While BMW is calling it a midlife update, the changes to the i7 are so extensive, this feels closer to a full model change than a facelift! For the matter, we’re talking the BMW 7 Series – BMW’s flagship, full-sized luxury sedan that needs no introduction, so yes, there’s a lot to talk about. And that’s saying something, considering the i7 was already one of the most technologically advanced luxury electric sedans at launch. With a completely redesigned cabin, a fresh exterior inspired by BMW’s Neue Klasse design language, more technology and an upgraded electric powertrain, the new i7 is a significant step forward. But what I find particularly interesting is that despite all the luxury and technology it packs in, this remains a proper BMW when it comes to driving pleasure!
The exterior gets a comprehensive makeover understandably, and in keeping with the segment. Effectively, you get a redesigned front face featuring a more upright and geometrical, illuminated kidney grille, slimmer daytime running lights and vertically stacked LED headlamps. The front bumper has been redesigned too, while the new tail lamp design, revised boot lid and bumper give the rear a cleaner and more contemporary appearance. The overall silhouette remains familiar but the sharper detailing and new lighting signatures give the i7 a distinctly different personality, while also making for a sportier silhouette from the sides. The Neue Klasse influence is evident particularly from the rear, but at the same time BMW has retained the imposing road presence expected of its flagship sedan. This, while the two-tone paint job of our test car added to its stately presence in heaps.
The biggest transformation, however, is inside. The dashboard has been completely redesigned around BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive architecture, which does away with the conventional instrument cluster in favour of a full-width projection at the base of the windscreen. It’s a very clever projection – it looks sharp, bright and very high in resolution, and it took me a minute or so to realise the icons are projections and not a screen! There’s also a massive, 17.9-inch central touchscreen running BMW Operating System X, alongside a new 14.6-inch passenger display that’s offered as standard. But despite the sizes, you can barely tell that’s how large the screens are, given their design and shape.
The new four-spoke steering wheel and cleaner dashboard layout further reinforce the Neue Klasse connection, though admittedly, I’m yet to wrap my head around the steering wheel design. Rear seat passengers get the massive 31.3-inch, 8K Theatre Screen like before, which is arguably one of the car’s biggest highlights, while updated touchscreen controls integrated into the rear doors allow passengers to operate various comfort and entertainment functions. Add to that powered doors, massaging and ventilated seats, a mad Bowers & Wilkins sound system with Dolby Atmos and an illuminated panoramic glass roof, and the i7 makes a compelling case as a luxury lounge on wheels. In fact the second row is where I was lounging for quite a bit even when after parking the car below the office – it felt like a better office than my cabin upstairs!
But here’s the thing about the i7. Despite being designed to pamper occupants, which of course is its primary purpose as a full-sized luxury sedan, the i7 is equally rewarding from behind the wheel. The 50 xDrive M Sport uses two electric motors, one on each axle, delivering a combined 483PS and 660Nm. Power comes from a 112.5kWh battery pack that replaces the older car’s 101.7kWh unit, and BMW claims a WLTP range of up to 728km now. The car can sprint from 0-100kmph in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 210kmph, while DC fast charging is supported at up to 250kW. At that charging speed the car can go from 10-80 percent in a mere 28 minutes, though finding a 250kW is sure not easy. A 22kW AC charger will take about six hours for the job, which sounds pretty reasonable too.
But like I mentioned, this is a BMW, and the updated i7 certainly does justice to the BMW roundel on its hood with its ability to translate every drive into a seriously entertaining experience. The instant torque delivery makes acceleration effortless while the electric xDrive system provides tremendous traction. Push harder and the i7 reveals a surprisingly playful side. In fact, with its rear-biased power delivery and electronic systems configured appropriately, you can even get the rear end to step out and have this rather enormous luxury sedan go sideways with relative ease! That’s quite an achievement for a car that weighs well over two tonnes, and is designed primarily to ferry occupants in supreme comfort!
At the same time the steering is also precise, body control is impressive and the adaptive suspension does a remarkably good job of balancing ride comfort with handling. The car feels planted and composed at highway speeds, and yet remains surprisingly agile when you find a twisty stretch of road, almost belying its size and weight. On the other hand, the ride quality is as plush as it gets thanks to the adaptive 2-axle air suspension system that features a double-wishbone axle in the front and a five-link axle in the rear, both paired with air springs. This makes for an extremely comfortable ride irrespective of the surface, besides which you can also raise the car by 20mm at below 35kmph to clear speed breakers easily, while Sport mode lowers the ride height by 10mm automatically, to aid aerodynamics and stability. The car also runs on 20-inch wheels now instead of the older version’s 21-inch wheels, shod with higher profile tyres, which further help in enhancing the ride quality.
You also get rear-axle steering, which allows the rear wheels to turn by up to 3.5 degrees which helps in reducing the turning radius in tight spaces, besides aiding handling at higher speeds and around corners. Heck, the car’s ability to switch between chauffeur-driven luxury and genuine driving entertainment feels almost magical, and that is what makes the i7 feel special!
Priced at ₹1.95 crore ex-showroom, the BMW i7 50 xDrive M Sport sits firmly in the luxury car territory, but the sheer amount of technology, comfort and performance it offers makes it a compelling flagship in BMW’s stables. More importantly, this update demonstrates how BMW is bringing the Neue Klasse philosophy into its existing product portfolio without losing the qualities that have defined the brand for decades. The new i7 might be an exceptionally comfortable electric limousine, but it is also a BMW that genuinely loves being driven. And that, perhaps, is its biggest achievement!
Words Abhay Verma
Photography Saidatta Naik, Tanmay Vartak
