BMW launched a SCUD missile right at the Porsche Panamera with its new redesigned 7 Series sedan. For 2023, the 7 Series car gets a new face, new powertrains, and new bodywork that make it look like it came right out of an action comic book, especially in all black. The BMW’s obvious competitor, the Porsche Panamera, meanwhile has soldiered on without many major changes since 2016. If you have $100,000 to spend on a fun family sedan, does one stand out?

The new 7 Series redesign completely updated the car

The entire 7 Series got a complete redesign for 2023. BMW likes to push boundaries with styling, though it didn’t push as far on the 7 Series as it has on other cars like it did on the funky XM. But, that redesign did bring an even nicer interior and some cool new technology options. The car now offers self-parking tech, for example. Since this is a big and long car, it has a rear-wheel steering system to help get around corners, and the narrow parking garage at the Beverly Center..

The feature that seems to grab headlines is the giant 31-inch Theater Screen that drops down from the ceiling and can stream videos from the car’s wi-fi hotspot. The BMW 740i Sedan starts at $95,700. For that, you do get BMW’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. The inline six does a great job in the two-door M240i, but with just 375 horsepower, it’s a bit underpowered for 7 Series duty. Instead, you’ll probably want to step up to the 760i xSedan, which brings a 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 to the party. The x also means that you get all-wheel drive.

The Porsche Panamera appeals to the more sporting driver

The 2023 Porsche Panamera does a pretty good job of acting like a 911, despite its differences. And, it should: It has engine options from a turbo six to a hybrid or a stonking V8 that give it power, optional carbon ceramic brakes to stop you drama free, and it comes in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions. The Panamera starts at $92,400 with 325 horsepower. The Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, however, tops out at more than $200,000 with 690 horsepower.

It also looks like nothing on the road. While the 7 Series looks all new, it’s still an evolution of the big 7 Series sedan. The Porsche looks like nothing else on the road, and if you squint, it looks an awful lot like a 911 from the front end. The Porsche, though it earns praise for its power and handling, is getting a bit old. The original Panamera launched in 2010, and Porsche has sold the current generation since 2016.

We’re expecting a new Panamera in 2024

Porsche sticks to tradition for many of its cars. The 911, for example, hasn’t fundamentally changed since, basically, 1968 (or 1998, depending on who you talk to). The Panamera, too, has stuck to its winning formula of a powerful engine, seats for the whole family, and strange but cool low-slung driving position that’s more sports car than family car.

What could the new car offer? Well, the Cayenne interior is one of the best in the business, so we weren’t surprised to see spy shots of a Panamera test mule with a similar interior. We also expect Porsche to add new engine options, but also to add a hybrid booster to the car. While nobody knows which engine it will get, we do expect the Porsche Macan’s 2.9 liter V6 that makes 434 horsepower to show up in the new car.