LCI Facelift 7-Series (G70) / i7 -- First Official Revealed Look!

[A_]

With a front end like that—featuring a horizontal grille—I probably won’t be a new customer. It’s not elegant enough, and there’s not enough chrome. It’s too sporty.

[SuperCryss]

Super!

[pegogetem]

Originally Posted by A_

With a front end like that—featuring a horizontal grille—I probably won’t be a new customer. It’s not elegant enough, and there’s not enough chrome. It’s too sporty.

😏

[oneills98]

Is that front more flat and boxy that the current version? Anyone who may have seen in person, please chime in. Just curious if they made the grill in particular to be more flat toward the top, and less angled in to where it needs the hood.

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by oneills98

Is that front more flat and boxy that the current version? Anyone who may have seen in person, please chime in. Just curious if they made the grill in particular to be more flat toward the top, and less angled in to where it needs the hood.

From the real spy shots and road tests, it still has the angle. Go search for the track spy shots. The changes in dimensions and geometry are VERY subtle.

[Wavy]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWyO7...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[Wolfman64]

Originally Posted by Wavy

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWyO7W4Etgs/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Looks like ai to me…

Also, no way the iconic glow grill is going to have the same brightness as the daylight running lights during the day.

[roamio]

Originally Posted by Wavy

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWyO7...RlODBiNWFlZA==

100% AI.

[SW17LS]

Yup, AI

[jphcbpa]

The new BMW i7 will celebrate its world premiere on April 22nd at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...for-the-bmw-i7

[Wolfman64]

Originally Posted by jphcbpa

The new BMW i7 will celebrate its world premiere on April 22nd at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...for-the-bmw-i7

The press release for the first time spells out the technical improvements of the i7 in terms of battery and charging tech.

This is great news and looks very promising.

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by jphcbpa

The new BMW i7 will celebrate its world premiere on April 22nd at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...for-the-bmw-i7

This is outstanding news. 20% more energy density, using the same batteries volume and no additional weight, can put the i7 closer to the 400 miles range matching the Model S. They also claim shorter charging time that the current one which is already better than my Tesla, despite the additional range, is also cool. The peak charging rate stays at the max for a little longer in reality than my former Tesla S.

[A_]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

This is outstanding news. 20% more energy density, using the same batteries volume and no additional weight, can put the i7 closer to the 400 miles range matching the Model S. They also claim shorter charging time that the current one which is already better than my Tesla, despite the additional range, is also cool. The peak charging rate stays at the max for a little longer in reality than my former Tesla S.

So it's just as I thought. They upgraded the battery, and now they can keep producing until October 2032.

It seems to me that a sedan always has longer range than an SUV because of lower aerodynamic drag.

[JK479]

Originally Posted by Tallest

I was super critical of previous leaked photos.

I take it back.

BMW has done a VERY good job of fixing these shitty designs they did in pre covid and covid days with massive grilles etc. I know the G80 is beyond saving, but their efforts with 7 series and IX are both fantastic in righting a crap design with few tweaks that all of a sudden make cars look OK.

So yeah, I like the 7 a lot more now. The old car can fak off into history, it looks like steaming pile of crap (this is my subjective view ofc, no offence to 7 owners). Same as Facelift X7. The pre facelift X7 and facelift 7 series both look significantly better than their same gen opposites. Same for IX whic in sport trim today actually looks cool (for a minivan ish car).

The Pre LCI of the x7 is a beautiful design- anyone who thinks the LCI rolling around was an improvement needs to return to realty. A non msport x7 is derivative to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee split headlight.

I truly hope the new Gen of x7 is a return to attractive engineered front end design.

[SW17LS]

Originally Posted by JK479

The Pre LCI of the x7 is a beautiful design- anyone who thinks the LCI rolling around was an improvement needs to return to realty. A non msport x7 is derivative to a 2014 Jeep Cherokee split headlight.

I truly hope the new Gen of x7 is a return to attractive engineered front end design.

Every time I see a pre LCI X7 I'm amazed by how much better it looks, and every time I see an LCI G12 7 Series its the same way.

400 miles of range or even over 350 would be a huge plus for the i7

[rot]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

This is outstanding news. 20% more energy density, using the same batteries volume and no additional weight, can put the i7 closer to the 400 miles range matching the Model S. They also claim shorter charging time that the current one which is already better than my Tesla, despite the additional range, is also cool. The peak charging rate stays at the max for a little longer in reality than my former Tesla S.

