Enthusiasts will likely walk by the i7 and head straight to the M4 CSL since it’s arguably the more exciting of the two cars. Of course, these new BMWs cater to vastly different segments of the market and abide by the company’s “Power of Choice” strategy. It refers to offering a variety of drivetrains, illustrated at the 2022 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este with a potent inline-six gasoline engine for the Coupe Sport Lightweight. As for the fullsize sedan, it relies on a pair of electric motors to achieve what we like to refer to as silent luxury.

The i7 xDrive60 is making one of its first appearances in public at Lake Como in Italy where it largely looks the same as the new 7 Series G70. BMW’s all-new flagship has been completely redesigned inside and out to remain competitive against the latest Mercedes S-Class and its EQS electric alternative. The two German brands have taken different approaches as the 7 Series and i7 share the same platform.

As for the EQS, it rides on a bespoke electric platform, separate from that of the S-Class with its gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains. For this reason, the two Mercedes models have their own visual identities and don’t even share the same body style considering the EV is technically a liftback.

The i7 is a good ol’ sedan with a more and more traditional electric drivetrain as we gradually transition to EVs. Say what you will about your favorite brand, but few automakers are this daring nowadays in terms of design. There are quite a few details some of us are still having a difficult time getting used to, but I for one consider the zero-emissions luxobarge looks better in real images than in the official pics supplied by BMW. Of course, different strokes for different folks as design will always be subjective.

One detail few have focused on is the variety BMW is providing as far as how its sedans are styled. The 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, and the 7 Series look different whereas other rival brands have been criticized for taking the “same sausage, different length” approach.

Our fresh batch of photos from the 2022 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este allows you to get acquainted with the i7 as captured by the camera out in the real world.