You’d be forgiven for thinking the 2020 BMW 7 Series has a massive grille.
It’s certainly more imposing than the outgoing generation, isn’t it? The 2020 BMW 7 Series is here, and there’s no mistaking it. Headlined by that massive (40 percent larger) kidney grille, the new 7 Series will launch in the U.S. market in April 2019, with pricing announced closer to the on sale date.
So what’s lurking under the hood of the 2020 BMW 7 Series? Surprisingly, there’s still a wide variety of powerplants available. In fact, turbocharged six, eight and twelve-cylinder options remain. We considered, given the downsizing trend in the market, BMW may drop the V12 from the lineup, but we were mistaken.
Starting from the lower end, the 3.0-liter straight-six 740i puts out 335 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque. BMW claims that powertrain can hurl the base model 7 Series to 60 in 4.8 seconds. Stepping up to the V8 nets you a healthy bump in power, up to 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. That’s also 80 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque up on the old 7 Series.
Then, at the top of the hill, there’s the 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12. That engine manages a whopping 600 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, catapulting the car to 60 in a BMW-claimed 3.6 seconds. Mind you, the M760i xDrive weighs 5,159 pounds. Speaking of that V12, BMW did not explicitly mention a high-performance Alpina B7 model at this time.
The hybrid option also returns, this time mated to a six-cylinder engine. The old hybrid used BMW’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and while its 322 horsepower was adequate, it could use a bit more shove. Making use of a six-cylinder engine means power also goes up in the hybrid, to 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. The BMW 745e xDrive sprints from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds, according to the company.
All models come mated to an updated version of BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission. It also uses so-called intelligent networking to work with navigation information to work out the best shift strategy during spirited driving, or even when pulling up to a junction.
Technology abounds
You’d expect a huge amount of technology in the 2020 BMW 7 Series, and you get it. Updated technology is the major interior update in the new model, while the interior layout largely remains the same. The new 7 Series gets BMW’s latest version of the iDrive infotainment system, as well as a 12.3-inch (diagonal) digital instrument cluster in front of the driver.
It’s not just that huge kidney grille that stands the 2020 BMW 7 Series out either. While the grille has grown, the headlights sport a slightly slimmer profile to the old model. This time around, though, BMW’s Laserlight will be available as an option. As before, you can still get Night Vision and a Head-Up display as optional equipment. Driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control, Extended Traffic Jam Assist, and Evasion Assist — where the car will help avoid collisions with cars or pedestrians — are available as part of the Driving Assistance Professional package.
While the 2020 BMW 7 Series is the largest and most luxurious BMW sedan out of the box, you still get a huge amount of choice. Not just with powertrains, but also when it comes to options. As before, options with the Cold Weather Package, M Sport Package and Executive Package are available on most models.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!
