Skip advert
Advertisement

New BMW 7 Series prototype review

We get a closer look at the technology behind the next BMW 7 Series - and drive a prototype, too

BMW has invested a large amount of brain power to outfox the S-Class when it comes to amazing technology, and it’s fair to say the new 7 Series, due later this year, has some clever gizmos up its sleeve. Remote control car parking and gesture control are the highlights, but a body made from carbon fibre, aluminium and steel helps keep the weight down improving the car’s driving dynamics. As ever the 7 Series offers us the first glimpse at the type of technology we can expect to see on all more affordable BMWs in the future, and on this first impression, the future looks good.

Advertisement - Article continues below

BMW is throwing its engineering might at the new 7 Series to make it knock the Mercedes S-Class off its perch once and for all. The new version of BMW’s much-loved luxury limo debuts a raft of clever technology and industry-first construction materials to take the fight to the all-conquering S-Class. But, just like all 7 Series models before it, the new one showcases the type of technical wizardry that will appear on more reachable BMWs in the future.

Just one of a handful of a UK media invited, Auto Express travelled to BMW’s top secret Miramas testing facility in the south of France to find out more about the technological marvels BMW has devised for its flagship car, six months before its official global reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

7 Series

2019 BMW

7 Series

46,101 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L

Cash £25,400
View 7 Series
7 Series

2022 BMW

7 Series

48,357 milesAutomaticPetrol3.0L

Cash £32,700
View 7 Series
7 Series

2020 BMW

7 Series

32,905 milesAutomaticPetrol3.0L

Cash £29,900
View 7 Series
7 Series

2019 BMW

7 Series

24,620 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L

Cash £32,699
View 7 Series

The company’s top engineers spilled the beans to Auto Express on the new 7 Series which now bristles with innovative technology like the ability to remotely park itself with no-one behind the wheel, key features which can now operated by gesture control and state-of-the-art carbon fibre building techniques – just some of the tech which you can expect to see filtering down to 3 and 5 Series cars in the next 10 years.

While the new the 7 Series is the same size as the car it replaces give or take a few millimeters, that’s where the similarities stop. The latest generation car is completely new – new materials, new technology and new engines. BMW has started from a blank sheet of paper for its latest car, and it all starts with the way it’s built.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The company’s range of i cars were the first mass-market BMWs to use carbon fibre, and the 7 Series is the next development in the German giant’s fascination in this lightweight, ultra cool material. Key parts of the passenger cell are made from CFRP or Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic allowing aluminium and steel to be used elsewhere, reducing weight and lowering the car’s centre of gravity. Overall it means the new 7 Series weighs 130kg less than the old one and around 300kg less than the S-Class.

Under the new predictably conservative styling, BMW’s engineers haven’t only been devising new building techniques but also new oily bits. In a move to make this 7 Series appeal to a wider spectrum of customers, it’s also sportier but also more comfortable than the old car.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

New Dynamic Damper Control allows the driver to select a range of new suspension set-ups including a new Comfort Plus setting, which delivers a far more cosseting ride than the old car. New rack and pinion steering gives greater feel and precision from behind the wheel and the Driving Experience Control has a new function. ‘Adaptive’ uses sat-nav data and the car’s on board cameras to read the road ahead, automatically setting up the car to deliver the best driving experience – a system not too dissimilar as that used in the Rolls-Royce Wraith.

The 7 Series also has a couple of other gizmos to tempt gadget freaks away from the S-Class. The first is just the type of technology James Bond was used to with his 7 Series in the 1997 epic Tomorrow Never Dies – and that’s the ability for the car to drive itself. On finding a tight parking space, the driver just needs to get out of the car, tap a button the key fob and watch the BMW park itself – and the same goes for parking in tight garage filled with bikes and garden tools. It’s the type of technology we can expect to see being offered on all BMWs in the next decade as autonomous driving becomes more accessible.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The other clever tool that aims to make the driver’s life easier and safer is gesture control. Receive a call that you don’t want to answer? Just wave your hand in a dismissive manner to reject it or alternatively point at the new touchscreen in the dashboard to answer it. Twirling your finger in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction turns up or down the volume of the radio also features.

We got the chance to get behind the wheel of the new limo on BMW’s tricky Miramas handling track and it’s safe to say it’s the most dynamically capable 7 Series yet. While our car was a very early pre-production car and a more in-depth road test is needed, the new 7 Series’ comfort levels are more on par with the big Merc than they ever have been. And, being a BMW, it’s also the class’s best when it comes to handling – the new steering and suspension set-ups give brilliant feedback allowing the 7 to handle in a way that belies its size.

A new 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine was under the bonnet of our test car, and BMW was tight-lipped on its performance figures. But it promised us that it’s more powerful and efficient than before and delivers blistering straight-line performance; we can the 3.0-litre petrol to be just one of a range of diesels and plug-in hybrids offered in the UK.

Prices have yet to be confirmed for the car, but an insider said that they’d be bumped up to reflect the step-up in technology, so expect the range to kick off at around £65,000 when the car goes on sale in November.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

BMW 7 Series

BMW 7 Series

RRP £105,620Avg. savings £19,783 off RRP*Used from £16,450
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,495Avg. savings £1,831 off RRP*Used from £15,519
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £1,676 off RRP*
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,911 off RRP*Used from £16,700
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025
New Volkswagen ID.3 Match 2025 review: attractive price boosts EV’s appeal
Volkswagen ID.3 Pure Match - front

New Volkswagen ID.3 Match 2025 review: attractive price boosts EV’s appeal

The value-focused Volkswagen ID.3 Match performs well and is easy to live with
Road tests
28 Apr 2025