SPIED: On The Heels Of The BMW 7-Series' Private Reveal, NEW Spy Shots Of Its IP And Steering Wheel

This is what we've been waiting for. Hopefully, BMW's prepared a proper challenger to the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Although that has yet to be seen, more and more info is starting to trickle out.

Thanks to our friends abroad, we're seeing the next-gen 7-Series' instrument panel (IP) for the very first time.

LEAKED! #BMW 7-Series #G11

You gotta start somewhere, folks.

As you can see in the close up shot — via BimmerToday — the all-new 7'er will use a mix of Black Panel Technology and traditional gauges that are back lit. Clearly, the Black Panel Technology forms a large triangle in the middle of the cluster and we're sure that will be a place where critical vehicle information can be displayed.

The steering wheel looks similar to what we saw in the leaked photographs of the all-new 7. An educated guess would place this as the standard steering wheel making its way to production models. Yes, it is thick and given a bit of the bling treatment. I'd expect an M Sport wheel to be more simplistic and even fatter. It's also worth noting that we've seen prototypes using the existing M Sport steering wheel though that doesn't mean that BMW would equip the production model with an existing design.

That said, check out the all-new IP below and compare the steering wheel to the fully exposed shots from December 2014.





LEAKED! #BMW 7-Series #G11















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valhallakey - 4/14/2015 10:40:38 PM

+3 Boost

Too bad, IMHO BMW missed with this one,something sleeker, more delicate along the lines of the late 90s would have been better. What's up with all these bulky looking cars lately???

MDarringer - 4/14/2015 11:52:02 PM

0 Boost

They should have made the show car sedan.

GermanNut - 4/15/2015 11:53:49 AM

+2 Boost

This is already dead-on-arrival and it won't even be launched for several more months. BMW barely changed a single thing except for the passenger touch screen and the tail lights. People like to criticize Audi for making its new models look just like the older versions, but this is equally guilty if not more so of that.

The S-Class will continue to outsell this by a huge margin given that there is pretty much nothing changed between the current 7-Series and this "new" one.

JRobUSC - 4/16/2015 11:37:06 AM

+1 Boost

"People like to criticize Audi for making its new models look just like the older versions, but this is equally guilty if not more so of that."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

(catching breathe)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

nguyenvuminh - 4/15/2015 1:03:02 PM

+2 Boost

I don't profess to know the inner discussions at BMW but from the outside, one doesn't get a sense of priority and energy BMW put into their 7 series as compared to the time and resource they pour into their 3/4 series and the expansion of derivative models (X, GT, etc.). Even the 5 doesn't seems to get as much attention as the 3/4 and the derivative models. I don't blame them but it sort of shows up in the final 7 and 5 product. Having said that, I think the same for Audi when it comes to their A6 and A8. Just my two cents.

mre30 - 4/15/2015 3:59:52 PM

+2 Boost

By the way...the news about the brand-spankin' new 7-series will be soon eclipsed by the revelations about the "refreshed" S550, which usually appears about 3 months after the 7-Series is launched.

Basically, unless the new 7er is fantastic, reliable, handsome, and richly appointed, it will almost instantly be an 'also-ran'.

carsnyc - 4/15/2015 9:39:26 PM

+2 Boost

I agree with whoever said BMW just doesn't care about this tier. Their cash cow is the 3/4 series.