Facelift of the BMW 7 Series, meaning BIG changes and… one problem

The facelift of the BMW 7 Series caused a lot of emotions, especially among fans of the brand. In my opinion, the new 7 Series has one problem. Which? Let me explain.

The new "seven" after anti-aging treatment, taking into account handling and comfort, has undergone only minor changes. However, the first photos of this model caused a big stir, especially among the fans. BMW.

A facelift in the automotive industry usually involves modifying the headlights, sometimes refreshing the multimedia system, and adding other items to the equipment. Very often, these changes, which, according to manufacturers, create something new, are actually invisible to the average car user.

Small changes, big emotions: the facelift of the BMW 7 Series

In the case of BMW 7 Series (G11/G12) after the facelift, a big difference is visible - why? The car received new, huge, or rather giant kidneys that fit on the hood. Looks like the stylists - in the design editor - are stuck with the zoom button. The effect is, to put it mildly, controversial, but you can't go wrong BMW 7 series before and after the facelift. The manufacturer itself reports that the flagship kidneys have been enlarged by 40%. The BMW logo on the hood has also stretched a bit. Personally, I can't get used to the new kidneys. In fact, the headlights are smaller to fit perfectly with the new grille, but the car has gone from elegant to, to put it mildly, very ostentatious. Does the "seven" want to be like Rolls-Royce, which is also part of the concern BMW?

There are changes in the rear of the car, but they probably do not cause so much emotion. Here, the taillights are narrowed, and the exhaust nozzles are slightly expanded, or rather their imitations on the bumper. The rest of the details - for example, the hood line drawn above - are so subtle that we can only see the differences in the model catalog. The new paint colors and wheel patterns are more of an additional attribute for the sales team, which will clearly inform that we are dealing with something new.

The Mind Palace – facelift of the BMW 7 Series interior

In the interior - one might say - in the old fashioned way. The iDrive system has received a new interface, the steering wheel now has the ability to program buttons for safety assistants, and the dashboard can be enriched with new decorative stripes.

interior BMW 7 Series it still has a luxurious and very ergonomic design. "Seven" makes a really positive impression in a rich configuration. Leather covering most materials, Alcantara on the ceiling and flocked storage compartments reinforce the feeling that we're sitting in an F-segment limousine and having made it in life. I point this out because trust me, the last thing you want to show your friends is a basic material headlining like D-segment cars so you don't give the impression that this isn't a real Sonderklasse.

In the back seat Facelift BMW 7 series it's still very convenient. Especially if we choose the 4 person version. Thanks to this, passengers sitting in the back have a huge amount of space, especially in the extended version, and you can freely customize the settings of the seats, roller shutters, infotainment system using buttons, as well as decal plates for "Seven". A similar solution is offered by the Audi A8 (D5).

One time weaker and slower, another time stronger and faster - let's look under the hood of the BMW 7 Series after the facelift.

The decline of V12 engines has been talked about for a long time. They are huge, expensive to maintain and quite fuel consuming units, but we can still have them in new BMW 7 series facelift. And here is the second controversial issue. Flagship M760Li with a 12 liter V6.6 engine, he suffered because he took 25 horses from him! Currently, it is 585 hp, and was 610 hp. At the same time, the sprint to the top 0,1 was reduced by 3,8 seconds - now it is 3,7 seconds (previously 12 seconds). All thanks to the WLTP standards, which, according to EU politicians, should protect polar bears, and on the other hand, boldly kill the automotive industry. The result was the GPF diesel particulate filter, which in most cases is installed on new cars with gasoline engines. Maybe I'm getting into politics unnecessarily, but it's worth explaining. Although I'll be completely honest. In my opinion, V8 engines in F-segment saloons just don't make sense. They have the sound of a hair dryer, the performance is very similar and sometimes weaker than the V version, and as I mentioned, expensive to repair. Version M760Li it's "art for art's sake" and costs a quarter of a million more than the 750i. I agree that 12-cylinder engines have better maneuverability on the highway, for example in the range of 100-200 km / h, but is it worth paying so much for it?

The rise of the BMW 7 Series Fortunately, this brought more pluses in terms of engine range. Well, the most interesting proposal, BMW 7 Series with 750i designation became stronger by 80 hp! And the acceleration in the short version is 4 seconds (the extended version is 4,1 seconds). xDrive all-wheel drive is standard. In addition, we still have a pleasant, natural sound and velvet operation of the V8.

It is also worth praising the Bavarians for the worthy changes to the hybrid version, which now bears the stigma 745e. This means that instead of the smallest 2-liter gasoline engine in the history of the model, the “seven” received a “row-six” with a volume of 3 liters, and the system's power is approaching 400 horsepower. Of course, the limousine has remained a plug-in hybrid, thanks to which we can charge it, for example, from a home outlet and drive about 50-58 km on electricity. Careful tests will confirm this. Still, it's an interesting proposition, especially since the less stressed larger engine has to make do with less fuel than the smaller 2.0 turbo in the event of a dead battery.

Diesel engines in the BMW 7 Series, all 3 liters, are an interesting proposition when we travel a lot. The big advantage of diesel units is their significant power reserve, which often allows you to drive 900-1000 kilometers on one fuel tank.

However, I prefer to drive

I always say that BMW is sport and Mercedes is comfort. This line is now blurred a little, but is still visible. It's hard to say about BMW 7 Seriesthat this is a car without comfort, quite the contrary. In addition, BMW, despite its rather large dimensions, gives a lot to the slogan “driving pleasure”. The leading seven is reminiscent of the Series 5, only seasoned with prestige and elegance. Unlike the Mercedes S-Class, which gives us the impression that we are in a big boat, this is in terms of feel, parking, agility. BMW 7 Series is a small motorboat.

In my opinion, this is an interesting car because it provides great comfort, has very good performance, and the luggage compartment can accommodate several suitcases. Thanks to the driving modes, depending on the needs, we can turn the 7 Series into an incredibly comfortable limousine or set the sport mode and enjoy cornering, forgetting that we are driving a car more than 5 meters long. In each version of the engine, we have an 8-speed classic automatic that works perfectly.

Two ways

If we are looking for a limousine and love to enjoy driving, then BMW 7 Series will be a good choice, and after the facelift even better. Although the competitor is fresh. This is not about the Mercedes S-class and not about the Audi A8 (D5). I mean the new Lexus LS. The new, fifth generation is no longer a sofa on wheels, it's a great car.

Another plus BMW 7 Series there is a wide choice of engines and very good performance. In addition, the Bavarian limousine is, on the one hand, a car in which the driver should enjoy driving, and on the other hand, the car plays in the same league with its rivals in terms of incredible cross-country ability. comfort as a passenger.

One problem with the new BMW 7 Series

In conclusion, as for me, the problem with Facelift BMW 7 series there is only one, but it is BIG. These are his new kidneys. It took years to get used to Chris Bangle's design, maybe a bit faster in this case.