The updated 2019 BMW 7 Series has been revealed with new styling, safety equipment and connectivity technology.
Two body variants will be available with the longer variant riding on an extra 1400mm of wheelbase. Both the standard 7 Series and long-wheelbase twin are 22mm longer than the corresponding outgoing models measuring in at 5120mm and 5260mm respectively.
Unchanged is the width, with both variants 1902mm wide and the height with the standard version 1467mm and the long-wheelbase version 1479mm.
The front end has undergone an extensive refresh. It now resides 50mm taller. The new bonnet features sharply cut contour lines and a larger BMW roundel. Most noticeable however is the kidney grille, due in part to its 40 per cent larger surface area and single-piece surround, it looks as ridiculous here as it does on the new X7.
There are also slimmer headlights which are available as BMW Laserlight with a high-beam range of up to 560 metres or standard adaptive LED headlights.
The outer air intakes has been altered which are now overlaid with large air deflectors, newly designed decorative chrome strips, upright and extended air breathers, broad chrome surrounds on the integrated exhaust tailpipes, slimmer three-dimensional rear lights and a sharply defined and very slim light strip below the chrome bar.
There are also more options added for individualisation through the M Sport package, Design Pure Excellence line and new additions to the selection of exterior paint finishes and light-alloy wheels.
Moving to the inside finds Nappa leather with extended quilting added to the options list as is the fine wood variants American Oak Dark with metal inlay and Poplar Grain Metallic Grey high-gloss.
The new 7 Series benefits from thicker glass in the side and rear windows, newly designed standard leather steering wheel, standard wireless charging tray for compatible mobile phones as well as the latest version of the BMW Touch Command rear-seat control unit with updated hardware and operating system 7.0.
Also optional is Ambient highlight in the B-pillars and Rear-seat entertainment system with a pair of 10-inch, full-HD touchscreen displays including a Blu-ray player.
The BMW Live Cockpit Professional is fitted as standard which includes a navigation and multimedia system, together with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch centrally located infotainment screen. Another element of the operating system is the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
Driving Assistant Professional is standard which includes steering and lane control assistant with traffic jam assist, the lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection, the evasion aid, the cross traffic alert, priority warning and wrong-way warning systems, plus active cruise control with stop & go function.
There is also parking assistant fitted as standard which now includes reversing assistant which can reverse the car for distances of up to 50 metres.
Depending on the market, a range of engines will be available including petrol and diesel with six, eight and twelve cylinders as well as an all-new plug-in hybrid.
The 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive feature a newly developed V8 engine with 4.4-litre displacement and maximum output raised by 60kW to 390kW.
The 745e plug-in hybrid model uses a specially adapted in-line petrol six with a more advanced high-voltage battery. As a result, the system outputs a combined 290 kW of power.
The diesel range includes the 750d xDrive and 750Ld xDrive with a 294kW version whilst the 740d xDrive and 740Ld xDrive get an output of 235kW. The 730d, 730Ld, 730d xDrive and 730Ld xDrive pack 195kW.
At the peak of the range is the 6.6-litre V12 engine at the heart of the M760Li xDrive which outputs 430kW and includes a petrol particulate filter to minimise emissions.
Under the metal, all variants of the updated 7 Series feature, as standard, adaptive suspension including electronically controlled dampers and two-axle air suspension with automatic self-levelling. There are Integral Active Steering and the Executive Drive Pro chassis system available for all models except the plug-in hybrid variants as an optional extra.
The new 7 Series is due to begin production in March with the first cars arriving Down Under in the middle of 2019. Full pricing and specifications will be announced closer to the launch date.
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