Revised BMW 7 Series revealed

BMW has given its luxury 7 Series a mid-life refresh and now the range features a hybrid version and new, more efficient engines.

There are small cosmetic changes including new adaptive LED lights at the front but it’s the work under the skin that BMW is shouting about. As well as changes to the chassis to give better ride comfort, the 7 Series gets a standard eight-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s EfficientDynamics technologies to yield improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.

This latest BMW 7 Series is also the first to be offered in the UK as a hybrid, courtesy of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine mated to a 54bhp electric motor and lithium-ion battery which allows the car to be driven on electric power alone.

BMW’s 7 Series range has undergone a number of changes. The new BMW 750i features a revised version of the twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 that delivers 10% more power and 8.5% more torque compared to previous versions. That means an output of 446bhp and 650Nm.

The new 740i is powered by the 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine offering of 318bhp and a maximum torque of 450Nm. Claimed fuel economy is 35.8mpg and CO2 emissions are stated to be 184g/km.

Diesel options include the BMW 740d, which offers 310bhp with an extra 30Nm of torque for a peak torque of 630Nm at 1,500rpm. It accelerates from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds but its claimed average fuel economy is 49.6mpg. CO2 emissions are 149g/km.

The new BMW 730d is the most frugal, with official stats of 50.4mpg and CO2 emissions of just 148g/km – a reduction of 30g/km versus its predecessor.

In a first the new 7 Series it is now offered with BMW BluePerformance to reduce emissions and all models, except the 760Li, are equipped with stop/start and regenerative braking. The revised 7 Series also features an ECO PRO mode that modifies the powertrain management and programming of the heating and air conditioning, heated seats and exterior mirror heating to reduce fuel use.

With the exception of the BMW 760Li, all engine variants feature a proactive driving assistant that can be switched on via the ECO PRO mode. It recommends adjustment of the car’s speed to help save fuel.

The main exterior changes are to the front and rear of the car, but BMW has also dropped the overall height by 8mm to improve aerodynamics and give a sleeker look. The revised 7 Series’ kidney grille has a larger aperture with nine instead of 13 slats. In the lower section a full-width air intake is now split into three sections, defined by a pair of chrome bars on the outer edges and flanked by vertical air intakes.

As an option, customers can now specify full Adaptive LED headlights and there’s also a turn indicator into the lower part of the wing mirrors.

The rear lights are in deeper shade of red and BMW has added chrome strips: one to link the light units and another to link the rear reflectors. On the 760Li there’s a slim chrome bar between the four chromed tailpipes.

Inside, additional soundproofing material has been incorporated in the B and C pillars, the sills and boot area, with sealing around the window frames and mirrors. New, variable-colour ambient lighting has been added too.

Comfort seats can be ordered in combination with either folding tables or a new rear seat entertainment system that features a 9.2-inch colour screen. Rear comfort seats that feature electrical adjustment for the seat back angle, seat position and head restraint are an added optional extra.

BMW offers the long wheelbase version of the new 7 Series with an extra 140mm in the wheelbase for increased rear-seat legroom and an extra 10mm of rear-seat headroom as well.

Customers can also order the optional Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system that has 1,200 watts of power and 16 speakers. A new optional multi-functional instrument panel with an integrated 10.25-inch screen featuring black panel technology taking the place of the standard four dials is also available as an option.

The range is as follows:

*Electronically limited