DRIVEN + VIDEO: Consumer Reports Gives Its FIRST Impressions Of The All-New BMW 7-Series — What's It Telling YOU?

This is an example of a great vehicle that needed some dashing styling. Most people will only know this is new because of the chrome hockey stick on the side. That is unfortunate. BMW did some amazing engineering and then crapped on itself with derivative styling.

Darringer, you summed it up precisely - BMW crapped on itself with this one! Disappointment all-around.

Go to your local BMW retailer and sit in one, its garish and does not feel like a model year 2015 vehicle.

Too bad the good bits are under the skin.

Styling - I am not sure that "Dashing" is what is needed - I would prefer to see "Presence". The problem to me with both the A8 and the 7 series is that they are big smaller cars and look that way. Mercedes styled from the TOP (Big) down this time and the S-Class really really benefited from that.

Audi and BMW are basically small sports sedan manufacturers - not large Luxury Sedan makers. A Large Luxury Sedan has to LOOK that part - something that a lot of companies (read that Cadillac too) have failed in.

The Genesis line may be a Lexus problem - but it really will not compete with Mercedes as well - there is a "cachet that Hyundai simply cannot do yet - Lexus never did.(Nor did Infinity). But - I believe the New Continental will scuttle the Genesis - along with the new Buick LaCrosse. THe market for the "old people's" large car will settle into that now that Lexus has abandoned the real world for Marvel Comics styling. And the comparison between the LaCrosse and the Continental will favor the Buick on price. But there are still hoards of old Panther based Lincoln and Marquis car that are in line for replacement - that market will get much larger. THe reason why the Taurus sells poorly is that it simply is too small in the rear.

Along with My S-600 - which is the older generation - I recently drove a Mulsanne on a trip in Asia. While quite a rolling castle - it is not in my taste. I feel the current S-600 is likely to be my last super car - in about two years - and I think it will then be time to put the keys away.

This car is underwhelming. Yes, it has great technology, but I'll be interested to see how many buyers are drawn to remote parking and gesture controls over the better luxury experience of the S-Class (based on several publications stating as such).
From a style and design standpoint, it's a complete letdown. Eventually BMW's strategy of tacking on new front-ends and new rear-ends to the same middle-box design will catch up to them. And the interior is even more of a disappointment. When you sit in the driver's seat, it doesn't feel special in the same way the S-Class does. Granted, it's the same sentiment when you sit in a 3/4 Series vs. a C-Class and the 3/4 continues to dominate in sales. But, the C is strictly a 2-engine-option sedan until the coupe and cabriolet versions come to market. If anyone is stepping up from a 5 Series to a 7 Series, I'm not sure the 7 will truly give them that "step-up" feeling of spending six figures on a car.

The S Class--being done so well--begs the question of "If not an S Class then what?"

The BMW is a letdown. The A8 is a Camry-bland German Oldsmobile. The Jaguar XJ looks like a big ungainly hatchback. The Lexus LS is the only unknown given that a new one is coming, but no one believes that the LS will trump the S Class.

I would argue that the answer to my question would be either the Genesis G90 or the Continental.

Granted, it's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but if the Continental comes out faithful to the Concept--and it appears it will--It will have panache. It is generating buyer interest, so it will be the cool car to have when it comes out.

As for the Genesis G90, it's attractive and strikes an anti-fat cat stance.

A friend of mine was having issues with his E Class and he chose to lease a Genesis R Spec (previous model) and he loved it so much that he currently has a new Genesis. His father like the car and leased an Equus on a whim--his Mercedes S at the time was 10 years old--and he liked it. When the lease was up, he got a Kia K900 and loved it. He will no doubt get a G90.

The steal among big premium sedans--aside from the G90--will be the Cadillac CT6..

NO, the G90 will not be a good reason not to buy an S Class, but it will be a good clever not to buy its competition.

The rear reminds me of Acura RLX ...Profile the Lexus GS... but it HELL ISN'T AS NICE AS THE S-CLASS!

And all this BS tech...that will be obselete in a year!

Keywords come to mind:

Boring, POS, Bland, Sleepy!

don't knock Lexus LS...its the reason why the S-Class got better!

The S-Class is the reason the LS exists in the first place.

funny how soon everyone forgot...The mid - late 90s S class was starting to be surpassed by the LS to the point that it went from Lexus copying them, to Mercedes aping Lexus. But the german/euro fanboys on this site will never admit that the Japanese can approach the germans. You keep throwing around the word prestigious which is a fake intangible attribute btw!!!. That's how I know a lot of you commenters on here are mostly frauds - not real enthusiasts.

Excuse me BMW, but why does the $110K 7 series look virtually the same as teh $35K 3 series? The exterior is already all too familiar and aging fast.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class reigns supreme yet again. BMW can pack all the damn technology it wants into the 7-Series but until it can change the 7-Series's image from being a sports sedan masquerading as a large luxury sedan to a luxury sedan that is first and foremost focused on a luxury experience it will never achieve close to the same success as the vaunted Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Most buyers probably don't even know how to operate half the technology aids in the 7-Series anyway.