BMW’s Flagship Sedan Is Now a Software Product With Seats

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By: Sergiu Tudose

How do I make this sound less like the grievances of an old man and more like observations based on common sense, steeped in tradition and folklore? I’m not sure if I can, and I’m not sure it would matter if I did. Weirdly enough, I’m also not sure whether we should be worried about BMW’s latest design direction or not. These things tend to be cyclical.

The G70 7 Series was already a massive departure from its predecessor. Heck, it was a massive departure from any other automobile ever made. It was straight out of Batman: The Animated Series, and not necessarily in a good way. But I’m not interested in the exterior right now, but rather the cabin, which has stopped being a driver-first environment.

What we have in the upgraded version of the G70 7er is more like a high-end lounge with a massive screen wrapped around it. When the G70 first came out, it was evident that the interior was no longer driver-focused, so to speak. The LCI doubles down on an already curious path.

I know the 7 Series isn’t necessarily the first BMW you think about when discussing “driver’s cars”, but that never stopped the Bavarian carmaker from putting the driver first in the past. From the E23 all the way to the G11, the 7er’s center console was angled towards the driver – with the exception of the E65.

To be fair, there is some “angle” to it even now, with the G70, but the facelift managed to take even more away from that. Of course, the biggest shift comes from the introduction of BMW Panoramic iDrive, which dissolves your traditional instrument cluster into a projection layer stretching across the base of the windshield.

It’s very sharp and futuristic, and arguably more efficient (maybe), but it also removes one of the last physical anchors of the driver experience as the dashboard is no longer a pillar of that. It’s a classic case of hardware making room for software.

Then there’s the new front passenger screen, in case you still need BMW to spell it out for you. The driver is no longer the focal point – but that’s only because cars are no longer symbols of freedom and control. They’re tech products. You can now picture me crying “Oh God!” just like Al Bundy used to do while looking at Peg and realizing that was his life now.

I don’t mind the fact that the passenger gets full access to certain features independent of the driver, but do you really want your passenger constantly fiddling around with that screen? It’s inherently distracting, even if they’re not directly influencing your driving inputs.

What I definitely don’t mind is the upgraded Theater Screen with 8K touch functionality and better “everything”. You can participate in video conferences, and you even get gaming support. It’s more like a mobile office than ever before.

It’s all flashy and modern, yes, but it’s also soulless to an extent. Where previous 7 Series generations relied on materials, craftsmanship, and the general tactile experience to build an identity, the G70 LCI relies on ambient lighting and animation.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Aurel Niculescu

The mid-cycle refresh of the 2027 BMW 7 Series flagship sedan, in ICE and EV form, has arrived. The LCI (Life Cycle Impulse, Bavaria’s fancy way of nicknaming a facelift) brings to North America four versions at launch: i7 50 xDrive and i7 60 xDrive, plus 740 and 740 xDrive. More variants will follow.

The BMW 7 Series full-size luxury sedan has been in production at the German automaker since 1977. Next year, it will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, and of course, BMW decided to make sure the model that blows the candles and receives gifts is fresh and inviting.

BMW’s flagship passenger car has gone through seven iterations so far, all squarely aimed at battling the Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class foes, along with any other rival from other brand. The current generation, G70, has been available since 2022 with a design that’s completely different and controversial when compared to its predecessor.

Now, the company has revealed the mid-cycle refresh changes, and the polemics will continue for sure: while the brand is fully involved with the Neue Klasse model changeover kickstarted with the NA5 second-generation BMW iX3 and the NA0 second-gen BMW i3 sedan, the BMW 7 Series, including the i7 electric version, remains faithful to the split-headlight design signature that’s also common with the X7 full-size crossover SUV.

The brand did update the BMW 7 Series quite thoroughly, and organized the world premiere on April 22 just ahead of the public unveiling in Beijing at Auto China 2026. However, to emphasize the importance of North America, there was a concurrent “special event at Grand Central Terminal in the heart of New York City.” Global production begins quite swiftly, in July 2026 at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Lower Bavaria.

Strangely, competitors are fewer than ever. Audi and Lexus have recently decided to retire their A8 and LS full-size luxury sedans and Tesla also concluded the production of the Model S with the ultra-expensive and sold-out Signature Edition. Cadillac also doesn’t have an answer for the 7 Series and S-Class anymore, and Infiniti or Acura also don’t play the sedan game at the top of the roster.

An interesting rival for the ICE-powered BMW 7 Series comes from Hyundai, of all carmakers, the 2026 Genesis G90. It has an even lower starting MSRP of $92,700 and rocks a standard 3.5-liter turbo V6 with AWD, pushing 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. For additional cash, there’s the $103k 3.5T E-SC MHEV AWD model, churning out 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, so you can either buy a cheaper G90 with slightly less power but standard AWD or pay about the same but have more oomph under the hood.

