Click above image for a gallery of the new 7
There's a crack in the dam somewhere at BMW, and what certainly appear to be official press shots of the new 2009 7 Series are now making the rounds. This leads us to believe that we should see an official release from the automaker sometime over the weekend (if the way the 1 Series leaks played out is any indication). Obviously, all we have to go on are the photos, so lets talk about what we can see. The new car's lines and overall appearance are remarkably conservative compared to the Bangleized E65/E66 cars we were presented in 2001. The 2006 facelift those cars underwent cured many of those visual ills, and this latest car mainstreams things even further.
Up front, the wide double-kidney grille is flanked by angel-eye lamps that have an "eyebrow" built into their assembly. Move to the rear, and you'll find a pair of somewhat bulbous-looking (in pictures, at least) taillamps that are likely to generate a good amount of for/against chatter. Integrated, parallelogram-shaped exhaust tips poke through the rear bumper of the gold long-wheelbase car, while the darker, diesel-powered standard-length machine has a traditional double-tipped outlet on the driver's side.
The interior sports a new iDrive controller with buttons mounted around it now, and the iDrive onscreen interface itself is new, too. The multifunction steering wheel now has 3 spokes instead of four, and one shot clearly shows BMW's new in-car Internet service onscreen. Finally, the rear-seat entertainment system gets screens on each front seatback instead of the single, low-mount center screen available in the current 7. We're sure there's plenty more to talk about as well. For now, the comment floor is yours, and we expect to be talking about the official details in the coming days. Thanks to all the tipsters!
[Source: 7Post]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Ham @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:29AM
Overall, the car looks great. However, I think the back lights with the exhaust looks too much like the LS460.
Victor @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:37AM
I concur.
Way of the Future @ Jul 3rd 2008 10:11AM
same thing i was thinking
HJC @ Jul 3rd 2008 10:34AM
FROM REAR 3/4 VIEW: that sure is the ugliest CAMRY i ever done seen!
Torrent @ Jul 3rd 2008 10:51AM
To me there's not much of a change. I was hoping CS Concept, not a reworked interior and front/rear end.
Franz @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:08AM
It's not bad... much better than the outgoing 7, but I was hoping it would've been a little more distinctive.
Brian @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:56AM
Its does look like a lexus! Overall I think its horrid. The interior looks to similar to the old one too. WHEN WILL THEY DITCH THE 1980s STYLE GAUGES!!! I know there part of the BMW style but come on. A new interior is suppose to be uh, NEW. Why do you need to a car that big to be tuned at the ring? Its supposed to be smooth and comfortable. Not sporty. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a big body luxury car it wouldn't be this. I'd spend it on the S-Class.
Justin C @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:54PM
I know this is weird, but from the back, specifically the taillights, I see a good amount of similarity to the Hyundai Genesis sedan. Anyone else see that, or am I taking crazy pills? Hehe.
MARCO @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:31AM
WOW....The exterior is freaking hot. Unmistakingly BMW that's for sure. The S-class is going down. As for the interior, it looks more like next generation 5 series rather than next generation 7 series.
Alex @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:37AM
Wow, couldn't disagree with you more!
In my view, the S-class looks really special and has presence.
This new 7-series looks fine, but looks to me like a mix of the LS460 and the Accord.
Flashpoint @ Jul 3rd 2008 10:03AM
OH MY GOD YOU DID NOT SAY THAT.
I OWN a 2007 S550 and the BMW is no match at all for it.
This is the first foriegn big body I've ever bought and before buying, I tested the A8L, the 745, the 750, the ls460l and the S550.
The BMW 7 drives better than the S550 because it was tuned to be a sports car even though its huge. The interior design turned me off though. The chair controls and i-drive were terrible.
The LS460 drives just as well as the 750 but the 750 feels better around tight turns. The Ls460 has more interior space.
I choose the S550 because it was large, far more comfortable and had a much nicer interior design...unfortunately it costs about $30,000 more.
This new 7 series looks good but the "polygonal exhausts" mean that they copied the Ls460's design a little.
Mobius_1 @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:02AM
This 7-series look BLAND, it is IMHO a bigger crime than ugliness (and Bangle-ness)
OTOH, the S-Class looks far more special, classy, fluent and elegant
HJC @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:07AM
really, Autoblog, i think you're infiltrated by BMW sales reps/spies....hahaha...kidding.
User @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:30PM
I would prefer the LS or A8... I like understated luxury. I don't want everyone to know I'm driving such an expensive car. That's a good way to get people to dislike you.
MARCO @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:33PM
How is the LS understated luxury..Lexus is the worse at that.
LMBVette @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:35AM
I'm a bit disappointed. I thought the car was going to look more like that CS prototype we've been seeing....which is way sexy.
It looks like...well...a 7 series. Nice job. LOL
Neil @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:39AM
Remember this is a re-skin, the chassis is still the same so they really couldn't change the look/shape all that much, definitely not enough to get to the CS look.
Also the CS should be turning into the 8 Series BMW later on....if the rumors are right.
meshies @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:19PM
WTF is the lower front fascia treatment!? Just a flat, black, open piece of plastic? Thats a major problem. This will look fantastic once the aftermarket companies get a hold of it.
Alex @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:35AM
The interior looks like it was designed by a fighter pilot.
MikeofLA @ Jul 3rd 2008 10:14AM
Nothing wrong with that. You think BMW might be going back to the driver centric cockpit that slowly devolved into a flat, whole car centric "wall"?
I hope so. I really hope the new 5 has a little more flair and excitement in it.