The seventh 7 has been in production for a couple of years but BMW is already hard at work testing the Life Cycle Impulse. Spy shots from the Spanish border show the LCI cloaked in camouflage. Separately, that spy video featuring the new X5 G65 we shared earlier today also shows the stately luxury sedan up close. It’s the footage that caught our attention because it hints at some big changes for the flagship.
Pause the video at the 0:56 mark and you will notice the kidney grille is no longer overly vertical. It appears to be better proportionate with the 7 Series’ front fascia. Interestingly, we’re getting the impression of one-piece headlights, which if true, would prove to be even better news. Could BMW have listened to the criticism surrounding the G70’s striking front end? The car in question is a fully electric i7 judging by the license plate ending in “E.”
We can’t see what’s going on inside but our sources close to BMW told us there could be major changes. The 7 Series LCI is expected to get iDrive X, the company’s all-new infotainment system. We’ll see it first next year in the Neue Klasse-based iX3 before the i3 sedan gets it in 2026. The next-gen setup has already been previewed in the Neue Klasse concepts with a huge center screen and a dashboard-wide head-up display. BMW has already announced the rotary knob won’t be installed in cars with iDrive X.
Elsewhere, the gasoline models will drop the letter “i” from the end of their names. This updated nomenclature is already in place for the recently launched 1 Series and X3. Consequently, look for the 760i to become the 760, the 740i the 740, etc. The diesels will keep the “d” and so will the plug-in hybrids retain the “e.”
With the 7 Series being the flagship model, it should get all the latest technological developments compatible with the CLAR platform. Cleaner and more efficient combustion engines are likely in the works to keep up with stricter emissions regulations. We’re also not excluding improvements to the fully electric i7 models given how batteries and motors have rapidly progressed in recent years.
The BMW 7 Series G70 LCI is believed to enter production in July 2026, so look for an official premiere to take place roughly two years from now.
