BMW launches new 7 Series, a ‘near-all-new’ model, redefining its flagship with Neue Klasse

[Financial News] BMW Korea has launched in Korea the new BMW 7 Series, the first model in its large luxury lineup to feature technology from its next-generation mobility vision, Neue Klasse. The company plans to step up its push into the imported flagship sedan market by extending the all-electric i7’s range by up to 130 km and adding PHEV and diesel models next year.
BMW Korea held a launch event at Theatre of Light in Gwangjin District, Seoul, on the 4th and unveiled the new BMW 7 Series. It is a facelift of the seventh-generation 7 Series, which was launched in 2022.
BMW Korea manager Yoon Mi-ri explained, “Although it is a facelift, extensive changes across every aspect, from design to performance, have transformed it into a new car on a par with a full model change,” adding, “This marks the starting point for Neue Klasse technology to expand into the luxury segment.”
The exterior reinterprets Neue Klasse’s design language for the luxury class. The ‘BMW Crystal Headlight Iconic Glow,’ featuring 12 diamond-cut crystal glass elements on each side, comes standard on all models. Also new is the ‘Ceremonial Light Carpet,’ which projects graphics onto the ground using about 194,000 pixels built into the door sills. More than 500 exterior colors and combinations are available, including the ‘BMW Individual Dual Finish,’ which for the first time in the world combines a matte paint finish with hand-applied metallic paint.
The ‘BMW Panoramic iDrive,’ based on ‘BMW Operating System X,’ makes its debut in the 7 Series. It features ‘BMW Panoramic Vision,’ which projects information across the full width of the lower windshield, a 3D head-up display, and a Korea-specific navigation system powered by TMAP. The brand’s first dedicated 14.6-inch ‘Passenger Display’ comes standard on all models and pauses content playback if it detects that the driver’s attention has wandered.
In the rear, a 5-megapixel camera and an HDMI port have been added to the 31.3-inch 8K ‘BMW Theater Screen,’ enhancing the ‘Mobile Office’ function that enables video conferences on the move. The ‘Executive Lounge Seat’ in higher trims reclines by up to 43 degrees.
The all-electric i7 is equipped with cylindrical battery cells that increase energy density by up to 20% and a silicon carbide (SiC) inverter, using sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology. Its range on a single charge under the WLTP standard is 728 km for the i7 50 xDrive, 727 km for the i7 60 xDrive, and 686 km for the high-performance i7 M70 xDrive—about 100 to 130 km more than before. Under Korea’s certification standards, the respective ranges are 508 km, 508 km, and 492 km. BMW Korea said at the event that the maximum fast-charging output had risen to 250 kW, reducing the time to charge the battery from 10% to 80% from 34 minutes to 28 minutes.
The gasoline-powered 740 xDrive combines an inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to produce a maximum of 400 horsepower. Output is up by 19 horsepower from the previous model, and combined fuel economy has improved from 10.3 km/L to 11.0 km/L.
The launch lineup comprises four models and eight trims: the 740 xDrive, i7 50 xDrive, i7 60 xDrive, and i7 M70 xDrive. Prices range from 161.9 million to 235 million won, including VAT. Manager Yoon said, “We kept the price increase to a minimum compared with the previous model.”
BMW Korea plans to add plug-in hybrid (PHEV), high-performance PHEV, and diesel models in the first and fourth quarters of next year, giving it the widest range of choices among imported flagship sedans in Korea. Three limited-edition ‘First Edition’ models commemorating the launch will go on sale on the 10th through BMW Shop Online.
BMW needs a sales rebound driven by its new model. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), 5,633 new BMW passenger cars were registered last month, down 8.8% from the same month a year earlier. BMW ranked third, behind Tesla (9,165 vehicles) and Mercedes-Benz (6,744). That contrasts with October last year, when BMW ranked first for the month with 6,177 registrations.
However, BMW remains in second place in cumulative registrations from January through October, with 63,562 vehicles, behind Tesla (98,313). The competing Mercedes-Benz S-Class had 575 registrations last month, placing seventh in the model rankings.
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter