The new BMW i7 has a very striking face and while the front grille is perhaps the most eye-catching part, the split crystal headlights developed with Swarovski are also quite special.
BMW has designed the i7 with a pair of split headlights and the upper section houses Swarovski crystals along the entire length. The German car manufacturer says that the design of these lights almost makes them look like air intakes during the day.
Read More: 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 Is First Ever Electric 7-Series, Has 300-Mile Range And Costs $119,300
Creating these headlights was not easy. In fact, Swarovski had to develop a floating device on which the crystals sit to ensure they remain in place for the life of the car.
The implementation of the crystal headlights has also allowed the carmaker to develop what it dubs the ‘Great Entrance Moment.’ When the driver approaches the car, the kidney grille and crystal headlights commence an intricate light show.
“Up to now, you have only seen homogeneous light strips on the road – the crystal headlights are the complete opposite of that,” head of exterior light design at BMW, Tom Binder described in a statement. “The dazzling, vibrant light image is a world apart from the familiar accurate light graphic. The precision is in the glass material, though, which can be machined much more finely and precisely than plastic.”
Of course, it isn’t just the headlights that make the i7 intriguing. It has so far only been showcased in xDrive60 guise that features a 255 hp electric motor at the front axle and a 308 hp electric motor at the rear axle. All up, it is good for 536 hp and 549 lb-ft (744 Nm) of torque. Providing these motors with their power is a 101.7 kWh battery pack that gives the luxurious sedan an estimated range of 300 miles (483 km).
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