BMW Accidentally Sneaks Us A Photo Of The 'Sport' Version Of The New 7-Series?

By accident, I've been one of the lucky few who have seen the new BMW 7-Series in person.

When I was in Moscow covering the 2008 TransSyberia Rally for Porsche BMW was across the street from the hotel in Red Square unveiling it to the Russian Glitterati.

The car definitely looks better in person than in photos but I HATE it when BMW unveils a car in non-sport version guise (body kit/wheels) because the regular version looks so ordinary and mundane, with normal all-season tires.

So I was reserving my final opinion of the design until I saw it as a sport version car.

Well, BMW may have accidentally slipped the first shot of it out themselves.

As I looked closely to the photo with Bangle and Von Hooydonk (see photo in gallery below), I noticed the car they were standing next to had bigger tires/wheels and a more aggressive looking front bumper.

So my guess is it's the new 7-Series with sport package.

And it DEFINITELY looks better and the part.

You have to look close, but you will agree with me.

And, the color combo is really hot as well.

Do you agree?

WorldofLuxury - 8/12/2008 12:39:26 AM

-4 Boost

Look at those rims!!! I love them!
As I've mentioned before, I'm a guy that likes big...big car, big interior, big engine!

ahaha...everything's perfect about big until I drive my 730Li (out of state) and LX 470. They're both a bit underpowered, but when I'm a passenger, they're perfect! I especially love the awesome BIG Mark Levinson stereo of the LX!

EnnNorak - 8/12/2008 9:58:00 AM

-3 Boost

I can't properly view the rims from these photos; however, to earn my respect, the number of spokes must match the number of bolts or be a multiple thereof. My acid test for rim acceptability is how well the tires protect the rims from curb scuffs. The profile of a wheel with tire mounted and bearing the car's weight, should be such that some rubber protrudes about an inch beyond the rim.

JRobUSC - 8/12/2008 11:31:18 AM

+1 Boost

you're a weird one, every objection you have is off the wall. You want the tire to protrude an inch beyond the edge of the rim? So it looks like:

|
| this is the sidewall of the tire
|
--------- this is the bottom of the tire, not rim
|
| this is the outer lip of the rim
|

Is that even possible? How is the tire being supported and held on to the wheel?

How about you just don't hit curbs with your $100k car? It's not the fault of the wheels or tires if you damage them by hitting things.

JRobUSC - 8/12/2008 11:33:59 AM

+1 Boost

well that came out retarded, all the spaces were truncated. Those vertical lines where it says "this is the outer lip of the rim" were supposed to be under the inside edge of the horizontal lines for the bottom of the tire.

CLK63BlackSeries - 8/12/2008 3:19:12 PM

+2 Boost

Yeah this Enn guy must be 60+ if he wants his tires to protrude an inch. The more tire the better philosophy is so 10 years ago. These days you get the same ride quality from a 35mm tire as you used to with a 55. And yes, why dont you just keep your 100k+ car away from curbs?? Plus... if you drive you rim into a curb at 50mph (like i did) your big tires wont be much of a help.

BMWMPower - 8/13/2008 12:04:30 AM

+1 Boost

RobUSC, the amout a tire sticks out from the lip of a rim varies across tire ranges. Some manufactures actually aim for this to reduce curb rash. For instance look up the Dunlop SP Sport MAXX the tire sits almost 1cm out from the lip of the rim at it's widest point.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 8/13/2008 6:07:27 AM

+1 Boost

BMWMPower

1cm is understandable

1 inch is beyond Silly.

egog - 8/14/2008 9:16:08 PM

+1 Boost

I think JROB needs curb feelers

sector - 8/12/2008 12:51:41 AM

-24 Boost

Once a turtle always a turtle :)

FactsRule - 8/12/2008 2:28:43 AM

+9 Boost

auto001, I suppose you are describing yourself..

EnnNorak - 8/12/2008 9:58:55 AM

+7 Boost

He's projecting for sure.

ICON - 8/12/2008 1:54:45 AM

-4 Boost

Looks great, cant wait to see it in person!!

(auto001-you dolt,again with the animal references-grow up)

DaHarder - 8/12/2008 2:16:22 AM

+6 Boost

As a longtime owner/supporter of BMW vehicles, I find myself feeling absolutely nothing for this effort... NOTHING!

