It’s an important week for BMW, and not just because Milan Nedeljković has replaced Oliver Zipse as the new CEO. The 2026 Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, and for the fifth time, the luxury automaker is serving as the event’s official mobility partner. More than 150 electrified vehicles are shuttling people around, including the new 7 Series.
Following its public debut last month at the Beijing Auto Show, the facelifted flagship is making its first official appearance on European soil. Mind you, the G70 isn’t the only 7 Series generation on the Côte d’Azur these days. BMW has also brought a few older models that previously appeared in movies.
While the main attraction is an E38 featured in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, the exhibition also includes additional 7 Series models that appeared in the film industry. A special display brings together vehicles seen in movies and TV shows such as Stranger Things, Mission: Impossible, and Red Sparrow.
The New 7 Series Is Joined By The XM And iX
But wait, there’s more. Not all the vehicles in the shuttle fleet for filmmakers, guests, and festival partners are 7 Series models. In addition to the stately sedan, BMW has also brought a pair of SUVs. The plug-in hybrid XM and the fully electric iX are part of the massive electrified fleet. All of these vehicles will provide transportation services until the festival concludes on May 23.
After receiving the VIP treatment in Cannes, the facelifted 7 Series is scheduled to launch globally in July. As before, BMW’s range-topping sedan will be assembled exclusively in Dingolfing. It remains one of the few models the company doesn’t build in China, even though the updated luxobarge debuted in Beijing.
An ALPINA version of the new 7 Series would fit right in on the French Riviera. For now, the G72 remains in the rumor stage. However, multiple reports suggest a more luxurious take on BMW’s largest sedan is a matter of when, not if.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
