BMW 7 Series facelift reads like a full redesign, with i7 range extended by up to 101 km

7th-generation facelift launched in South Korea

Prices starting at 161.9 million won

One gasoline, three electric variants on sale first

Diesel and PHEV to follow next year

Front-passenger screen debuts on the model

i7 certified range grows by up to 101 km

BMW Korea officially launched the facelifted 7th-generation 7 Series, called the New BMW 7 Series, at Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday. [BMW Korea]

BMW has given its flagship sedan, the 7 Series, its first major update in four years. The facelift brings sweeping changes to exterior design, in-cabin digital technology and driving performance, while the fully electric i7 gains up to 101 kilometers of additional range per charge. Prices in South Korea start at 161.9 million won ($121,000).

BMW Korea held a media launch event Wednesday at the Bit's Theater inside Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, to officially introduce the New BMW 7 Series to the domestic market.

The new model is a facelift of the 7th-generation 7 Series that first appeared in 2022. BMW retained the car's fundamental architecture while broadly upgrading its design, interior convenience features, powertrain and driver-assistance systems.

Notably, BMW applied the design language and digital technology of its Neue Klasse platform — developed for its next-generation electric vehicles — to an existing model lineup for the first time.

"The New BMW 7 Series, despite being a facelift, has undergone such extensive changes in design and performance that it has been reborn as a new car on par with a full model change," said Yun Mi-ri, a product planning manager at BMW Korea.

BMW Korea officially launched the facelifted 7th-generation 7 Series, called the New BMW 7 Series, at Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday. Photo by Jung Kyung-su

On the outside, the new 7 Series keeps the large kidney grille and split headlight layout of its predecessor while refining the details throughout.

The front end features a slimmer BMW Kidney Iconic Glow and newly designed headlights. Inside each headlight, 12 diamond-cut crystal elements are arranged in a pattern, and a welcome lighting function activates as the driver approaches the vehicle.

A new character line runs the full length of the side profile from front to rear, while elongated rear lamps accentuate the car's width.

The body measures 5,395 millimeters in length and 1,950 mm in width, with a wheelbase of 3,215 mm. The range of exterior color and two-tone combinations has been expanded to more than 500 options, and a new two-tone finish combining gloss metallic and matte paint has also been introduced.

Inside, the digital experience sees the most significant changes. The car runs on BMW's latest Operating System X and features the new Panoramic iDrive interface.

The standout feature is Panoramic Vision, which projects driving information across the full width of the lower windshield, allowing the driver to check speed and navigation data without looking down at the instrument cluster. This is paired with a 3D head-up display and a Korea-specific navigation system based on T-map.

A dedicated front-passenger screen makes its debut on the 7 Series. The standard 14.6-inch full-HD display lets the front passenger watch videos, play games and enjoy music while the car is in motion.

However, if the system detects the driver's gaze drifting toward the passenger screen, it temporarily blocks video playback.

Rear-seat amenities have also been upgraded. The 31.3-inch 8K touchscreen that descends from the ceiling has been improved beyond its previous video-viewing function to support work tasks as well.

A newly added 5-megapixel camera enables video conferencing from inside the vehicle, and passengers can connect a laptop via an HDMI port to use the screen as an extended monitor.

Higher trim levels come with Executive Lounge seats that recline up to 43 degrees, a leg rest and a massage function. All variants include Merino leather seats and front and rear heated and ventilated seats as standard.

The initial lineup consists of four models across eight trim levels — one gasoline and three fully electric variants.

The gasoline model, the 740 xDrive, pairs a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system. Maximum output rises by 19 horsepower over the outgoing model to 400 hp, with peak torque of 59.1 kg·m.

The car accelerates from a standstill to 100 kilometers per hour in 5.1 seconds. Combined fuel economy improves from the previous 10.3 kilometers per liter to 11.0 km/l.

The fully electric i7 benefits from BMW's sixth-generation electrification technology, delivering a significant boost in range per charge. The gains come from cylindrical battery cells with energy density up to 20 percent higher than before, combined with a new inverter that reduces power loss.

The i7 50 xDrive produces 455 hp and achieves a certified range of 508 km on a single charge under Korean standards — an increase of 53 km over the outgoing model.

The i7 60 xDrive delivers 544 hp and sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Its certified range also stands at 508 km per charge, up 70 km from before.

The top-of-the-range i7 M70 xDrive puts out 680 hp and 103.5 kg·m of torque, reaching 100 km/h from a standstill in 3.8 seconds. Its certified range is 492 km per charge, a gain of 101 km over the previous model.

Charging performance has also improved. Maximum DC fast-charging output rises to 250 kilowatts, and the time to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent battery capacity has been cut from about 34 minutes to 28 minutes.

Driving hardware has been broadly reinforced as well. All models come standard with air suspension that adjusts ride height and damping in response to road conditions.

Rear-wheel steering of up to 3.5 degrees is also fitted, reducing the turning radius at low speeds and improving stability at higher speeds.

The car also features BMW Symbiotic Drive, a driver-assistance system designed to work in concert with the driver rather than disengage the moment the driver intervenes. When the system is active, manual acceleration or steering inputs do not immediately switch it off — instead, the assistance function continues to operate in coordination with the driver's actions.

BMW plans to expand the domestic lineup from the first quarter of next year, adding the diesel 740d xDrive, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) 750e xDrive and the high-performance PHEV M760e xDrive.

With those additions, the 7 Series range will cover all four powertrain types: gasoline, diesel, PHEV and fully electric.

Domestic prices including VAT are: 161.9 million to 179.2 million won for the 740 xDrive; 169.9 million to 172.9 million won for the i7 50 xDrive; 214.9 million to 217.9 million won for the i7 60 xDrive; and 235 million won for the i7 M70 xDrive.

BMW Korea will also launch three First Edition variants with special specifications through its online sales channel, BMW Shop Online, on Nov. 10. The company said it plans to offer a limited run of 15 units per model at that sales event.

Competition in South Korea's imported large sedan segment is intensifying. Mercedes-Benz unveiled a new S-Class model earlier this year, and BMW's 7 Series facelift now enters the fray, setting the stage for a renewed battle over the flagship sedan market.

The outgoing 7th-generation 7 Series held the top sales position in South Korea's imported large luxury flagship sedan segment for three consecutive years. BMW said it aims to retain its existing customer base with the new model while also targeting buyers seeking electric vehicles and advanced digital features.

kwater@heraldcorp.com