By Malusi Msomi

When it comes to producing the pinnacle of luxury and technology in cars, the BMW 7 Series is rated one of the best in the game. Introduced back in 1977, it was created to do battle with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Fast forward 46 years later, and the 7 Series has become bigger, more luxurious, and of course more technologically advanced. We headed down to Cape Town to sample the Bavarian automaker’s flagship model to see what’s what.

Opinion splitting looks

When it comes to looks, the new 7 series is quite polarizing. The flagship saloon retains the large kidney grille but now features split headlights, slim LED rear taillights, flush door handles, and BMW Individual two-tone paint finishes for all models. The two-tone paint finish does give us some Rolls-Royce Ghost vibes. Though it comes standard with Adaptive LED Headlights, buyers can opt for BMW crystal headlights Iconic Glow which have crystals from Swarovski.

Luxurious, modern interior

Inside is where the magic happens. The 7 Series utilizes high quality materials for a luxurious way of traveling with all occupants getting to sit in those sumptuous BMW ‘Merino’ leather seats. Being both the driver or sitting as passenger feels splendid. With digitalization in my mind, it features a new BMW Curved Display. The drivers display measures in at 12.3-inches whilst the infotainment screen with BMW Drive running BMW Operating System 8 measures a whopping 14.9-inches. Turning the 7 Series into a cinema on wheels is the BMW Theatre Screen where rear passengers can view content via 31.3-inch touchscreen with 8K resolution. Enhancing the technological appeal, options such as 5.5-inch touch-controlled function operation displays in the rear doors (BMW Touch Command), and Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system with optional exciters in the seats make traveling in the 7 Series more pleasant for occupants. A first in the 7-Series is Automatic Doors which once again gives us Rolls-Royce vibes and they’re just a flex.

Drivetrains and ride quality

The i7 is extremely comfortable and feels like you’re floating on a cloud. At 6 meters long, it looks intimidating to drive but it’s extremely easy. Being electric, it cruises effortlessly and BMW claims over 600km range thanks to its 107.8 kWh battery pack.

Powering the BMW 740i is a mild hybrid six-cylinder turbo petrol engine that makes 280kW and 540Nm. As we were traversing through the beautiful roads of Cape Town, the BMW 740i really surprised us when it came to driving dynamics. For its size, it’s surprisingly agile but also cruises effortlessly.

Conclusion

BMW have really gone to town with the 7 Series. Not only is it a joy to sit passenger, but also quite enjoyable to drive. There’s a lot to like about it, but cars like this come at a premium, a premium in which some are fork out and will probably enjoy its comforts for a very long time. We can’t wait to get it on test for an in-depth review.

Models and pricing

The 7 Series has been available in SA since Q4 which includes the BMW i7 Drive60 and the BMW 740i with the BMW 740d ×Drive arriving in the second half of 2023. The 7 Series is exclusively available in long wheel base and comes in Pure Excellence, M Sport Package and M Sport Package Pro exterior styling options.

BMW 740i Design Pure Excellence R2,160,000

BMW 740i M Sport Package R2,235,000

BMW 740i M Sport Package Pro R2,275,000

BMW 740d xDrive Design Pure Excellence R2,280,000

BMW 740d xDrive M Sport Package R2,355,000

BMW 740d xDrive M Sport Package Pro R2,395,000

BMW i7 xDrive60 Design Pure Excellence R2,825,000

BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport Package R2,900,000

BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport Package Pro R2,940,000