Actually it is not.
They do not get the 800V system of the Neue Klasse. So this means only minor improvements. Not a big jump as it should be.
It would be a massive improvement if they could offer 240 or 280 kW charging with 600/700 A. Bit I doubt it. But we will know pretty soon.

I think it's a sad decision, as Mercedes in contrary is upgrading the EQS to 800V. They will have the way better drive train going forward.

Good thing, that the next i7 is already coming 2029. I now understand why ICE variations of the g70 will be produced longer and electric will be switching to the new model earlier. It's because of this decision.

So the upside is, that the next i7 in 2029 will make a big jump to a gen7 drive train and at this time then will probably be the best EV in the market.

[A_]

Originally Posted by rot

Actually it is not.
They do not get the 800V system of the Neue Klasse. So this means only minor improvements. Not a big jump as it should be.
It would be a massive improvement if they could offer 240 or 280 kW charging with 600/700 A. Bit I doubt it. But we will know pretty soon.

I think it's a sad decision, as Mercedes in contrary is upgrading the EQS to 800V. They will have the way better drive train going forward.

Good thing, that the next i7 is already coming 2029. I now understand why ICE variations of the g70 will be produced longer and electric will be switching to the new model earlier. It's because of this decision.

So the upside is, that the next i7 in 2029 will make a big jump to a gen7 drive train and at this time then will probably be the best EV in the market.

Where did you get the information about the next-generation i7 being produced in 2029? It seems to me that you’re relying on outdated information, when the G70/G71/G72 were supposed to be produced until June 2029, and production of the ND0 i7 was set to begin in July. Due to the extension of G70/G71/G72 production until October 2032, ND0 i7 production will be postponed, but I could be wrong.

BMW had planned to continue producing gasoline-powered cars only until 2030, but plans have changed

[Wolfman64]

Originally Posted by rot

Actually it is not.
They do not get the 800V system of the Neue Klasse. So this means only minor improvements. Not a big jump as it should be.
It would be a massive improvement if they could offer 240 or 280 kW charging with 600/700 A. Bit I doubt it. But we will know pretty soon.

I think it's a sad decision, as Mercedes in contrary is upgrading the EQS to 800V. They will have the way better drive train going forward.

Good thing, that the next i7 is already coming 2029. I now understand why ICE variations of the g70 will be produced longer and electric will be switching to the new model earlier. It's because of this decision.

So the upside is, that the next i7 in 2029 will make a big jump to a gen7 drive train and at this time then will probably be the best EV in the market.

I agree that anything less than 800V is not acceptable. This is really the baseline to be competitive. That said, the press release mentioned improved charging tech, although without any details.

I will wait until the launch to see what exactly is being introduced. I also don't see the i7 the best EV on the market in this gen or the next...

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by rot

Actually it is not.
They do not get the 800V system of the Neue Klasse. So this means only minor improvements. Not a big jump as it should be.
It would be a massive improvement if they could offer 240 or 280 kW charging with 600/700 A. Bit I doubt it. But we will know pretty soon.

I think it's a sad decision, as Mercedes in contrary is upgrading the EQS to 800V. They will have the way better drive train going forward.

Good thing, that the next i7 is already coming 2029. I now understand why ICE variations of the g70 will be produced longer and electric will be switching to the new model earlier. It's because of this decision.

So the upside is, that the next i7 in 2029 will make a big jump to a gen7 drive train and at this time then will probably be the best EV in the market.

Did you actually read the official notice, or are you just reacting to 400V/800V and filling in the rest yourself? I didn't mention 400 or 800 yet u still labeled my post wrong.

Most of what I wrote came straight from the article itself. They clearly referenced 20% higher volumetric energy density using new cells within the same well-established Gen5 module approach. If the battery packaging volume stays broadly similar, along with new Gen6 cells that carry around 20% more volumetric energy density (kWh per volume), then physics tells that you are looking at 20% more energy in kWh. The article also clearly used the phrase “significantly” more range, which I read as a double-digit than a cosmetic single-digit bump in range %s. My guess is something closer to 20% or less, but certainly not less than 10%.

