Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW

Do you remember the first time you saw your mom wearing a facial mud mask? We had the same reaction when we first saw this spy pic of the new BMW 7-Series that was shot in Munich. While we suppose the psychedelic swirly paint job does obscure the luxury sedan’s new lines, it also screams to every passerby for attention. That’s not something development mules and prototypes usually do.

World Car Fans says it can make out a new front grille with a wider and lower hood on the car. All we see is a hive of bumblebees being pureed. Regardless, WCF reports the next-gen 7-Series will feature an 8-speed automatic like the Lexus LS, as well as the xDrive system. Power will reportedly come from a range of engines including the 272-hp 3.0L inline six, a new 414-hp V8 sourced from the M3 and possibly a new version of the car’s 6.0L V12. BMW will likely debut the new car’s shape at one of the big European shows: maybe Geneva in March, but more likely Paris later in the year.

[Source: World Car Fans]

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW

The next 7-Series could say goodbye to its current bluff-sided barge proportions. According to the latest renderings, a lower, wider, larger car swoops up from a front that takes cues from the CS concept to a rear in which there are no remaining traces of the Bangle Butt.

We have always been fans of the 7-Series, and would greatly welcome a return to elegance — even if it’s the brutish elegance of this rendering. We would also welcome a new interior, and word is that it will be equally redone. And that (pesky) iDrive? The annoying knob will be made ever more user friendly we’re told, which shouldn’t be too difficult considering the starting point. It appears the last user friendly upgrade to the iDrive wasn’t as friendly as BMW thought. This time it will also get Google Maps and iPhone connectivity. Intriguingly, the gear shift could return to the center console instead of being on the steering column stalk.

Engines will start out at 3.0 liters (probably gas and diesel variants, but still not for the States, most likely), jump to a V8 with a 47-HP boost over the current model, and top out at an even more powerful 6.0-liter V12. Expect the car to debut next year as a 2009 model, so we should see its debut at an auto show early in the season.

[Source: eGM Car Tech]

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