BMW 7-series M-Sport package makes early debut

By Alex Kaufmann

Alex Kaufmann

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10 48,791 views Jun 22, 2009

2011 bmw m7 7 series spy shots june 007

As our spy shots revealed in early June, this new styling pack is only a minor upgrade to the standard car

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The planned flagship car, which was expected to wear an 8-series badge, had been conceived as a super sedan for the company and was to draw its styling from the hugely successful CS concept first unveiled back in 2007. While all chances of the 8-series ever arriving in showrooms have now dried up, there is new hope that its legacy will live on in a performance version of the 7-series. And until that high-performance M-version arrives, the M-Sport package will be the best BMW has to offer.

The M-Sport package includes the typical exterior upgrades to give a sharper, sportier appearance, along with interior upgrades to enhance the driver-car interface: M shifter, M steering wheel and M footrest. Carbon fiber trim is also expected to be available. The unofficial photos, revealed by a user at 7Post forums, confirm production of a car our spy photographers caught testing earlier this month.

A 7-series prototype with some very distinct BMW M Division styling elements was spotted testing in Germany in the first week of June, leading to speculation that a new M7 is in the works. BMW’s storied M Division was the group assigned with development of the 8-series and it’s entirely possible that some of its mechanicals, such as a new powertrain and suspension set-up, could still appear in a new M7.

Some of the unique features seen on a previous prototype include a subtle bonnet bulge, oversized brakes and an aggressively styled front bumper with gaping air intakes. A second prototype in black, spied earlier this month and looking similar to the M-Sport photos revealed today, is missing the bonnet bulge and performance wheels and brakes seen on the grey prototype. Furthermore, a lack of M-style fender vents and quad exhaust pipes suggest that the prototypes are only wearing the new 7-series M-styling pack.

Everything remains speculation at this point as BMW is yet to confirm any plans for a new performance 7-series or an M-Sport package, but the evidence seen in these spy shots, and now confirmed with the unofficial M-Sport package images, suggests there is definitely something new for the flagship saloon brewing at BMW.

BMW released official info and pricing on its 1-series, 3-series and 5-series M-Sport packages back in February.