As for your dates, those are all off now. The timeline has already been shifting, as another user pointed out to you. Search the forum a bit better. We have an internal BMW person here who confirmed that, and I also have a relative who confirmed the same.

On the 400V vs 800V point, sure, that matters technically, but as an actual user (personally) I care far more about the real-world 10–80% charging time and range than the architecture label. Charging profile matters more than peak number alone. My i7, for example, has a much better charging profile than my Tesla did based on real-life use. The Tesla could hit a higher peak on paper or in reality for couple minutes, but it did not sustain charging around that peak nearly as well based on my real-life tracking of the numbers. I do not worship voltage architecture headlines. I care about real charge time and real usable range. e.g.: give me 400V or 800V, I do not care... I will take whichever setup gives me the best mix of usable range and shortest real charging time (e.g. highest range to charge time ratio). If they are "comparable" I'd rather take a setup that will cost me less money to buy. Of course, that is not the only setup I look at when shopping for a car; but it's a balance.

Anyway regardless of whether BMW’s improvement is moderate or major, they still seem very well positioned to continue offering not only one of the best large luxury EVs that exist today, but also in my view the best large luxury sedans overall. Don't change if it ain't broken. Most serious, logical and technically grounded reviewers have consistently placed the Lucid Air and the i7 among the top ev 2-3 sedans on the market. The Taycan gets some mixed feedback depending on use case, the i5 does not really resonate with buyers of that model who are looking for more sporty experience than luxury smooth drivetrains, and the EQS continues to disappoint a lot of people even though I personally still like parts of it. Personal opinions do not always need to line up with broader market reality or the broader feedback from the community/majority.

[Wolfman64]

Originally Posted by BMW5and7

On the 400V vs 800V point, sure, that matters technically, but as an actual user (personally) I care far more about the real-world 10–80% charging time and range than the architecture label. Charging profile matters more than peak number alone. My i7, for example, has a much better charging profile than my Tesla did based on real-life use. The Tesla could hit a higher peak on paper or in reality for couple minutes, but it did not sustain charging around that peak nearly as well based on my real-life tracking of the numbers. I do not worship voltage architecture headlines. I care about real charge time and real usable range. e.g.: give me 400V or 800V, I do not care... I will take whichever setup gives me the best mix of usable range and shortest real charging time (e.g. highest range to charge time ratio). If they are "comparable" I'd rather take a setup that will cost me less money to buy. Of course, that is not the only setup I look at when shopping for a car; but it's a balance.

Sorry, you can't tout any EV in 2026 with a 400V system to be anything but a dinosaur. Just like the Tesla Model S was and is no more.

If Mercedes fully updates its old, 1st gen. flagship EV to 800V, this would be a bad marketing move on BMW's part. I assume they will not.

Like I stated, even the 800V system is not great advertising. That's on the charging side, not efficiency. Neue Klasse seems to finally hit Lucid numbers here many years later.

[BMW5and7]

Originally Posted by Wolfman64

Sorry, you can't tout any EV in 2026 with a 400V system to be anything but a dinosaur. Just like the Tesla Model S was and is no more.

If Mercedes fully updates its old, 1st gen. flagship EV to 800V, this would be a bad marketing move on BMW's part. I assume they will not.

Like I stated, even the 800V system is not great advertising. That's on the charging side, not efficiency. Neue Klasse seems to finally hit Lucid numbers here many years later.

Yes, I also assume they will not, but even if they don’t, I still question if it matters much in 2026. Lucid is the only company now with perfect numbers across the full package (efficiency, range, and charging time). The rest of the industry is getting better, but overall it still has not fully caught up with Lucid in that combined sense. Neue Klasse is almost there anyway as u stated, and ix3 numbers are frankly impressive but i don’t care much about that model.

No doubt that 800V is clearly the right long-term direction, but I do not think it will dramatically affect customer perception in 2026, it didn’t in 2025 and it will not in 2026.

Actually the majority of buyers do not shop by voltage architecture or even know the difference. They ask about the practical numbers: range, charging time... That is exactly why I keep saying the real question is not the achitecture, but rather how the final product performs in the real world.

[SW17LS]

800v vs 400v is definitely a decision point for me as a buyer. I would choose the EQS for the powertrain vs the i7 but I hate the way they look, so I would probably still choose the i7. EQS powertrain is superior, better range, 800v...