BMW’s long-range 7 Series

BMW used the Beijing auto show to roll out a redesigned 2027 7 Series, putting Neue Klasse software and hardware into its flagship sedan for the first time. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW said the April 22 debut covers four launch models: the electric i7 50 xDrive and i7 60 xDrive, plus the gasoline 740 and 740 xDrive. A 750e xDrive plug-in hybrid is due in the first quarter of 2027, and production starts in July 2026 at Dingolfing in Germany. (press.bmwgroup.com) The electric headline is range. BMW said the new i7 can travel more than 720 kilometers, or about 447 miles, on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure, the European range test used by most global automakers. (press.bmwgroup.com) Neue Klasse is BMW’s next vehicle architecture, but the company is now moving parts of it into existing models instead of waiting for all-new cars. BMW said the 7 Series is the first luxury sedan to get that package, including Panoramic iDrive and the new Operating System X. (bmwgroup.com) Panoramic iDrive is BMW’s new cockpit layout. The company said it projects information across the windshield, adds a central display beside the steering wheel, offers an optional 3D head-up display, and runs on software built in-house. (bmwgroup.com) BMW is also using the 7 Series to push battery changes into the i7. The U.S. press release says the pack now uses cylindrical cells with higher energy density, while BMW’s earlier Neue Klasse technical briefing said its sixth-generation electric system is built around an 800-volt architecture aimed at better charging speed and range. (press.bmwgroup.com 1) (press.bmwgroup.com 2) The timing is tied to China as much as to the car itself. BMW said Neue Klasse technology will spread across its lineup by the end of 2027, and Beijing has become a showcase where global brands emphasize electric range, charging and in-car software for buyers who already have many domestic EV options. (bmwgroup.com) The 720-kilometer figure is strong for a large luxury sedan, but it does not put BMW at the very top of the current luxury EV range race. Mercedes-Benz said last week that the updated EQS can reach 925 kilometers on the same WLTP test, and Lucid has cited up to 960 kilometers WLTP for the Air Grand Touring in Europe. (media.mbusa.com) (morningstar.com) Inside, BMW added a new passenger screen and upgraded the rear 31.3-inch Theater Screen so it can support Zoom calls. The company is also offering Dolby Atmos audio with the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System. (press.bmwgroup.com) BMW is framing the new 7 Series as the bridge between its current lineup and the full Neue Klasse rollout. For now, the message from Beijing is simple: even legacy luxury sedans are being sold on battery math and software screens as much as leather and horsepower. (press.bmwgroup.com)