2019 BMW 7 Series facelift revealed

THE BMW 7 Series is the latest model in the Bavarian range to go under the knife in a ‘Life Cycle Impulse’, or facelift, to non-BMW folk.

At the forefront of the long list of changes is a newly designed front fascia, featuring a gargantuan-sized, 40 percent bigger kidney grille.

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Together with a 50mm-raised bonnet-line, the new 7 Series sports an imposing look to ensure no one dares get in your way.

Headlights and taillights have been slimmed and house LED lights as standard, with optional BMW Laserlights on offer which can throw a 560-metre-long high beam.

Chrome edging lines the bumper trim, and continues along the body and around the back to where a full-width light strip now exists, similar to that of the Audi A8.

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The 7 Series will exist in two body shapes, retaining short and long wheelbase versions which measure 22 millimetres longer each, and extend 5120mm and 5260mm long respectively.

As always, an M Sport package will be on offer, adding a sports body kit and relevant style touches, but a new line now exists called Design Pure Excellence.

This adds chrome in place of satin aluminium around the exterior, but the luxurious package steps up on the inside where swathes of Alcantara line the roof and deep-pile floor mats soothe your feet.

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The interior also boasts BMW’s new iDrive 7.0 infotainment system which was debuted on the latest BMW X5.

Together with the voice-activated BMW Intelligent Personal assistant, which acts like Apple’s Siri, the 7 Series’ infotainment technology is brought back onto a level playing field with its newer competitors.

Save for moderately redesigned woodgrain trim and a new leather steering wheel, the interior design hasn’t changed a great deal in comparison to the outgoing 7 Series.

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Nappa leather quilted seats team with a redesigned ambient lighting package to add to the luxo-limo’s exquisite cabin. Wireless smartphone charging is offered for the first time too.

A refreshed line-up of power units will usher in the new 7 Series, with a new V8 joining the existing range of six-cylinder, eight-cylinder and twelve-cylinder engines.

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At the top of the model tree is the M760Li XDrive, with a 6.6-litre V12 producing 430kW and 850Nm, with a new petrol particulate filter to keep fuel economy down to a still-large 12.5L/100km.

A twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 can be found in the 750i and 750Li variants, which produces an extra 60kW compared to last time, with 390kW and 750Nm on tap.

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Along with the regular inline 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engines that will be offered on the 730d, 740d and 750d, a specially-developed petrol inline six-cylinder will also combine with battery power for the plug-in hybrid 745e, which is claimed to sip fuel at a rate of 2.1L/100km.

All these variants are offered with long-wheelbase bodies, and a majority of the range is expected to come to Australia, with pricing to be announced closer to the mid-year launch date.

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