After revealing images leaked online last week, BMW has officially lifted the wraps off the new 2020 7 Series. The German automaker's latest luxury sedan features extensive changes, including refreshed styling, updated tech, and an improved plug-in hybrid variant.

Just about every area of the exterior has been updated, from the front bumper, hood, headlights, and front fenders, to the rear bumper trim and rear lights to make BMW's flagship sedan look more elegant than ever. The most noticeable changes can be found at the front, which is now two inches taller than the outgoing model.

Exterior Design: Elegance Personified

As we saw in previously leaked images, the new 7 Series also sports a significant larger kidney grille inspired by its X7 SUV sibling. It's now framed by a single-piece surround with a surface area that's 40 percent larger. In the US, the kidney grilles are finished in aluminum satin as standard, while the front of the air vanes between the kidney grille bars are available in high-gloss chrome or black with the M Sport package. The new BMW M760Li xDrive Sedan features a kidney grille surround and kidney grille bars finished in Cerium Grey.

The gigantic kidney grille is contrasted with slender headlights with adaptive full LED lights and optional BMW Laserlights. Elsewhere at the front, the hood has been redesigned and now extends up to the top of the higher BMW kidney grille and features more sculpted contour lines.

At the back, the exhaust tailpipe surrounds are wider and finished in either chrome on standard models or in Cerium Grey on M Sport models. The rear lights are 1.4 inches slimmer and are connected with an Audi A8-esque full-width light strip. Despite the changes, BMW's flagship sedan still has all the design hallmarks associated with the 7 Series, such as a long wheelbase and short overhangs, a flowing roofline and signature Hofmeister kink.

As standard, the BMW 740i, 740i xDrive, and 745e xDrive Sedans ride on 18-inch light-alloy wheels and all-season run-flat tires, while the 750i xDrive features 19-inch wheels with all-season run-flat tires and the M760i xDrive sedan comes equipped with standard 20-inch wheels and performance run-flat tires.

Interior Design & Features: High-Tech Luxury

Inside, the BMW 740i, 740i xDrive, and 745e xDrive Sedans come standard with Dakota leather upholstery available in five different colors. A choice of six color variants is offered for the optional Nappa leather upholstery, and a new Nappa leather with extended quilting is available in Mocha and Cognac color choices as part of the optional Luxury Seating Package. The interior trim can be further personalized with new fine wood options in American Oak Dark with metal inlay and Poplar Grain Metallic Grey high-gloss.

An M Sport package enhances the interior with a BMW Individual headliner in Anthracite, M Sport leather steering wheel, M pedals and M driver's footrest, as well as illuminated M door sill plates and Fineline Black fine wood interior trim strips with high-gloss metal effect.

The redesigned leather steering wheel now features a chrome fascia element and a modified button layout. New BMW 7 Series models come equipped with standard wireless charging, now conveniently located in front of the cup holders.

Behind the steering wheel is a redesigned digital instrument cluster with a 12.3-inch screen and a 10.25-inch Control Display. The new 7 Series also comes equipped with BMW's iDrive 7 operating system and Intelligent Personal Assistant that learns routines and habits such as seat heating preferences and frequently navigated destinations.

An optional Rear Executive Lounge Seating package increases the rear compartment luxury, including individual electrically adjustable comfort seats with massage function, active seat ventilation for all seats and an Executive Lounge Rear Console with rear-seat entertainment including a BMW Touch Command tablet.

This rear-seat entertainment system comprises two 10-inch full-HD displays complete with a Blu-ray player, allowing users to access the entertainment, navigation and online functions from the rear seats, while the removable tablet can control the seat adjustment, interior lighting and climate control, as well as the infotainment, navigation and communication systems.

Engine & Performance: From 600-HP V12 To Efficient Plug-In

Under the hood, the new BMW 7 Series is available with six, eight, and twelve-cylinder engines, as well as a newly designed plug-in hybrid drive system. At the top of the range is the M760i xDrive, which is powered by a 6.6-liter V12 that produces 600 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. This setup propels the luxury sedan from 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds and onto a top speed of an electronically limited 155 mph.

The BMW 750i xDrive Sedan, on the other hand, is fitted with a new 4.4-liter V8 that pumps out 523 hp, which is 80 hp more than the engine it replaces, and 553 lb-ft of torque, representing an increase of 74 lb-ft. This allows the 750i xDrive to sprint from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds.

BMW 740i and 740i xDrive models get a responsive 3.0-liter straight-six that generates 335 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. With this setup, the BMW 740i will sprint to 62 mph off the line in 5.3 seconds while the BMW 740i Xdrive's extra traction allows it to accelerate to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds.

The highly efficient plug-in hybrid variant features a six-cylinder in-line engine and an electric motor delivering a combined output of 389 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. New plug-in hybrid drive technology enables the BMW 745e xDrive to accelerate to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds, while the higher-capacity 12.0 kWh lithium-ion battery provides an increased range, which will be announced closer to the car's sale date.

Each variant sends power through an improved eight-speed Sport Steptronic transmission to the rear wheels in the 740i or to BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system in all other new 7 Series models. Fuel economy numbers have yet to be released.

All variants of the new BMW 7 Series feature standard adaptive suspension including electronically controlled dampers and two-axle air suspension with automatic self-leveling. Ride height can be raised by 0.8 inches at the touch of a button. Standard driver assists include Cruise Control with braking function, while Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function can be added as an option.

Safety Features: The 7 Has Your Back

A standard Active Driving Assistant package includes Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, which now also alerts the driver when a cyclist is detected, while the Active Driving Assistant package includes Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Warning systems active from 44–130 mph and from 12 mph up to top speed respectively. The Active Driving Assistant package also includes a peed Limit Info system, Rear Collision Prevention and Cross Traffic Alert. A rear-view camera comes as standard, along with a Parking Assistant that automatically selects and maneuvers into spaces that can now be either parallel or perpendicular to the road.

An optional Driving Assistance Professional package adds Extended Traffic Jam Assistant for limited access highways, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Active Lane Keeping Assistant with side collision avoidance, Steering & Traffic Jam Assistant, Automatic Lane Change and Evasion Assistant & Cross Traffic alert.

Sales for the new 2020 BMW 7 Series will start in April 2019, with pricing to be announced closer to the sale date.