Those who complain about the wider grill better go and measure those of the S Class and A8. They probably have a larger cross sectional area. People say that the BMW has too large a grill because they’re comparing it to older 7 series eg the e38.
The wider grill on the current 7 is a bold statement and gives the car more personality and presence.

If one looks at a titanium silver or milano beige f01 7 series, it resembles a lion that is about to pounce. It has an aura of strength and speed. Those headlights resemble the eyes of leonis panthera. I see confidence and determination.
Darker colours such as sophisto grey brilliant effect and black saphire embue the 7 with a more agressive look. Perhaps a cheetah that has to sprint to catch its prey. It is amazing how a mere colour change, alters the mood.

The front of the Audi A8 does not excite the emotions. It looks like a robot and this is aggravated by the headlights which look futuristic, but cold and unwelcoming. The previous A8 was aesthetically more pleasing.
Audi designers had so many choices and yet they came up with a cold and ugly form that smacks of laziness. The overall shape of the car is not much different from the previous one. There were a thousand things they could have done with the grill to make it visually more stimulating. Instead they near enough stuck the previous one back again.
They should replace their designers with people that appreciate beauty and not ugliness.
The headlights are a disaster. Neither the shape nor the LEDs are pleasing. The 50 & 60 year olds that buy this type of car will be turned off by the cold, robotic appearance.

The side view of the cars is interesting. The 7 looks athletic, flexible and keen to move. The Audi looks like a construction block! The overhangs are too much on the Audi. I can’t stand the rearmost side window that shapes the C pillar. It should reside within the door frame instead of outside. This has the effect of making the Audi seem to have too many windows.
The external shape of the cabin is uninspiring and unathletic. It is an enclosure without design.

The boot (trunk) both from the side and the rear looks like a box. It is as if the designers took too long a holiday wining and dining on past successes, then had to hurriedly stick something on the rear of the car to meet production deadlines. The tail-lights are passable but uninspirational on the Audi.

The BMW’s back-lights also receive a passmark; yet it must be said that they are not as entertaining as the headlights. They need to be reworked to give a smoother more graceful effect.
However, I would say that they are more vivid than the Audi’s. So as far as the exterior of the car, the BMW wins on all aspects. The Audi designers need to go back to the drawing board!

The interior of the Audi is a much better effort and must have been accomplished by a different design team. I find it warm and inviting. The only downer is the pop up screen which is out of place. The BMW’s screen is better integrated but i still give the overall design of the interior to the Audi.

I feel that the shifter on the 7 is not rugged enough and is too much like a joystick for a computer game. The 7 is a big car and it needs something more solid. The A8′s shifter fits the big sedan segment better. I wish it was fixed on the BMW because the one on the 7 is one big turnoff. Since there are no paddle shifters or manual transmission on the 7 you just can’t get away from it. Visually it looks misplaced. The interior of the 7 is not supposed to be a game console!

In summary the BMW wins the victor ladorum because its exterior is a long way better than Audi. Whereas although Audi bests the 7 interiorly it is not by so wide a margin.

BMW is not for pigs. To me, their new design language gives it more presence. Audi, their old design language, i really liked. But what happened to the new one? They tried to modernize. And u have merc benz??? My mom has x5 3.0si really sporty and nice for a 260hp car, tell me why audi and merc is better, and thx

I’ve got a solution… there are other people that think like you do – over at audi blog, or what ever they’re called. If you don’t agree with the likes and dislikes of people here, say so, and move on.

Who are you anyways? viper? PLEASE let this go!