BMW 7 Series 2015

BMW is preparing to roll out the new 7-series in 2015 – with a slick new look, tech galore and two bodystyles ready to challenge the mighty new Mercedes S-class, which has steamrollered all competition before it.

Yes, Munich’s new flagship will again be badged 7-series. The proposed 9-series coupe, shown at Villa d´Este in 2013 and designed by Pininfarina together with BMW´s own Karim Habib, has gone exactly nowhere, and the this-might-be-the-secret-9-series Beijing Show concept (dubbed internally DCC050) was at best an overstyled teaser. There will be no 9-series in the foreseeable future, and that’s a promise. 

BMW 7-series: codenamed G11 and G12

Anyone who’d given up understanding BMW E and F codenames may be in for a shock. The 2015 7-series uses yet another letter to keep anoraks on their toes. The G11 stands for the standard-wheelbase 7-series while the G12 denotes the LWB effort.

Although we don’t have any renderings of the new 7-series, we have heard a surprising amount about the look of the new limo. And it’s the extended wheelbase variant which makes the bigger splash. After all, this is the only 7-series model to wear eye-catching chrome accents along the shoulders, sills, grille, door handles and exhaust. Not subtle, but very attractive. A new styling element worth closer inspection is the full-width aperture that links the lower lateral nasal air intakes.

It makes the front end look bolder and sportier. Inside the 2015 BMW 7-series, we find the usual blend of leather, wood, carbonfibre and metal, plus the latest TFT and HUD gadgetry. The cabin is light years classier than the 5- and 6-series’ cockpits. 

The oily bits inside the new 2015 BMW 7-series

The new 2015 BMW 7-series, ne G11/G12, is the first BMW based on the ‘35up’architecture which is fully scalable in dimensions, materials and content. Weight problems are addressed and solved by clever combinations of defined-to-measure sub-modules featuring lightweight material mixes.

In the case of the new 7-series, this means that the entry-level versions will for instance use lighter chassis elements, smaller brakes and a less complex cooling circuit than the high-end cars. This saves in excess of 100 kilos over the outgoing model, sources say.

A 2.0-litre 7-series is coming

BMW is investigating a bespoke Efficient Dynamics version to create a 725i powered by a 272bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder which is, if so far only on paper, rated at 40.8mpg.

The new top-of-the-line model is the first BMW to feature the latest 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engines codenamed B58 (petrol) and B57 (Diesel). While power and torque are up by about 10%, the fuel economy improves by a similar amount.

The V8 undergoes a mid-cycle efficiency boost but does not yet follow the cost-saving 500cc-per-single-cylinder formula. What about the V12, you ask? It would not be worth to update it exclusively for the 760i, which finds on average only 4000 takers per year.

But since Rolls-Royce intends to keep waving the 12-cylinder flag for several years to come, the twin-turbo powerplant gets a fresh lease of life. On the hybrid front, G11/G12 switches from parallel to plug-in application. According to the Munich grapevine, the 750h will mate a 345bhp twin-turbo six to a 109bhp e-motor. In an evolutionary step, BMW is expected to upgrade the system from plug-in to induction charging which is a lot more convenient but about 15% less efficient.

The 2016 BMW 7-Series will ride on an all-new platform called "35up" using a combination of aluminum, magnesium, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and high-strength steel which will make the flagship BMW a lot lighter than today’s 7-Series. It is believed up to 200 kg (440 lbs) will be eliminated which would make the lightest 740i version weigh approximately 1,650 kg (3,637 lbs).

The vehicle will benefit from a double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear setup made mostly from aluminum and benefiting from a new generation of air springs, stereo cameras and road-scanning tech - all for the purpose of providing a more luxurious and comfortable ride.

Besides the usual standard and long wheelbase variants, the next-gen 7-Series is expected to be offered in an extra-long wheelbase variant, just like Mercedes-Benz will be doing with the S-Class Maybach.

There will reportedly be a range-topping sport variant called M750i/M7 featuring an uprated variant of the M5's V8 4.4-liter twin-turbo tweaked to develop more than 600 bhp (447 kW). In addition, a plug-in hybrid 7-Series is also in the works but details are not available at this moment. The regular engine lineup will include a wide variety of four- to twelve-cylinder motors mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and rear- or all-wheel drive.

Thanks to a significant diet, BMW will be able to install a small 4-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine while for more power clients will be able to opt for an inline-six 3.0-liter diesel offered in three states of tune and with twin and triple turbo configurations. On the gasoline side, expect an upgraded version of today's inline-six 3.0 and newly developed 4.0-liter V8 and 6.0-liter V12 engines which will also power future Rolls-Royce models.

Following its September 2015 introduction in Frankfurt, the next-gen BMW 7-Series will likely go on sale at the beginning of 2016 with an exterior styling influenced by the Vision Future Luxury concept.