Article Summary
- The BMW 7 Series LCI enters series production in Dingolfing with four types of powertrains.
- BMW calls the flagship sedan’s facelift the “most comprehensive model update in company history.”
- The G70 is the first current-generation BMW to get the new iDrive X infotainment system and Panoramic Vision windshield projection.
To our surprise, not everything in the BMW world this week is about the new X5. Thousands of miles away from Spartanburg, where the G65 calls home, a refreshed sedan has just entered production in Dingolfing. Although it’s not a next-generation model, the 7 Series has undergone major changes. In fact, BMW calls it the “most comprehensive model update in company history.” Earlier today, the first G70s rolled off the assembly line.
The 7 Series is one of the few BMW models built at a single plant. BMW exclusively manufactures the full-size luxury sedan at its factory in southern Bavaria, which also builds the 4 Series, 5 Series, and iX. Until recently, the 8 Series was produced there as well. Later this year, the next-generation 3 Series Sedan (G50) with combustion engines will join the lineup. Like the 5 Series, its larger sibling is available with four powertrains: gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and electric.
It’s been just over two months since we first saw the 7 Series LCI, and it’s already entering series production. BMW is putting the spotlight on the i7 M70 and a two-tone 740d with a matte finish. Like every other 7 Series, each takes about 75 hours to complete. Not everything is done by robots, as about 33 hours of the production process still rely on manual labor.
The 2027 BMW 7 Series Has Over 1,000 Options
Buyers are spoiled for choice when it comes to personalizing their cars. BMW offers more than 500 colors and color combinations, along with approximately 700 combinations of equipment and interior materials. Wealthy buyers can even commission a truly one-off car with “almost every unusual wish and every detail of the vehicle.” Still not convinced? BMW touts Rolls-Royce-level customization, claiming, “In theory, everything is individually perfected.”
At €14,000, Dual-Finish is the most expensive option in the German configurator. It combines matte and gloss versions of Tanzanite Blue in a process that takes 75 hours in the paint shop, or six times longer than a standard paint job. Half of that time involves manual work, including hand-taping the vehicle and sanding the body. The 12-step painting process requires more than 20 specialized employees to complete a finish BMW has spent the past two and a half years developing.
Later in 2027, Dingolfing will also begin building the ALPINA-badged 7 Series, an even more luxurious version with its own codename: G72. While previous ALPINA 7 Series models were offered exclusively with combustion engines, the new flagship will be available with both gasoline and electric powertrains. With prices expected to sit well above those of the standard G70, the ALPINA models will likely be far rarer than their BMW counterparts.
