Called G11 internally, the next 7 features a slightly more fastback-like silhouette than the current model. Air breathers located behind the front wheels help reduce drag by eliminating turbulence in the wheel housings, while chrome trim around the windows, above the rocker panels and on both bumpers add an upscale touch to the overall look.
The 2017 7 will shed up to 290 pounds thanks to a brand new platform made from lightweight materials including carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. The next 7 will earn the honor of being the first regular-production BMW to use carbon fiber in its construction, and the manufacturing technique is expected to trickle down to smaller Bimmers before the end of the decade.
BMW has previously confirmed the new 7 will usher in a long list of new high-tech features including the world’s first remote-controlled parking technology and a touch screen-based infotainment system capable of recognizing hand gestures.
Mechanically, the 7 will be fitted with the same 3.0-liter straight-six that debuted last week under the hood of the 2016 340i. Eight- and twelve-cylinder models will return, and BMW will expand the lineup with at least one gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid model about a year after the flagship makes its debut.
BMW will introduce the 2017 7 Series next fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and the sedan will begin to arrive in dealerships in approximately a year.
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