The Genesis G90 sounds like an extremely reasonable alternative, frankly, at least as far as the ICE models are concerned. There’s a new plug-in hybrid model, the BMW 750e xDrive, coming with a combined 483 hp and 516 lb-ft in 2027, which is unbeatable by Genesis, as the rival doesn’t offer an electrified model beyond the MHEV option. BMW also promises a V8-powered M Performance model after the launch of the 750e during Q1 of 2027, and there’s also an i7 M70 xDrive super sedan with 670 hp.

The alternative, of course, is the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. There’s just one problem – the facelifted S-Class isn’t available in the US just yet, so the S 500 4Matic, S 580e 4Matic, S 580 4Matic, and S 63 E Performance models, ranging from $119,500 to $189,800, are all obsolete at the moment. The same goes for the recently facelifted EQS all-electric sedan, which starts from $99,900 and goes up to $123,900 in the current guise. So, what do you think, which one is your favorite and why? 

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Alex Oagana

People usually treat supercars with a kind of snobbery that makes them sound like they exist in an alternate reality, situated on a higher realm than the one where regular cars are driven by regular people, going to regular places, like schools or supermarkets.

To be fair, the supercar and hypercar industry has definitely encouraged that general perception about their products. Most of them brag about how their cars are exquisitely hand built visions, where every single detail comprising the vehicle (they are still vehicles, just expensive ones) has been meticulously assembled from materials that you cannot find on something as ordinary as a 20k grocery getter.

The entire supercar buying experience, especially when talking about low-volume manufacturers, is filled with so much glamor and (sometimes) unneeded pretentiousness that is sometimes funny. When you spec out a limited-edition supercar you don’t simply choose a few options and the color, you sometimes have a “liaison manager” that first gives you a short history of each strain of carbon fiber used on the steering wheel or how the color of the paint doesn’t exist anywhere in nature.

Almost everything is specially constructed so that you feel like you’re buying something truly exceptional, that ordinary people don’t have access to. And then you lift the intricately shaped engine cover and notice some familiar details. Is… that… a pickup truck engine?

You see, developing a new family car is an expensive and time-consuming business anyway. Creating a supercar entirely from scratch is so expensive that it almost becomes completely unproductive, no matter how many millions you can then ask for the resulting product. I’m not saying supercars made entirely of original parts don’t exist. It’s just that most of them are made using existing, already homologated, bits and pieces, some of which come from more ordinary cars.

De Tomaso Pantera: The Dramatic Italian Supercar with a Blue-Collar American V8

Most automotive cooperations make perfect sense, both from a financial standpoint and in the minds of potential customers, and technology transfers between two similar car companies with aligned interests doesn’t make people raise an eyebrow. Then there is the De Tomaso Pantera, the result of arguably one of the most unexpectedly successful automotive partnerships of the 1970s.

During the 1960s, De Tomaso had established itself as a rather successful but still boutique exotic car manufacturer in just a few years. Based in Modena, the heart of Italy’s supercar-making business, it had been founded by Alejandro De Tomaso, an Argentine-born industrialist and former racing driver who wanted to take the eponymous carmaker to new global heights.

The Pantera was De Tomaso’s third road-going vehicle, a mid-engine supercar in desperate need of an engine that would make it go as fast as it looked. In came Ford, which was fresh from beating Ferrari at its own game at Le Mans and still interested in acquiring an Italian exotic jewel to rub it in Enzo’s face even more.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Naveed Hussain

We may now associate the Leon more with Cupra than with Seat, and that's okay. It's better for it. Compared to earlier versions, it now offers bolder styling, a lower and more driver-focused driving position, and more powerful engine options. The Leon, it seems, has been revitalised as a result.

It was the second car Cupra adopted when it broke away as a standalone brand in 2018, and has been a mainstay ever since. It was Seat’s bestselling model for years, selling over 2.5 million units worldwide since 1999 – with Cupra picking up the baton and shifting 67,957 Leons in 2025 alone. That's 11,842 more than Seat, whose most popular model is now the Ibiza.

This is especially impressive when considering that the rising popularity of family-oriented SUVs and crossovers continues to threaten the hatchback market. These compact city cars remain popular, however, with brands such as Volkswagen and Honda still making a headway in the industry.

Several competing hatchbacks, including the Volkswagen Golf, Renault Clio, and Vauxhall Astra, have recently evolved or undergone major changes. The Cupra Leon has also been updated but retains its character and continues to suggest untapped potential.

The 2020 Cupra Leon already sat 20-25mm lower than the Seat Leon, offering a lower centre of gravity for improved handling, and came with the option of 18- or 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels for enhanced performance.

