BMW 7 Series refresh

BMW used the Beijing auto show on April 22 to unveil a heavily updated 7 Series, folding its next-generation Neue Klasse tech into the brand’s flagship sedan. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW said the new 7 Series is the “most extensive model update” it has ever carried out on the car, with global production starting in July 2026 at its Dingolfing plant in Germany. The launch lineup includes electric i7 50 xDrive and i7 60 xDrive models plus gasoline 740 and 740 xDrive versions. (press.bmwgroup.com) The biggest change is inside. BMW is moving the 7 Series to Panoramic iDrive, a full-width display and software system powered by BMW Operating System X, and adding a front passenger screen plus an upgraded 8K rear Theatre Screen with Dolby Atmos. (press.bmwgroup.com) On the electric side, BMW fitted the i7 with a new 112.5-kilowatt-hour usable battery using large cylindrical cells from its sixth-generation battery system. Electrive reported that replaces the old 101.7-kilowatt-hour pack and lifts peak charging to 250 kilowatts from 200. (electrive.com) BMW says the i7 60 xDrive can travel up to 720 kilometers, or about 447 miles, on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure cycle, and can charge from 10% to 80% in 29 minutes. Those figures put the car closer to newer premium electric rivals that have been pushing longer range and faster charging as table stakes in China. (press.bmwgroup.com; electrive.com) Beijing was not a neutral backdrop. BMW has been preparing Neue Klasse production in Shenyang and began pre-series output in China in January, underscoring how central the market is to its next wave of electric models. (electrive.com) The 7 Series is not a full Neue Klasse vehicle underneath. Electrive said BMW kept the older CLAR platform and adapted the new battery cells into a 400-volt system, effectively giving the i7 a midway upgrade rather than a clean-sheet redesign. (electrive.com) BMW is using the sedan as the first luxury model to spread Neue Klasse features into its existing range before the technology rolls across more segments. The company said that rollout will extend across drivetrains and markets, making the 7 Series a test case for how fast BMW can modernize its high-end lineup without waiting for full platform replacements. (press.bmwgroup.com) The exterior changes are more restrained than the hardware update: BMW gave the car a flatter illuminated kidney grille, new crystal headlights and what it calls a more “monolithic” design. For a sedan that has been BMW’s technology showcase since 1977, the pitch in Beijing was less about sheet metal than whether software, screens and battery gains can keep the flagship credible in the world’s toughest premium electric market. (press.bmwgroup.com)