In person look at BMW i7 in Tanzanite Blue Metallic

[Tallest]

IX is nicer than this, and thats saying a lot as IX is not that beautiful car, though it looks way more cohesive when put together.

[Jim-Bow]

I both like and dislike more than I thought I would in this colour combination, how do BMW do it!

[wesleyan92]

The new 7 design is hideous. Only one that looks legit is in full blacked out that hides the strange elements of the front end. I just don't understand how an army of Board and C-Suite execs can see this in initial design phases and sign off. WTF.

[M3ANSPEC]

BMW I7 in individual Axolotl Blue

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by KoenG

Still remember they had these in the showrooms.



I was convinced that there was nothing they could further improve on the design. I guess the guys of BMW design realised that also and ditched "natural beauty" and went for more ornamentation and conflicting lines since.

But the E65 that came after the E38, introduced
Back in 2002, went on to become the best selling 7-Series EVER. Remember how people used to hate when the E65 was launched as Bangle's abomination?

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by wesleyan92

The new 7 design is hideous. Only one that looks legit is in full blacked out that hides the strange elements of the front end. I just don't understand how an army of Board and C-Suite execs can see this in initial design phases and sign off. WTF.

The Quandt family, who owns BMW, has vote/veto power and nothing comes out without their final sign off😉

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by GFK007

Yea, it's still absolutely horrific. Will age just like the pre LCI e65 did. Revolution for the sake of staying relevant.

I'm intrigued by the people who keep banging on about the updated / cutting edge tech etc. Maybe I am in the minority, but I love cars for their design first and foremost. If I don't like looking at it, there's no chance I am ever going to buy it. For me, tech is well behind performance, driving feel etc..

It's kinda like Tesla. I admire and appreciate the technology, but you can't for one second tell me that a Tesla is a "car guys," car. They are for gadget guys who are into having an iPad for a dashboard - just not my thing.

Like everything in life, to each his own, but that is not what BMW was built on.

BMW changed direction 20 years ago and the E65 7-Series with the Bangle butt and headlight eyebrows signaled what was to come from BMW.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by chrisny

Disaster.

It will sell like hotcakes.

You and I are not the intended market target.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by 10"

The front end looks like 2 cars glued on top of one another—-an absolutely hideous car. Unreal 😂

Like National Lampoon's Family Truckster?

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by JRobUSC

I think that looks fantastic. In a segment where blandness is rampant I’m glad to see BMW building something that makes a statement. It looks futuristic, aggressive, and expensive. It’s almost menacing. In fact if you replaced the bmw grill with a Rolls Royce grill it would totally fit as a Rolls. Someone with Photoshop skills should try it. It absolutely blows Benz, Audi, and Tesla away, inside and out. If I was in the market for a $140k ultra luxury sedan, this would be it.

True.

The F01 (2009-2015) and G11/12 (2016-2022) 7-Series that came after the all time best seller E65 (2002-2008), never sold as well. In fact the 7-Series became stagnant with designs made to please everyone but failed to generate interest, sales and buzz word. The 7 Series of late, one could argue, looked like a stretch wheel base G30 5 Series at least until Pre-LCI. This is why in 2020, BMW added the controversial oversized front grille to the 7-Series that everyone here loved to hate. But 2 years in and in retrospect, that move made the G11/12 LCI have the road presence it never had before and further separated it from the 5 Series that it strongly resembled. Halo sedans now days need to look the part and polarizing/controversial design will be part of the equation for better or worse.

[roho3323]

Originally Posted by silverstar335

Some numbers:

Tesla Model S is nowhere near the same class outside of price, It's a 5 series, A6, E class, competitor.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by roho3323

Tesla Model S is nowhere near the same class outside of price, It's a 5 series, A6, E class, competitor.

And the current Model S is a 10 year old design and it shows. Car has lots of road noise in the back.

[cbertels]

Originally Posted by roho3323

Tesla Model S is nowhere near the same class outside of price, It's a 5 series, A6, E class, competitor.

