SPY PHOTOS: 2009 BMW 7-Series breaks cover

i think it looks great but no where near as beautiful as the Mercedes S class.

are you crazy...this looks much better!

i doubt it will look that similar to the 3 series, but i have no doubt it will look beautiful!

lol thats a 4 door 335i

lol. oops. i meant an elongated version of the coupe

Someone like you can't be bringing "rays of sunshine" to autospies when you spend so much time with your head up an area where the sun doesn't shine.

for once i have to agree with you
it is a very rudimentary photoshop blend of the 3 and the 7, with different cues from each... im amazed this is happening

But we are "Damn pedestrians".

I think it will look something "similar" to this..Generally its good..Still S class is #1 when it comes to timeless elegance..BMW will probably design something that will nicely fit into the second position..

Thats a good looking vehicle..

Very nice and definitly MUCH better than the current 7.

Vast improvement over the current 7 lol, however, the MB S will always remain top, at least from a design point and this if it looks similar will probably take second. But again, these aren't final designs and could change enough to make it a definite second.

is that a bad thing?

Well, i never thougth that i would do this but i agree with the lexus fans in this one, it looks a lot like the 3-series coupe with 4 doors and scaled up!!
And Then we ear the BMW fans criticizing Audi by delivering the same cars but just scalled!!! Ironic huh?!?
By the way, i like BMW and i think that this is a improvment over the current one but they didn't make any design breakthrough with this one!!!

The illustrations have a nice intepretation of how the rear lights will look, a more streamlined shape but the rest of the illustration is just unimaginable. Why would BMW create their big sedan with styling similar to their small coupe?! The side view: the front end/ wheels cannibalized from a 6-series, and there's no way that they're getting rid of that Bangle Butt.

It might be less pronounced but it ain't going away. It has just begun: look at the S-class! (and people saying that the S-Class is THAT much better I can't agree with) It's received the bangle butt treatment. The wheelarches are from Japan (while I was in my automotive design class, a senior designer from MB came to talk to us, the arches were put on a prototype model that was sent from Japan to Germany), and it only looks good in AMG form, because the rest of the car can't compete with the huge bold details put on the rest of the car. The S-class is a great car, but its design is just a salad bowl mix of everybody else, I can't appreciate it because I know where it comes from.

Such a car needs stately and elegant looks. This interpretation is too sporty for its own good. I'm not saying the 7 series doesn't need redoing though, the last couple of models have been horrifying.

Startling revelation on the S-Class's fender flares! And I completely agree that the new S-Class, as well as the CL-Class only look good in AMG form. The larger wheels and sportier front air dam help offset the larger proportions of the S-Class.

I think it looks beautiful. The rear is stunning. Only note is that I dont like those 6 series rims on.

This reminds me of the BMW CS Concept at the Shanghai Auto Show. I expected the twin kidney grille to be wider. I hope this is the end of the Bangle Era!

Anything but the Bangle-rama butt will be fine!

^^^I so agree...anything looks better than the current 7 series. Its looking like BMW is getting a clue and kicking Bangle off the drawing board.

A beautiful evolution of the pre-Bangle 7. This is what BMW would have looked like if Bangle wouldn't have been unleashed. Welcome back...

Another legend!!

That looks pretty good. They'd have to scale the grill down a bit but otherwise thats what the current car should have looked like. If they can put the gearshift back where it goes and do something better with the interior they'll have a winner.
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Even in that horrid color it looks a lot better than the current 7.

Finally going for the classic look!!! Very nice!
I couldn't stand the current front end, yack!

The grill is too big, and the sides a bit too fussy.

And lots of cars are now having big wheel arches and multi-surfaced bonnets - pedestrian regs again means cars are bigger in the nose, so they hide it with the arches, swept back headlamps and bigger grills.

I find all the comments on the "Bangle-Butt" amusing since now it has become part of the prevelant design language utilized by many--from Mercedes to Toyota/Lexus,Kia,Hyundai etc...give the guy credit he certainly has influenced the direction of auto design dramatically (Including flame surfacing)

I guess it proves the old addage once more,"you can always spot the pioneers - they are the ones with the arrows in their backs"

would you like to supersize your 3 series?

ahhh...it feels like the 1980s all over again.

But you talk like thats a bad thing...The 3 series is the best looking car in the lineup to me.

I think it is very good looking....

The headlight are to small for this size of a car, and but the from side it look good.

That is definitely a PS.

This car is so cool I think I'll buy two.

yummo definately take this over an s-class but it does look alot like the 3 series coupe but thats a good thing! if they get the interior and gadgets right this will definately walk all over the s-class

I see a lot of the CS Concept in that car. They will refine the look b4 it comes out. Everyone dogs it and then they all copy it!!! Look at the trunk styling of the current 7 compared to the new S-class. It looks like an afterthought until you realize that it has to be shaped like that if you want any trunk volume. The key is blending the tailights..i.e. revamped 7 trunk and facia.

Very nice.

Don't like the 6-series wheels on it though.

The current 7 is still not a bad car.

It may not be the prettiest, but with the right color and wheel combination, it could be attractive. I’m simply blown away by how this big, comfy sedan transforms into a superb driver’s car when pushed hard. The steering, body control, power and brakes just fuse together to create driving bliss. It may have pretensions of being a big luxo barge, but it is still very much a Bimmer. Take that S-Class!

even doe its a PS pic but that grill looks good, as a proud owner of a 7, weaponX u hit it on the money, right color and rrims, will make people respect how bad a 7 is,

Enough of the bad Photochop pix... Well then again it makes for car fan speculation fun =) Guarantee the new 7 will not look anywhere near that! I wonder if BMW will bust out the exaggerated fender flares ..ala..S car

People keep saying the Current S Class copied the Bangle 7 rear. Please correct me but isn't the current S a copy of the Maybach rear? Wasn't the Maybach out before the current 7?