2023 BMW 7 Series Packs a Wallop of Tech Behind an Awkward Face – Roadshow [CNET]

April 20, 2022 Craig Cole technology

2023 BMW 7 Series - driving — BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 has been thoroughly reworked.

BMW

Finally, the exciting new i7 xDrive60 features a pair of electric motors that are manufactured with no rare-earth materials, making them more environmentally friendly. This car’s front dynamo provides 255 hp and the rear motor is good for 308, meaning the i7 is graced with 536 horsepower in total and 549 lb.-ft. of torque, which provides a 0-to-60 time of about 4.5 seconds. The car’s floor-mounted battery pack contains 101.7-kilowatt-hours of usable capacity, enough for a BMW-estimated range of 300 miles on the EPA test cycle. For much more information on the exciting all-electric i7, we have a whole separate article, so make sure to check that out.

Aggressive but not necessarily attractive

If you’re not a fan of BMW’s bucktooth front ends, you probably won’t love the new 7. Overall, this sedan has a chiseled, hard-edged look that is in keeping with other all-electric BMWs like the iX SUV. The kidney grille has grown to oppressive proportions and the perimeter of each opening can now be illuminated, drawing even more attention. Another controversial design element are the split headlamps, which give the car a leering appearance. Those bottom assemblies house the low- and high-beam lights; adaptive LED lamps with cornering lights and automatic high beams are standard across the range. As for the upper housings, they contain the daytime running lights and, for extra money, can be gussied up with Swarovski crystal elements that are illuminated by 22 LED units.

This is a tall, imposing car, with the lengthy hood standing at least hip high at the front. Moving along the 7 Series’ flanks, the body is relatively clean, with its nearly flush-mounted glass and recessed door handles. For added luxury or as a parlor trick to impress your friends, automatic doors are optional. They open or close at the push of a button from the inside or outside the car, plus you can activate them via the key fob. A dozen ultrasound sensors prevent these swing panels from crashing into parked vehicles or the wall of your garage, knocking pedestrians over or hitting other traffic, which would be really bad.

The 740i and 760i xDrive models come standard with an M Sport package, an options group that’s also available at no extra cost on the i7 xDrive60. This includes a unique front end, other visual tweaks and either 20- or 21-inch wheels. An M Sport Professional package is available across the new 7 Series range and it includes upgraded brakes, a discreet rear spoiler and dark trim on the grille.

As for paint colors, one nonmetallic and 10 metallic hues are offered on the 740i and 760i xDrive. The 760 offers three additional metallic shades, plus you can get a range of two-tone finishes from the BMW Individual program, which is really cool.

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If you like screens, you’ll love this interior.

BMW

Ensuring everyone is comfortable, four-zone climate control is standard in the new 7, ditto for a nanoparticle filter that can remove virus-sized particles, something that sounds pretty useful in the age of COVID-19. Helping improve range, the i7 features an efficient heat pump instead of a power-hungry resistive heater.

As for seating arrangements, up front, heated, ventilated and massaging chairs are available depending on model, while rear seats with the same functionality are offered, too. You can also get an Executive Lounge options group that adds a reclining function and a leg rest for the passenger-side rear seat. But whether you go gasoline or electric, “[There] is no difference whatsoever in the seating comfort and space between the two drivetrains,” said Pieter Nota, member of the board of management at BMW.

Providing customers with more choice, you can get the new 7 Series with unique materials. Open-pore wood trim is offered, as are cashmere wool and leather seating surfaces. Veganza provides an alternative to traditional leather, though any cow hides used in this car come from controlled sources in Europe or North America.

Letting the light shine in is a standard Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof. This massive, fixed panel features integrated LED threads that create a light show when entering the car, though the colors can also be customized depending on your mood.

Hands-free driving and parking

Naturally, this flagship-caliber sedan comes with plenty of advanced driver aids including things like lane-departure and forward-collision warning. The latter item can also prevent crashes while making left-hand turns by automatically applying the brakes if oncoming traffic is detected. Automated parking functionality is another cornerstone technology. BMW’s latest version of this feature not only uses other vehicles as guides, but it also can read lines and curbs for greater accuracy. This system allows you to maneuver into and out of parking spaces from outside the vehicle via the My BMW app, which also enables you to use your phone as a key. The new 7 Series also features an interior camera that lets you take snapshots or, again, through the My BMW app, look to see if you left something in the backseat. There’s even an antitheft recorder built right in.

Rivaling GM’s Super Cruise and Ford BlueCruise, BMW’s optional Driving Assistance Professional package with Highway Assistant enables hands-free driving on divided highways at speeds up to 80 mph, double what the technology could do before. Like those other systems, you must pay attention and be ready to intervene if the vehicle requests it, but still, this will be a godsend on long drives. We tested it in an i7 prototype in Germany.