Article Summary
- BMW is conducting last-minute testing of the 7 Series LCI ahead of its premiere this week.
- A new spy video shot at the Nurburgring highlights a near-production 7 Series prototype with a combustion engine.
- Despite the full body camouflage, the updated headlights and kidney grille are already visible.
Not long to go until BMW finally peels off the camouflage from the 7 Series LCI. The facelifted luxury sedan will break cover on April 22, on the eve of the 2026 Beijing Auto Show. In the meantime, there’s still time to conduct last-minute testing and iron out any potential kinks.
A new spy video shot at the Nürburgring highlights a 7 Series with a combustion engine. However, we know for a fact that tomorrow’s debut will also include the fully electric i7, complete with cylindrical cells for a battery pack assembled by Rimac. Although we’re mere hours away from the world premiere, BMW stubbornly keeps it fully camouflaged.
Nevertheless, it’s easy to see how the grille is changing for the mid-cycle facelift. The kidneys have a slightly different contour and feature horizontal slats. While some might be tempted to believe we’re dealing with a sportier version, that’s not the case. An M Performance variant would feature exposed quad exhausts. Additionally, an M760e would be a plug-in hybrid with a charging port on the front fender, but this test car is powered strictly by a combustion engine.
BMW has removed some disguise from the split headlights to reveal a new arrangement of the main lights. The horizontal cluster is making way for a vertical setup with stacked elements. At the back, the taillights feature a new two-line motif. Those thin strips may be longer than those we can see on this prototype. The camo applied to the trunk lid likely prevents us from seeing the full width of the redesigned taillights.
It’s safe to say exterior changes will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, unlike what BMW has been working on for the 3 Series. The i3 sedan, and by extension the upcoming G50, looks vastly different from the outgoing G20. However, the G70 will skip many elements of the Neue Klasse design and instead build on the current model.
But don’t let the familiar exterior trick you into believing the cabin will follow suit. As we’ve previously reported, the 7 Series LCI is all but confirmed to use BMW’s new infotainment. Expect an upscale version of the i3’s dashboard, but just like the smaller sedan, Munich’s range-topper will do without the iDrive rotary knob.
Beyond styling and in-car tech updates, the 2027 BMW 7 Series will also receive upgrades under the skin, with refreshed gasoline, diesel, and plug-in-hybrid powertrains. On the electric side, BMW has already promised the i7 will charge faster and deliver a longer range.
Following tomorrow’s debut, the 7 Series facelift should enter production sometime this summer, with deliveries in Europe likely commencing in the fall.
Video: Carspotter Jeroen / YouTube