And yet, for the same money, a large number of buyers would rather (over)pay for the Tesla than the S/7/8 class offerings from the Germans. Not sure what to make of that but here we are.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by cbertels

And yet, for the same money, a large number of buyers would rather (over)pay for the Tesla than the S/7/8 class offerings from the Germans. Not sure what to make of that but here we are.

That's OK. But the statistic that we don't have is how many of those Model S owners return to Germans after experiencing first hand Tesla "Quality" and "Service"?

[JDUNITNOW]

Originally Posted by AhsanU

The G8X grew on me after seeing it in person.

The iX somehow got uglier after seeing it in person.

This new 7 will likely not grow on me either.

I just don't get who at bmw is looking at these new cars and says "yes this is a great car and it encompasses what the brand is about." Bmw to me is about the perfect blend of luxury and performance and has an exterior look to match the aggression of the car. I can't really say that that's what bmw is about anymore. I know bmw needs to sell cars and is trying to appeal to a crowd that previously didn't buy bmw's, but it feels like they're alienating a lot of their core fans. But it might be safe for them as long as they don't stray too far away on their main money makers (3 series, x3, etc)

At this point, it feels like bmw is being obtusely polarising for the sake of being polarising.. and it's getting boring and stale.

You said it, the G80 grew on me after seeing it on person. This car will do the same thing when it shows up in the wild. I owned 5 seven series starting in 03 and loved each one of them. I currently own a G80 and almost get mugged before getting out my car. I have mixed emotions about this 7 but when it hits the showroom, I will be there to see it and won't mind swallowing my words. And I am sure some here that are trashing it, will be here next year posting pictures like the ones in the G80 forum.

[530iDriver]

For those of you that despise the looks of this car, remember the LCI refresh will come during the 2027 model year, 2 years before the 6 year production cycle will come to an end in 2029. All
New 7-Series expected for the 2030 model year…

[Wanderer73]

Split lights are still throwing me off, but otherwise, its overall design is growing on me. It does look menacing.

[A6bullet]

Oh wow, it's worse than I thought lmao. Where is the BMW?

[sahajesh]

Originally Posted by cbertels

And yet, for the same money, a large number of buyers would rather (over)pay for the Tesla than the S/7/8 class offerings from the Germans. Not sure what to make of that but here we are.

Easy.

They want an EV with bags of space and a comfortable ride.

They don't mind/quite like the Tesla Spartan interior.

Bear in mind, the S was the first luxury EV and no doubt a fair chunk of the revenue goes towards maintaining/improving the Supercharger network.

They pay for that by not making the car as nice.

I can't see any other car manufacturer investing in their own charger platform, they don't need to, of course, whereas Tesla HAD to and need to keep doing it.

I really don't understand why people stumble on this.

I'm not a Tesla fan but know enough that are - the charger network is a big draw plus the integration - as said, people will accept a different interior for that experience, others will not.

[MadBimmeRad]

Originally Posted by cbertels

And yet, for the same money, a large number of buyers would rather (over)pay for the Tesla than the S/7/8 class offerings from the Germans. Not sure what to make of that but here we are.

You cannot cure stupidity

[cbertels]

Originally Posted by sahajesh

Easy.

They want an EV with bags of space and a comfortable ride.

They don't mind/quite like the Tesla Spartan interior.

Bear in mind, the S was the first luxury EV and no doubt a fair chunk of the revenue goes towards maintaining/improving the Supercharger network.

They pay for that by not making the car as nice.

I can't see any other car manufacturer investing in their own charger platform, they don't need to, of course, whereas Tesla HAD to and need to keep doing it.

I really don't understand why people stumble on this.

I'm not a Tesla fan but know enough that are - the charger network is a big draw plus the integration - as said, people will accept a different interior for that experience, others will not.

Depends on location. The network is incredibly lacking in large sections of the country. FWIW, gun to my head I'm buying the Audi.

[rlowy]

Not very appealing at all, but neither was the previous version compared to the 5 Series for me.