Today, BMW released news about its refreshed 2020 7-Series model. Being in the large luxury sedan class isn't quite easy.
That's mostly because these vehicles have a higher barrier of entry, so, they're not exactly sold in volume. While the current-gen, pre-refresh vehicle was already getting plenty of negative attention for having a rather lackluster exterior, the latest design is taking it to a new level in all of the wrong places.
CES Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery
First, the iconic front kidney grilles. They went from large and in charge to now what appears to be a cartoonish growth. Simply put, from the studio photos we see, the 7-Series looks downright silly. It's not boasting presence as much as it makes the observer say "Ew."
Second, the "hockey sticks," in the side profile that originally served to detract from the air curtain vents in the front fenders has become larger and more rigid. In other words, this design feature is now more prominent and highlighted with chrome. This may be one of the worst integrations of a vent into a design I've seen in some time.
Third, what is up with all the additional use of chrome? Around the exhaust finishers, along the trunklid, the "hockey sticks," embedded in the front valence and added to the side view mirrors, this looks like a cheap attempt at "luxury" rather than a thoughtful touch.
Fourth, the interior. Although it is largely carryover, BMW's design team has decided with the 2020 refresh to add more decorative stitching to armrests. Listen, the seats already had enough and now it appears BMW has taken the Mercedes-Benz S-Class' approach of more stitching equates to "luxury." In fact, it results in the opposite look and feel.
All in, I think the net result of the refreshed 2020 7-Series is that they took what was a sedan having difficulty standing out from the pack and drove it into the ground with poor decision making on design updates. Changes that should have been geared to enhance the 7'er have turned it into a bit of a ghoul.
What buyer says "I'll take the ungainly one!"
Though I've made my opinion clear, I've got to ask: Are you IMPRESSED or DEPRESSED with the refresh of the 2020 BMW 7-Series?
CES Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery
