charging will have you back on the road in a much shorter time – 30 to 40 minutes are enough to bring the battery up to at least 80 per cent, starting from as low as 10 per cent. And if you are in a hurry, a 10-minute DC charge should give an additional range of 170km. As the onboard charger limits AC input to 11kW, your home charger would require eight to 10 hours for a full charge if there is only about 10 per cent of charge remaining.

Fans of internal combustion have quite a range of turbocharged six and one eight-cylinder petrol engine to choose from. All come with some form of hybrid drive. Six-cylinder models with the 3-litre turbocharged petrol engines come as 735i (286hp) and 740i (380hp) mild hybrid. Meanwhile, the plug-in hybrid 750e and 760e, both also with six-cylinder petrol engines, offer significantly more power than the mild hybrids – 490hp and 571hp respectively, thanks to the 200hp electric motor incorporated in the drive train. Of greater interest are the fuel economy figures from these “e” cars, which are astonishingly small in comparison. BMW claims that both the 750e and the 760e sip a measly 1.1 litres of petrol over 100km of driving, while the mild-hybrids consume seven to eight times more (WLTP cycle). The sole V8 in the current line-up is the 4.4 litre 760i xDrive that is rated at 544 hp and comes only with the 48 volt mid-hybrid system.

Performance figures aside, any prospective 7 Series owner will want to know what the inside has to offer. Nothing disappoints here. The new 7’s passenger compartment is a luxurious and futuristic space for driver and passengers. For a start, doors open or close automatically at a touch. Buttons on each door, both inside and outside, activate the mechanism that works in a noiseless fluid motion. There are 12 ultrasound sensors to protect against collision, so there is no chance of any door opening into a wall, another vehicle or a bystander.

A curved LED display in place of the traditional dashboard is no surprise in this segment of luxury cars these days. All the models in this range come with this spectacle that has a huge array of selectable options. The i7 on display at the Munich event was kitted out with plenty of real Swarovski crystal on elements such as the seat controls, drive selector lever and central i-drive knob. Here, inside the new 7, those crystals looked simply fabulous. There were conflicting opinions, of course, but in my view, BMW has managed a glittery feature with subtlety and class.

Rear-seat passengers are in for a real treat. The spaciousness and high quality of materials, fit and finish are exactly what the typical luxury car owner will appreciate. Then, there is the in-car entertainment, which is the latest and most sophisticated infotainment system ever used on any BMW. Theatre mode essentially transforms the rear compartment into a cinema lounge by closing the blinds, adjusting the lighting and reclining the seats. Then, the huge 31.3-inch BMW Theatre screen lowers from the roof lining. Surround sound is by Bowers and Wilkins, with streaming of movies facilitated by Amazon Fire TV incorporated into the system. BMW claims that the 31.3-inch 8K touch screen is the largest ever in any passenger saloon.

All versions of the new 7 will be fitted standard with adaptive air- suspension at the front and rear. This would certainly enhance the car’s comfort levels, not to mention its dynamic prowess. Automatic self- levelling maintains a constant ride height and lowers by 10mm in Sport mode and when speed exceeds 120km/h in the i7, or 140km/h in models with internal combustion engines. The dampers are electronically controlled and designed to constantly adapt to road surface conditions – all in order to optimise ride comfort and handling. There was never much to criticise the 7 Series ride or handling in the past, but with this added sophistication, the car will no doubt be a hot favourite.

We will have to wait until sometime later in the year, when the i7 will be officially launched across the globe, to actually drive it.

Any trip to Munich (and this was my first in the post-pandemic years) must culminate with a drive of at least one BMW. On this occasion, it happened to be the recently face-lifted M850i xDrive Grand Coupe. Changes to this latest version of BMW’s four-door coupe are minimal and mainly centred around the door mirrors, front bumper and rear diffuser essentially to enhance aerodynamic performance. A new Y-spoke wheel design is the other new exterior feature, along with BMW’s “Icon-glow” LED grille surround. The 850i was anyway elegant to begin with, so not much else needed sprucing up.

It is a similar story inside, with a larger Control Display beside the digital dashboard being the most obvious change. The rest of it is as good as it was with a comfortable driving position and superb ergonomics. Everything you would need for driving enjoyment is ideally laid out. Completing the package is BMW’s lovely turbocharged V8, pumping out 530hp driving all four wheels via an electronically controlled BMW X-drive system.

It is by no means a small car, measuring roughly 5m by 2m and weighing just over 2 tonnes. The V8 sounds great, especially on full-throttle acceleration, but remains sufficiently cultured and avoids giving out any loud crackles or pops out of the exhaust.

Heading southwest from Munich, my driving route included stretches of unrestricted autobahns and eventually to some mountain roads near the border of Lichtenstein. On the autobahns, the M850i was ever willing to surge forward on demand. BMW claims this car will do the 0-to-100km/h sprint in 3.9 seconds and that is easy to believe.

Obviously, on the narrow, twisty mountain roads, the 8 cannot quite hide its size and weight, yet it made a superb showing with sharp and precise dynamic character. Plenty of grip from the x-Drive plus adaptive damping meant the car always stayed resolutely on its path. That is the point of the M850i xDrive GC – it perfectly suits someone who wants a comfortable four-door, four-seater grand tourer that is immensely good at cross-country runs. Plus, the 8 Series Grand Coupe looks so fine too.

Top image: The daytime running lights and indicators of the BMW i7 can be specified with Swarovski crystal lenses, providing a unique visual treat

This story first appeared in Prestige Online – Singapore

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