BMW will preview the profile and key design elements of the next-generation 7 Series in a concept vehicle to be displayed at the Munich auto show in September, a company source told Automotive News Europe.
The concept will be the first BMW Group vehicle to be based on the Neue Klasse, or New Class, architecture, which is designed to be primarily full-electric but can also accommodate diesel or gasoline engines, including plug-in hybrids.
The highly flexible and scalable platform is engineered to allow more aerodynamic designs – important for electric vehicle range – with different proportions and more spacious interiors. It will be used for all new models in the group’s lineup, from BMWs to Rolls-Royces, starting in 2025.
The architecture will feature rear-wheel drive as standard, with the option to add front-wheel drive to offer all-wheel drive.
The BMW group source did not offer more details about the concept to be displayed at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, which opens to the news media on Sept. 6 and public on Sept. 7.
The 7 Series has been the BMW brand’s flagship sedan since the first generation debuted in the late 1970s.
Mercedes introduced a new generation of the S-Class last year and this year unveiled the EQS, an S-Class sized full-electric flagship model.