BMW Korea officially launches the new 7 Series in the domestic market.
The BMW 7 Series, which made its debut in 1977 as BMW’s flagship sedan, has consistently evolved with each generation, presenting a clear vision of luxury’s future.
The newly launched 7 Series is a complete overhaul of the seventh generation, emphasizing an overwhelming presence and luxurious emotional appeal in its design, as well as a differentiated digital experience provided by a new entertainment system, offering a new level of mobility experience based on exclusive luxury sense.
The new i7, the first all-electric model in the 7 Series lineup, joins the mix. The latest pure electric technology encapsulated in the new i7 combines the luxury ride comfort unique to the BMW 7 Series with the quiet driving feel characteristic of all-electric models, setting a new standard for luxury all-electric driving.
The exterior of the new 7 Series has been transformed with a distinct design emphasizing overwhelming presence and luxury that is characteristic of BMW’s luxury class. The body length has increased by 130mm, width by 50mm, and height by 65mm compared to the previous generation long-wheelbase model, with an extended wheel axle distance of 5mm, resulting in a more spacious interior.
The upper units of the separated headlights at the front feature ‘L’ shaped Swarovski crystal lighting that serves as daytime running lights and turn signals.
This feature, known as BMW Crystal Headlight Iconic Glow, creates an effect akin to sparkling jewelry when the doors are unlocked. Coupled with the ‘BMW Kidney Iconic Glow’ contour lighting of the grille, it accentuates the impressive presence of the new 7 Series.
The side profile is adorned with a high shoulder line extending from the daytime running lights to the rear lights, a smooth body surface design, and a balanced body proportion despite the increased vehicle size, emphasizing visual elegance. The wide C-pillar structure and the extended rear door placement enhance the ease of ingress and egress, a hallmark of flagship models.
The latest chassis technology in the new 7 Series finds an ideal balance between driving performance and ride comfort, offering both driving pleasure and luxurious ride quality.
The adaptive two-axle air suspension, standard on all models, optimizes the vehicle’s height based on speed and driving mode, ensuring excellent stability and ride comfort.
The new i7 xDrive60 model is equipped with the Executive Drive Pro, which actively controls the body roll. This system, consisting of active roll stabilization and active roll comfort features, operates based on a separate 48V electric motor located in the suspension, maintaining a balanced state of the vehicle even in corners, and actively suppressing body tilt in situations where the left and right wheels move irregularly, offering unmatched comfort.
Additionally, every model of the new 7 Series comes equipped with BMW’s Integral Active Steering, which can steer the rear wheels up to 3.5 degrees, enhancing parking convenience while offering exceptional high-speed stability.
The BMW new 7 Series includes a rear-seat BMW Theater Screen as a standard feature across all models.
The BMW Theater Screen descends from the ceiling comprising a world-first vehicle entertainment system with a 32:9 aspect ratio and a 31.3-inch panoramic display. It includes popular OTT platforms like Netflix and YouTube, allowing users to operate directly without connecting additional devices while supporting up to 8K resolution. Moreover, content playback from external devices via HDMI connections is also possible, making it a moving office as well.
The new 7 Series is equipped with a ‘Theater Mode’ function for the BMW Theater Screen.
Once activated via the touch command located on the rear door, all rear-seat blinds automatically open, and the indoor lighting intensity adjusts to create an optimized environment for multimedia enjoyment.
Moreover, the new i7 is equipped with a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system that maximizes spatial and immersive experience with 4D sound, featuring 35 speakers that deliver up to 1,965W of output, including headrest-integrated speakers and seat exciters. The new 740i features a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system providing delicate sound tuning.
The latest infotainment technology and vehicle entertainment system of the new 7 Series offer a new level of digital driving experience.
