this thing is gorgeous!
I love the short wheelbase car, it looks much better proportioned.
From what I read from interviews, due to how they set up this cars suspenion geometry pretty much sealed how it would look - i.e. much better proportioned and not requiring high trunk, huge wheels to make it look good, etc. Bangle was saying that thanks to engineers this car turned out better designed.
there was one guy from Iran who designed the whole interior and they also praised his job, but also said that few people from the BMW board of directors, arguably guys who get to use the older 7er quite much, hated the flat dash and insisted it becomes more driver oriented. Thanks to those people in the top of the chain, the car got changed a little. It's nice to know I thought.