BMW readies its revised flagship

This thinly disguised BMW 7-Series prototype was snapped undergoing road-testing in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa recently.

Besides having a well-established manufacturing plant there, South Africa is a favourite testing area for the German manufacturer as it offers a variety of climatic and driving  conditions, has excellent roads largely uncluttered by other vehicles, excessive law-enforcement and nosy photographers.

Along with the reversed climate of the southern hemisphere, South Africa is also on the same time-zone as head office in Germany, so communications between test engineers and designers can be immediate.

Sitting on a new platform, the new 7 Series should appear towards the end of 2008 as a 2009 model.

From these pictures, it's fair to say that it will be similar in size to the existing 7 but with a re-think of some of its more controversial styling cues.

Interior space will increase thanks to a longer wheelbase, but shorter overhangs means the new 7 doesn't gain much length.

This almost production-ready prototype reveals an overall shape similar to the existing model, implying a trend towards evolutionary design.

The car seems to offer a bigger more prominent kidney grille and almost Bentley-esque proportions, while the headlights and indicators seem to offer a familial link to the smaller BMWs, especially the 1 Series.

The controversial boot design of the current 7 Series appears largely unchanged, although a fresh taillight treatment seeks to play down the car's polarising rear.

Like the existing 7 Series, there will be a range of V8 and V12 engines, although a clean-burning diesel option, at least in Germany, remains a possibility.

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