In the front seats, a curved display is featured with a 12.3-inch information display and a 14.9-inch control display, along with a BMW Interaction Bar that applies crystal design with various shy tech concepts. The BMW Interaction Bar, serving as an ambient light, can switch the interior mood according to the My Mode, while it communicates information to drivers based on entry/exit and driving situations, enhancing interaction between the driver and the vehicle. Additionally, augmented reality navigation is applied to the instrument panel for the first time at BMW, providing drivers with more intuitive route guidance.
The all-electric model, the BMW new i7, incorporates a unique electric vehicle sound known as BMW Iconic Sound Electric. Developed through collaboration between BMW Group and renowned film music composer Hans Zimmer, the BMW Iconic Sound Electric maximizes immersion in pure electric driving with its futuristic and grand sound depending on the driving mode.
The new 7 Series features several premium amenities designed to elevate the sense of luxury, turning the interior into a premium lounge-like space.
For the first time, all models in the new 7 Series will feature an automatic door function that enables automatic opening and closing of both front and rear doors. This allows users to operate doors simply by button control from the outside or inside the vehicle, and also offers the option to open or close the vehicle doors individually or all together from the driver’s seat. Moreover, a sensor located below the vehicle’s side detects obstacles and automatically adjusts the angle at which the doors open.
The new 7 Series offers rear-seat ‘Executive Lounge’ designed to provide the comfort of first-class air travel. This seat is optimized for improved seat angle and spacious headroom, providing a comfortable and relaxed seating experience.
Featuring soft-touch BMW Individual Merino leather and the highest quality cashmere materials debuting in the BMW new 7 Series, it maximizes the luxury sentiment. The seat massage function for rear-seat passengers consists of 8 different programs.
Additionally, all models are equipped with a panoramic glass roof sky lounge, offering a vast open feel and illuminated graphics of quilted design that create an emotional atmosphere in the interior with 15 color lighting effects.
4-zone air conditioning, heated features at all seats’ doors, central armrest, and lower instrument panels are included in the heat comfort package, along with premium convenience features such as door soft closing, rear seat electric sun blinds, and comfort access, all standard across the range.
The newly released 7 Series is available in two models: the pure electric new i7 xDrive60 and the mild hybrid new 740i sDrive.
The BMW new i7 xDrive60, equipped with the 5th generation eDrive system, produces a peak output of 544 horsepower from two electric motors, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. It includes an electric all-wheel drive system with an actuator wheel slip limitation for optimized traction in any situation, paired with a 105.7 kWh high-voltage battery ensuring a driving range of 438 km combined on a single charge.
The BMW new 740i sDrive features a first in the 7 Series lineup: a 48-volt mild hybrid system. The BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine, harmonizing with this mild hybrid system, delivers a peak output of 381 horsepower and a maximum torque of 55.1 kg·m, combined with an 8-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.
The new 7 Series is equipped with an advanced driver assistance system comprising long-range radar, over 30 ultrasonic and radar sensors, and vehicle cameras, contributing to accident risk reduction with various warning features. It includes active cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane-keeping assist, and lane change assist.
The standard Parking Assistant Professional features a reverse assistant aiding steering for up to 200m, along with the BMW Drive Recorder function that records ambient situations while driving, and remote control parking capabilities accessible through a smartphone app, providing drivers with various conveniences.
The new 7 Series has also been equipped with a new maneuvering assistant capable of automatically driving up to 200m distance stored in memory. This function learns all tasks required for navigation, from acceleration, braking, steering, to gear setting, facilitating automatic execution when driving to specific locations or frequently used routes.
The new 7 Series is launched in two trims: Design Pure Excellence and the M Sport Package with prices starting from 173 million won for the Design Pure Excellence Executive Package of the new 740i sDrive and 176.3 million won for the M Sport Package Executive Package. The all-electric new i7 xDrive60 starts at 215.7 million won for the Design Pure Excellence Executive Package and 218.7 million won for the M Sport Package Executive Package (both prices include VAT with a 3.5% reduction on individual consumption tax).
By: Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr