The wraps are off the next-generation BMW 7 Series flagship, and it is already making the headlines. But not for the right reasons. The BMW all-electric i7 features an all-new front grille, and it doesn’t seem to have found a lot of fans on the internet. We’ll get to that in a bit. Let’s talk about the car first.

The Bavarian carmaker has packed the BMW i7 with a host of creature comforts like a massive roof-mounted 8K 31.3-inch display with premium audio, a touchscreen control on the door armrest and a panoramic sky lounge. 

Powering the flagship sedan is a 101.7kWh battery pack, which offers a WLTP-tested range of 590-625km on a single charge. This is impressive considering that the BMW i7’s twin motors put out 544hp, helping it sprint from 0-100kph in 4.7 seconds. Top speed is at 239kph. 

The BMW i7 will be offered in a single i7 xDrive60 variant for now. However, come 2023 and we might get a more powerful i7 M70 xDrive variant making more than 600hp and 1000Nm of torque.

Along with the i7, the Bavarian company also unveiled the ICE variant of the 7 Series. It’ll be offered with two different engine options. A 3.0-litre turbocharged, inline-six engine with a 48V mild-hybrid assist (375hp/519.2Nm) and a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine with the same mild-hybrid setup (536hp/749.7Nm). Both are mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Speaking of which, BMW also confirmed that the recently unveiled 7 series will be discontinued in the future, and will be replaced by the all-electric i7 as its sedan flagship.

Now, to address the elephant in the room, the new large front grille hasn’t exactly garnered a positive response from the automobile enthusiast community, with many sharing their feelings on Twitter. Here are some of our favourite reactions: