The BMW 7 Series has evolved significantly since the current generation was launched in 2002, but the evolution is in the details rather than the basic shape. This big sedan was a milestone in automotive design, and a lightning rod for both praise and criticism. It looks more agile and muscular than previous 7 Series cars, but it isn't necessarily pretty. The trademark twin-kidney grille and long hood remain, but this 7 Series is a dramatic departure from past BMWs.

It is hard to deny its impact or presence, whether you like it or not. On one hand, BMW claims customers love it, and other luxury manufacturers, including Acura and Lexus, have adopted design cues introduced on the 7 Series. On the other, BMW began changing it almost the year after it was introduced.

The now-familiar side view is no less striking than it's ever been. The 7 Series hood flows into the nicely proportioned glasshouse, where BMW's familiar dogleg in the rear side window may be the longest-running, brand-specific styling cue in the industry. The door sills and rocker panels are full and pronounced, giving character to slab sides that are featureless, except for an understated line creasing the doors beneath flush-mounted door handles. All models feature exterior mirrors that retract inward with the touch of a button, reducing the parking width by more than a foot. It's a great convenience in crowded city garages, or for drivers with narrow garage doors.

Most of the changes have come front and rear: tucking, tweaking and softening. The grille has grown larger, and is now consistent on both V8 and V12 models. The hood has been re-contoured, losing some height, with a less prominent power bulge, and sloping more quickly to the new grille and headlight housings. The headlights are still topped by the turn signals, which give the impression of eyebrows on a hawk. The extractor vent at the end of the hood looks better suited to a sports car than a stately luxury sedan.

The 7 Series rear view has been most frequently criticized, so it may be no accident that the rear has gotten most of the massaging since the car's introduction. The changes, including new tail light clusters and a thicker, spoiler-like lip across the trailing edge of the trunk lid, seem to flatten and widen the rear end.

Even with the styling changes, the 7 Series retains its slick .29 drag coefficient, which allows it to slice through the air more quietly and efficiently than most sedans. And it's still offered in two lengths: the standard wheelbase 750i is geared more toward personal transportation; the CEO-class 750Li and 760Li are aimed at those who are driven. An extra 5.5 inches of length between the wheels translates directly into rear seat legroom, giving the long cars a few inches more legroom in back than in front.

Factory-installed wheels range from 18 to 20 inches in diameter, with 21-inchers available from BMW dealerships. For 2007, BMW also offers three special Xirallic paints that create a multi-tone effect. Microscopic pigmentation generates impressive depth and nuances that change with shifting light. It looks more expensive than it is, and at $3,000 the Xirallic paint isn't cheap.