BMW i7

The BMW i7 is the German manufacturer’s flagship electric model and it has just received a mid-cycle facelift along with its ICE (internal combustion engine) counterpart. This new update brings a slightly revised exterior design and a revamped cabin, along with a few additional features making this already luxurious sedan even better.

Check out what the new BMW i7 has to offer now and how it fares against its rivals like the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

On the outside, BMW has made subtle changes to the design, but those updates have made the i7 look a lot more modern than before. It gets a redesigned kidney grille which is illuminated just like the outgoing version. The same now is larger and definitely manages to turn heads. 

The headlamps have been moved lower and now placed vertically in muscular housings, giving it a mean look up front. BMW has removed any sign of a curved design by making everything more butch. The LED DRLs have also been made sleeker and they are now split. The bumper is as slim as it was before, but it has also been redesigned by removing the blue strip which used to be placed above it.

In profile, the silhouette remains the same, however, the nose looks taller thanks to the new upright front design. The shoulder line that runs from the bonnet to the boot is now more prominent and while it still gets 20-inch alloys as standard, they do come in a new and sharper design.

At the back, the LED tail lamps extend inwards but are not connected. The lighting elements inside the tail lamps have also been changed and it now gets two slim light strips running parallel to each other.

The reflectors on the back have been placed vertically now and the rear bumper is now much more chunky and butch than before.

Inside, the changes are more significant and you can easily spot the differences. It comes in a grey and brown cabin theme and the first change you notice is the new 4-spoke steering wheel. 

The dashboard has also been tweaked as it looks flatter than before, but you still get multiple layers stacked on top of each other. Also, the crystal-like panel on the dashboard has been removed and replaced by a much simpler looking brushed aluminium strip.

The central tunnel has been reworked as well as BMW has removed any clutter it could see. The number of buttons and controls placed on the edge of this tunnel has also been reduced, making it look simpler and more minimalistic.

The seats and their design remains exactly the same, only the colour of the upholstery has changed, and you still get the front AC vents hidden in the dashboard. Both the front and the rear seats have a wide range of adjustment and massage function for added comfort.

The rear passengers continue to get the 31-inch screen which flips down from the roof at the touch of a button. But it now gets 8K resolution, a camera to make and attend video calls on the move, and you can also play games on it.

Changes have been made to the feature list as well. Instead of the older dual-screen setup, you now get three different screens placed on the dashboard. First is the new 17.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system which does not have a traditional rectangular design. It is also tilted while still being perfectly aligned for the driver.

This screen is paired with a whopping 36-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system for a surround sound experience, and it supports Dolby Atmos. Next to this screen is a smaller 14.6-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. Instead of getting a traditional display behind the steering wheel, the driver now gets an end-to-end spanning slim display placed right under the windshield. This screen displays all the drive information, shows additional information like compass, music, and date, and also has an AI assistant.

Rear seat passengers, apart from getting the massive 31-inch screen, also get smaller screens on the doors which they can use to control functions like ventilation, massage, ambient lighting, sunshades, and even music.

Other features include four-zone climate control, ventilated and heated seats with massage, a panoramic glass roof, automatic doors, a digital key, and multi-colour ambient lighting.

Apart from making changes to the design and features, BMW has also offered the new i7 with a bigger 112.4 kWh battery pack. Not only this, the new battery pack has a 20% higher energy density, improving its packaging and efficiency.

The i7 is still available with a dual-motor all wheel drive setup.

The updates made to the facelifted BMW i7 are far more detailed than it seems on paper. The core function of the car remains unchanged, that is, to offer as much comfort and convenience to the passenger sitting in the second row. It has been, and will continue to be a comfortable chariot for the chauffeur driven buyer. However, this update does tilt the approach heavily on tech and edgy design, which will make it appeal to people who are tech savvy and all in on the AI-boom