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More than a peek: Fully uncovered 2016 BMW 7 Series spy shots

Looks like we got our first batch of leaked nude photos of the year. New spy shots reveal the upcoming 2016 BMW 7 Series, fully uncovered well before its intended debut at the Geneva Auto Show.

We’re not sure where these photos were taken or how the photographer got access to the vehicle, but we can guess from the surrounding packaging that the car is a show model, presumably tucked away in a storage facility until its official reveal.

Discovered by autoweek.nl, the shots give us a clear look at the BMW 730d, which sports the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel engine. While it doesn’t look wildly different, we can see an evolution of several exterior elements, particularly in the rear fascia where it looks to have been heavily influenced by the X5.

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

The most intriguing element of the front is the inclusion of Laserlight headlamps, which debuted on the German automaker’s futuristic hybrid sports car, the i8. These were the first laser-boosted headlamps to be featured on a production vehicle, which enhance the LED-powered beam up to 600 meters. It’s very likely that these won’t be standard, but remain available options just as they were on the i8.

Inside the uncloaked 7 Series, things look like standard fare, but pulling info from other sources reveal that this car features the latest iDrive infotainment system with a touch screen.

We also know that this will ride on BMW’s G11 chassis, which borrows elements from the i3 and i8 for weight reduction. The 7 Series is also rumored to be available with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a plug-in hybrid iteration.

BMW’s likely to confirm many of these details when the car is officially unveiled in March during the Geneva Auto Show. When it does, let’s all politely act surprised.

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Alexander Kalogianni
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
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