BMW 7-series: the long and the short of it
It’s hard to believe it’s six years since BMW first put the cat among the pigeons with its radically styled 7-series. Just think about the effect that Chris Bangle’s flame surfacing introduced – the reverberations can still be felt in some quarters of Munich to this day.
So the all-new Seven, due to be unveiled in 12 months’ time at the Paris Motor Show 2008, signals a new chapter in BM design. And our spies have already been busy catching the newcomer on test in Germany.
Our man on the ground caught these two prototypes on test, and close inspection reveals they are the short- and long-wheelbase versions. The extra length is all squeezed into the wheelbase for more back-seat space, and the longer door is plainly visible.
Compared with today’s E65/66 model, the next Seven will be smoother and more elegant. Expect a raft of technology inside and out, with head-up displays, cleaner engines and a return to normality after the excesses of today’s fourth-generation car.