BMW 7-series facelift images out

BMW has revitalised its flagship model, the 7-series, and here are the official images.

BMW had been planning to refresh the 7-series for quite some time and the premium luxury saloon now comes with updated exterior and interior styling. However, unlike the 2011 Audi A8 L which gets a new platform, the 2013 7-series has only received subtle cosmetic revisions.

The overall look and feel of the current 7-series hasn’t changed. Those oversized kidney grilles have been retained, albeit with thicker grille surrounds and fewer vertical slats. The current headlamp design stays, but gets full-LED treatment. The lower section of the front bumper has been re-worked, and now sports new fog lamps and additional chrome inserts. The position of the turn indicators on the outside rearview mirrors has been changed. There aren’t any significant changes at the rear, with only a chrome strip on the lower part of the bumper being new.

On the inside, there are new leather seats for front passengers, the option of new individual seats for rear passengers, new 3D graphics for the front display screens, a newly redesigned iDrive system, a new rear-seat entertainment package and the availability of an optional Bang & Olufsen High-End Surround Sound system.

On the mechanical front, the 7 gets significant powertrain upgrades for 740Li and 750Li models, including BMW’s 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, and its intelligent all-wheel-drive system, the xDrive, which is now available on the 740Li as well. While the 760Li, with its 6.0-litre Twin Turbo V12, remains the top-of-the-line model, both inline-6 cylinder 740Li and V8-powered 750Li models receive significant enhancements, designed to deliver both better performance and greater efficiency. These models now benefit from BMW’s Auto Start/Stop System which shuts off the engine in stop-and-go traffic to maximise fuel savings. 

All 7-series’ now get rear air suspension as standard. The integral-V aluminium rear axle has been overhauled; it gets new ball joints, stiffer dampers, new rubber bearings and tuned elastokinematics designed to substantially reduce vibrations and increase ride quality.

The 2013 BMW 7-series facelift will hit Indian shores once it’s launched in the foreign markets by the second half of this year.