BMW 7er Picture Thread

[SDNR]

Originally Posted by Osnabrueck

Now that I've had time to absorb the FL 7 Series I'm content to say that the redesign was a misguided hack-job.....

LOL - a hack-job you say...I think that's a bit tough Osna........I like the FL - I agree with you - it does seem they got scared for a minute - maybe they thought they had over-done it and decided to tone-it-down a little - but the FL still maintains the important aspects of the first version.

[Osnabrueck]

We'll have to agree to disagree then. Along with the Toyota Celica, the original E65 created a clear delineation between the design paradigms of the 90s and new century. One of the defining charicteristics of the 7er was it's split-boot taillight scheme. In retrospect, BMW's thinking was well ahead of its time.

I say hack job because it was clearly a matter of "we don't like this, go back and make it normal." In light of the original car, the FL 7er appears like a concession to mundane tastes, and that's certainly not an stance we'd tend to liken with a company like BMW; especially when we consider what they've been up to for the past 4 years.

[Just_me]

I been looking closely on the facelift two times and everytime Im impressed. I never liked the pre-facelifted version, in fact the car was ugly. The facelifted version is a huge improvement. The shape is easier for the eye and it looks much more elegant than before. Particulary with dark colours the car looks even greater.

My friend who dont like new bimmers at all said to me the other day that the facelifted was the best looking car from recent bimmers. Thats a good grade.

[Mr. M]

Why do people always think of the FL as a 'tone down'? I feel it's just as bold as the pre-FL, though it's a different kind of boldness. Much unlike how the previous 7 was controversial, the FL is appreciable. Even though more people will now take to the FL design, it doesn't mean that it is any way less bold. It still is humungous, the rear lighting design is something I've never seen before in any other car, and the front sporting a tauter image. It erases what looked bad in the pre-FL.

[SDNR]

Personally, I prefer the FL version - please don't hate me

[Tycoon]

Originally Posted by Roberto

Personally, I prefer the FL version - please don't hate me

Same here! Definitely better than it was from the begining. I really don't understand how some can say that the FL has ruined the 7er. I appreciate some are liking it and some not, but to say that the FL ruined what 7er was... Hmmm, i definitely disagree. I'm at my dealer almost every day and i'm seeing the car every time i come there and i only . Besides, my dealer told me that after the facelift he sold more than 40 7ers in 8 months and that's not small for such expensive car. So, yes, definitely yes to FL... And it obviously helped 7er.

[vabboud]

w had a siilar discussion osna and i on the GCF forums back when the FL was released and when i still had time on my hands

my take was and still is:

there was one basic design flaw with the older 7, it was a rear that was a bit too empty for its size, if you look at the car 3/4rear, you have a fealing fo emptiness, besides that, no car could be mistaken for 7 , it was a clearly distinctive car with a whole set of design philosophy in, it that quickly spread to al other cars in the range.

the FL is a hackjob in the sense of " goog God Mr bangle, ever car mag has been bashing you, what the shit did we think when we acepted this design it won't sell, quickly cut it up and make somthing human out of it"

which was a normal reaction

the fornt was toned up a lot, the new headlights are "normal" ish, the do not have the same striking power asthe pre FL, but it seems that the influence of those lights carried on in the other models, who all now have one circular arc and a straight line (something grossly emulated by new VWs)

my take on the FL rear has always been positive, it doesn't seem as much as an afteryhought as the front, but it does the job of filling up the space nicely and as appeared was a design cue to stay (think E92 coupe)

the FL was no tone down, but if it weren't for the original reaction we would ahve something completely new

the preFL 7 was a full car, with a very organic and coherent design, it wasn't made to be messed up by some FL, it can't be retouched and stay unscathed, simply because it was meant to be showcase of a full philosphy and thus incorporated all design elements that were later to appear, can we still dig up threads from the old GCF forums?

as for the S, its dsign is beautiful, but hardly impressive, flagships always usher in something new, design and idrive for BMW, 8speeds for lexus, etc.. this S in this respect fails, the interior layout as great as it is, as high quality as it is, is a clear 7er "inspiration"

the exterior clearly is an "amalgame" of a thousand mercedes design cues, but mroe energized and revitalized,
the design si simplistic is that it has no groundbreaking curves, with autocad 101 at uni i can render a very realistic outline of the S, something i can't do of the 7,

i've seen about a dozen S's in lebanon, once even an S right in front of a prefacelift E65

what strikes you is that the S is simple, it strikes your eye first, seeming
better designe, but you don't tarry on it, the 7 quicky takes your eyesight back, since there is always ome new hidden line, you can figure ut the S almost instantly, smething i haven't yet been able to do of the 7

[Giannis]

great point there vabboud. It's been a long since your last visit... *thumbup*

[The Artist]

wow i have tried to be civil about this.. but here is what i think .. and i dont care what others say..
The 7er is a damn ugly car.. from start.. the grill is so wide..it looks like a rhino.. and the headlights with the reflectors running on top is like a person with bushy eyebrows..
the rear of the pre fl was imo very nice.. and ididnt mind the banglebutt..
And then they come with this freakin FL.. wich is imo.. a cosmetic surgery on donkey..
The front is now smoother.. but still wierd.. the rear is destroyed with the additional lights.. wich make it look like the las vegas strip..

SO there you have it..the 7er is a design wise IMO a failure from start..

[Tycoon]

Originally Posted by The Artist

SO there you have it..the 7er is a design wise IMO a failure from start..

Yeah, that's what the sales say too... STFU!