[BMW5and7]

For 2025, the i7 is only 25% of total G70 sales. I know in some cities it may appear that EV drivetrain is doing all the work for the G70 as the biggest part of its success, but per 2025 datasheets, the i7 sales actually dropped -15% this year. Meanwhile, the ICE models improved by +16%. The entire G70 sales improved by +6% overall all thanks to the ICE G70 per the data even after the 1st/2nd year typical launch spike is gone.

Mbenz 2025 sales declined by 12%, and they noted that the (top-end segment), where the S-Class sits, was their primary drag but never published yet the model-specific numbers. Let’s be generous and give them the absolute best-case scenario: even if we pretend the S is not the primary drag, and hence it had only dropped by the 12% average this year, in this case, even if we completely deleted the i7 from the universe and remove it's sales (and if we also assume those buyers vanished and didn't buy another ICE G70 instead), BMW G70 ICE alone would still virtually outsell the entire S-Class lineup.

Note that Mbenz said that 33% of W223 sales now come from the Maybach, and they do (rightfully so) include the Maybach sales within their published S-class sale numbers. The point I wanna make is that BMW does NOT include the Guard in it's G70 sales numbers (and they shouldn't), and there is no Alpina yet. Despite all of that, even with a virtual removal of i7 numbers this year (+ dumb assumption of buyers disappearing instead of taking another drivetrain), it would still outsell the S. EV drivetrain is not the major driver here, despite how much I LOVE the EV drivetrain. It's the car itself that was a success over every other car according to the data representing everyone around (consumers), not me or what I personally like. At the end of the day, reality doesn't care about personal feelings. I may agree or disagree with the general trend (e.g.: I like the i7) but the math is clear: the ICE G70 is the one doing the heavy lifting and pulling ahead of a declining S-Class. The G70 didn't need the EV drivetrain to take that crown right now... it just added more to it as a better flagship in the minds of consumers today. Nothing else and no other "if" scenario would have changed the current fact in the present for BMW or Mbenz, other than truly a better "car", not just a drivetrain, that needed to be better than the G70 which doesn't exist per customers/sales data.