Celebration is likely to erupt in Cabinet today as BMW launches its upgraded 7 Series in South Africa.
There's more to this mid-life refresh than what meets the eye, its subtle exterior revisions joined by a range of new engines, an upgraded chassis and a feast of new toys inside.
It'll take a sharp eye to notice the changes on the outside, where designers have treated the front end to a new set of LED headlights, modified kidney grille with fewer slats and a revised apron. The most notable change at the rear end is a thin chrome strip between the reflectors in the rear apron.
After a hard day of ordering minions around, occupants can sink into newly designed leather seats and be entertained by a 1200W Bang & Olufsen high-end surround sound system. If ticked on the options box, they can also enjoy individual rear seats and BMW's Rear Seat Entertainment package with a new 9.2-inch flatscreen monitor.
Those perched up front will also notice various minor changes to the instrument display and the control display now has high-resolution 3D graphics.
The entertainment programs are now simpler to operate and the more powerful navigation system boasts sharper map graphics and a 3D city mode.
A range of new or heavily revised engines join the range and all are mated to BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. Idle-stop, Brake Energy Regeneration and Driving Experience Control all aim to keep consumption in check.
FOR THE POWER-HUNGRY
The performance bigwig of the range is the 760i with its 6-litre V12 petrol engine that pushes 400kW and a lofty 750Nm from 1500rpm, for a claimed 4.6-second 0-100km/h charge. The official combined consumption figure is 'only' 12.8 l/100km.
The next rung down the ladder is the 750i with its revised V8 turbopetrol engine, which puts out 330kW and 650Nm from 2000rpm and manages 4.8 seconds to 100 and 8.6 l/100km.
Yet the most efficient petrol Seven is the 740i, which has a new six-cylinder turbopetrol engine credited with 235kW and 450Nm for a 5.7 second sprint and 7.9 l/100km.
Even diesel-heads are well catered for with a new six-cylinder oil burner in the 730d, which is more powerful and less thirsty - 190kW, 560Nm and 5.6 l/100km.
There's also a new ActiveHybrid model, which may not be the most frugal model in the range, but it may just offer the best balance between performance and economy. Its powertrain mates a new twin-power six-cylinder turbopetrol engine (it previously employed a V8) to an electric motor for a system output of 260kW and 500Nm, 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.7 seconds, consumption of 6.8 l/100km and emissions of 158g/km of CO2.
The Seven's mechanical upgrade is about more than just power and economy - BMW says that an impressive spread of chassis wizardry gives the ride comfort "a noticeable boost."
PRICES:
(If you have to ask…)
740i - R980 972
750i - R1 254 754
750Li - R1 366 754
760Li - R1 717 646
730d - R1 000 394
ActiveHybrid 7 - R1 037 749