BMW is no stranger to pushing the envelope as far as car design goes. Some of its offerings have received mixed receptions due to the exterior outlook, with one of the more recent examples being the electric 2022 BMW iX. Another of the German automaker’s electrified offerings also features an interesting design detail, where the 2023 BMW i7 comes with Swarovski crystals in the headlights.

The Swarovski brand

Swarovski is an Austrian glass crystal brand founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. In the more than 100-year period since its founding, the company has built up a reputation as the premier glass crystal manufacturer in the world.

While it’s unclear exactly how Swarovski glass is made, we know that some components, including potash, quartz sand, and soda, are melted and combined at high temperatures. Lead was also part of the process but was removed in 2012. Once finished, the glass is precision cut, with the final product looking like a diamond.

With the crystals offering fantastic clarity, the company is best known for its jewelry offerings and has collaborated with fashion brands like Dior and Gucci. That said, the brand also deals in decorations and accessories, with one of its most famous products being the star on the Rockefeller Christmas tree. According to NBC New York, the 2019 star weighed 900 lbs and contained 3 million crystals on 70 spikes.

The BMW i7s crystal headlights

Despite being significantly bigger than most of Swarovski’s other crystals, the ones in the 2023 BMW i7‘s headlights were made using the same processes. This included the glass being forged at high temperatures before it was precision-cut to the desired shape.

The crystals come in pairs for each headlight and, according to BMW, are set over a floating device for aesthetics. They function as the daytime running or the indicator light during the day with individually controlled LEDs behind the crystals. You get something that’s the antithesis of the typical light strips available with most headlights. The glow has even been likened to the effect of holding a crystal up to the sun.

Notably, the crystals only form the spotlight’s upper portion with high and low beams positioned below them. Also, the manufacturer notes that they add a never before seen element of luxury to the automotive industry.

The 2023 BMW i7 specs and features

The i7 is available for pre-order, with BMW listing the starting price at $119,300, although there could be up to $7,500 worth of tax credit. The electric luxury sedan does have some design similarities with the recently released BMW iX in the interior. This is especially true where the dashboard, infotainment system, steering wheel, and center console are concerned.

That said, there are some additions as well, e.g., the 31″ BMW Theater Screen available for passengers with 5G connectivity and up to 8K resolution. There’s also the panoramic LED roof with its customizable colors.

As for the specs, the BMW i7 luxury sedan is expected to offer up to 300 miles of range. This puts it in league with the manufacturer’s other electric sedan, the 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, and just above the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro. For context, the i4 eDrive40 offers 301 miles while the Volkswagen electric vehicle has 280 miles of range.

Also, with DC fast charging, buyers can add up to 80 miles of range in about 10 minutes. Output figures for the motor are similar for the two BMW sedans, with the i7 likely to offer 536 hp, the same as the 2022 BMW i4 M50. Where acceleration is concerned, the luxury electric sedan is expected to jump from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.