The suspension setup was also stiffer than that of the Seat, delivering a firmer ride and a more responsive driving feel, while still being built on the same Volkswagen Group MQB Evo Mk4 platform. The latest Cupra Leon moves away from Seat’s styling, adopting more aggressive lines similar to Cupra's best-seller, the Formentor.

The 2024 facelifted Leon gets a shark-nosed snout and triangular matrix LED lights. This sharp-edged theme extends to the rear lights as well, which flank the illuminated Cupra badge. Inside, there's a new 12.9-inch infotainment system borrowed from the Volkswagen parts bin, as well as bucket seats made up of mostly recycled microfibre material or eco-friendly leather.

Several powertrains are available, including petrol, mild hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options, with diesel also offered in some markets, but not in the UK. Power ranges from 150hp to 333hp, depending on which you go for. The plug-ins are quoted to return up to 217 mpg and up to 80 miles of pure electric driving on a fully charged 19.7 kWh battery. In comparison, the pre-facelifted Leon had a 12.8 kWh battery, which could only manage a range of 32 miles. 

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Mircea Panait

It's been a rather busy week at the Nurburgring. The Raging Bull of Sant'Agata Bolognese was the first major automotive manufacturer to come out and play, and the four-wheeled star on this occasion is a heavily anticipated performance version of the Revuelto.

Based on the "Attenzione: Macchina Veloce" decals, which are prominently featured on the doors and front hood, the Italian automaker is preparing the Aventador SV's replacement. While not much appears to have changed from the Revuelto, the Revuelto SV easily stands out by means of a fixed rear wing.

The rear aerodynamic diffuser is also different, and Lamborghini has also made aero-focused modifications up front. Under the rear deck and the frunk, anything from 1,184 to 1,282 mechanical horsepower may be hiding from a free-breathing V12 and three electric motors.

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Remember the American hypercar company that goes by the name Czinger? Founded in 2019 by Lukas and Kevin Czinger, the LA-based automaker is best known for an engineering marvel known as the 21C.

After multiple timed runs at Laguna Seca, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the Circuit of the Americas, the carbon-bodied thriller is now doing its thing at the Green Hell. Based on the high-downforce setup and the design of the rear end, this fellow isn't the Blackbird special edition or the V Max spec.

Regardless, the Nordschleife-bound Czinger 21C packs the smallest bi-turbo V8 in the industry. Electrified for good measure, the 1,250-horse contender may be testing at the 'Ring in a bid to outdo the AMG ONE.

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Back in the real world, namely that one in which average Joes and Janes can actually make payments on a new car, the Lexus division has been spotted in Germany with the updated NX. Also tested at the Nurburgring, the RAV4's cousin really needs a refresh.

The problem here is that Toyota rolled out a new-gen RAV4, and its existence makes the NX look old by comparison. Unfortunately, the 2027 Lexus NX doesn't appear to be all that different from the 2026 model.

Beyond the obvious exterior styling and interior technology changes, the NX is further expected to switch from internal combustion to electrified-only powertrains next year. At press time, your sole combustion-only choice is the 350.

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Targeting a sub-$40,000 starting price in the United States, the all-new Xterra is due in the latter part of 2028. Presumably a 2029 model by American standards, the body-on-frame sport utility vehicle was previewed by Nissan mere weeks ago.

Building on said teaser, pixel meister AutoYa imagined the Bronco- and Wrangler-fighting 2029 Nissan Xterra in full. In the rendering artist's vision, the side profile mirrors the design of the previous generation for the American market.

Expected to sell more than 50,000 units per annum, the 2029 model isn't likely to feature a manual option. Instead, prospective customers will be presented with either a regular V6 gasoline lump or a hybrid version of the sixer in question.

By: Bogdan Popa

Car theft is getting more sophisticated, but so are the methods used by the police. The Kia Boys have been wreaking havoc in our communities for several years already, so law enforcement is now using drones to hunt them down. Two teenagers found this out the hard way this week, and the video of the whole operation is oddly satisfying. 

The justice system also seems to have had enough of these Kia Boys. A member of the infamous gang has just been sentenced to over 7 years in prison. His numbers are horrendous, to say the least. He stole 15 Kias and Hyundais after previously driving away in two other cars and being released to his parents. 

While these are all signs that the Kia Challenge is fading, another concerning trend is gaining ground. The Gas Boys are slowly becoming a thing, as thieves are now drilling holes in the gas tanks of cars parked outside to milk the precious juice inside. 

Otherwise, Waze is struggling with a Windows-style BSOD, while a recent Android Auto update makes the app useless on external screens—just a typical week in the Google space.

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