Hachee2001 - 8/12/2008 8:55:09 AM

+1 Boost

I'm sort of mixed on this one - I think I miss the boldness and presence of the current gen, but I think in a short time, I'll appreciate the relative subtlety of the new one...more like the great previous generation.

As for the sport package, it would have shadowline trim.

bmwdrvr - 8/12/2008 9:31:12 AM

-1 Boost

your a longtime BMW owner yet you were expecting a more exciting car???? thats quite interesting because until the current generation of BMW cars they ALL have been very conservative, people used to complain about their conservative exteriors and interiors, than they got more radical and people complained about that lol, now as they go back to more consevative elegance...here people are complaining again............they cant win for losing

Bored - 8/12/2008 2:35:54 AM

-3 Boost

The first pics of the the non-sport version made me think Hyundai Genesis.
This sport version makes me think Lexus LS 460.

It's not really meant to be a knock against the look. I think it looks great.

...Just not BMW great.

theoptimisticpessimist - 8/12/2008 3:05:39 AM

+1 Boost

Sorry, I doubt this is the sports package, its missing one item the last two generations of 7ers have had, shadow line trim(blacked out chrome on the greenhouse). Most likely it is a body kit with optional wheels. BMW historically has offered this before the sports package.

The long shot call is that its the V12, probably not though.

EnnNorak - 8/12/2008 10:04:14 AM

+4 Boost

OK guys, so it's back to politics again. Putin is clearly up to old Stalinist tactics of intimidating smaller neighbors. Ironically, Stalin was born in Georgia.

nozferatu - 8/12/2008 12:58:27 PM

+3 Boost

He learned from the best in the last 8 years...

JudasLease - 8/13/2008 1:22:51 AM

0 Boost

lol!!!!
BMW design became overdone years ago....please give us the classic German look, not this Korean BMW look crap.

Sarcastic1 - 8/12/2008 8:51:06 AM

+1 Boost

Can anyone explain to me why BMW refuses to make an all wheel drive 7 series? The only reason we don't own one is because of the deadly combination of hills and snow 4 months out of the year. For the people who do have them around here, they either change out the tires or get a winter ride. What's the point? If you're spending 80 grand on a car, why can't they add a 6 inch drive shaft to get those front wheels moving?

Hachee2001 - 8/12/2008 8:57:10 AM

+2 Boost

This 7 Series will have all wheel drive in about one year.

Agent001 - 8/12/2008 1:18:06 PM

0 Boost

Thanks for the catch...Adrian, our apologies...not that my last name Buffamanti ever gets misspelled ;)

001

Hantra - 8/12/2008 9:35:16 AM

-1 Boost

Man I thought Bangle was in an office somewhere playing solitaire. He's still out in front with VanHooydork, and the two of them will do whatever is necessary to ghey up BMW design.

nozferatu - 8/12/2008 12:57:42 PM

-1 Boost

What a shockingly different design!!!!!!

NOT.

aarononymous - 8/12/2008 9:43:36 PM

+1 Boost

Give him a break, he's 15

audirevolution - 8/13/2008 1:23:26 AM

0 Boost

He can't wait until his mom hands him down her 1995 BMW 318 next year!

audirevolution - 8/13/2008 1:23:26 AM

+2 Boost

He can't wait until his mom hands him down her 1995 BMW 318 next year!

BMW995 - 8/13/2008 4:59:45 PM

+1 Boost

Back to the tires that protrude.
The 18" front Bridgestones on my IS250 protrude about 3/4" from the rim I guess in order to protect the rim from a curb hit. This protrusion is not directly next to the rim; it's about a inch away from the rim.

bgagliano - 8/15/2008 12:34:38 AM

+1 Boost

These are ugly pictures of an ugly car. Looks reptilian. BMW styling, other than the 6 series is really ugly, not to mention it's a second rate German car. Sport and 7 series in the same sentence is an oxymoron. I didn't know a tank could be sporty?

Rupert - 8/15/2008 8:20:35 AM

+1 Boost

Did you guys hear about the 740i? It's going to use a development of the 335i engine, but with 330 hp.