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BMW 7 Series Facelift Gains €14,000 Hand-Painted Dual-Finish
BMW's facelifted 7 Series and i7 can now be ordered with an Individual Dual-Finish two-tone paint job that takes over 75 hours to apply and costs €14,000 in Germany, with an ALPINA-badged G72 model expected next year.
By George Kensington · 4 min read
BMW has introduced an extravagant two-tone paint option for the facelifted 7 Series and i7, charging €14,000 in Germany and the equivalent in dollars in the United States for a finish that takes more than 75 hours to apply. The Individual Dual-Finish treatment, which combines a matte lower body with a metallic upper section, is the latest attempt by the Munich carmaker to push its flagship luxury sedan further into bespoke territory.
The process is not a simple matter of spraying the roof or upper body in a contrasting colour. BMW applies a matte finish to the lower portion of the car and a metallic finish above, with the separation line between the two applied by hand. The company says the transition is almost imperceptible, giving the large sedan a more sophisticated appearance. The option debuted earlier this year when the 7 Series and i7 underwent what BMW described as its most significant facelift ever.
More than 20 specially trained specialists are involved in the Dual-Finish process, which runs through 12 stages at BMW's Dingolfing factory in Germany. Each car spends over 75 hours in the paint shop, roughly six times longer than a conventional finish. The company spent two and a half years developing the technique, which is currently unavailable on any other BMW model. For now, the Dual-Finish look is limited to Frozen Tanzanite Blue III Metallic combined with Tanzanite Blue II Metallic, though additional combinations are expected to follow.
The cost places the paint option firmly in the realm of six-figure luxury motoring. In Germany, €14,000 is enough to buy a new Dacia Sandero, the supermini that consistently tops European sales charts. Buyers who find the Dual-Finish too restrictive can choose from more than 500 exterior colours and combinations, including around 130 Individual shades. Inside, BMW offers no fewer than 700 ways to customise the cabin.
Fresh photographs of an i7 60 xDrive from Romania have drawn renewed attention to the option, which was first discussed when the facelifted model was revealed. The images show how the matte and metallic finishes meet across the bodywork, a detail that BMW has designed to be deliberately subtle rather than sharply defined.
The facelifted 7 Series has also made its Middle Eastern debut in Dubai, where BMW selected an appropriately extravagant specification for the region. Beyond the standard model, the company is preparing to bridge the gap between its flagship sedan and Rolls-Royce with an ALPINA-badged 7 Series next year. That model, reportedly codenamed G72, is expected to receive a more luxurious interior, distinctive design accents and the grand tourer credentials associated with the ALPINA name.
The G72 will sit above the regular 7 Series in BMW Group's hierarchy while remaining below Rolls-Royce, giving the company a more direct rival to the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. The Bentley Flying Spur also competes in the full-size luxury segment. For buyers who find even the most expensive 7 Series or i7 insufficiently exclusive, BMW says a truly one-off bespoke vehicle can be ordered for the right price, though such a commission is unlikely to approach the cost of a Rolls-Royce Ghost.
The Dual-Finish option reflects a broader strategy at BMW to extract more value from personalisation as demand for high-margin luxury features grows. By limiting the finish to the 7 Series and i7, at least for now, the company reinforces the model's position at the top of its range. The combination of hand-applied paint, extended workshop time and a price tag equivalent to a small car underlines how far mainstream manufacturers are willing to go to compete with ultra-luxury brands.
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