Streamliner

I went to the BMW.de German market website and they offer another 19” wheel for the I7, which is not available in the USA. Not exactly what I had in mind, but not bad. Here is a photo using their Konfigurator:

SW20S

Those wheels look terrible on the car in person IMO...I think the 19s that come on the car look at least bigger than they are, 19s look REALLY small on this car...


The i7 Rides AMAZING on the 20s which still have a lot of sidewall, even still rides amazing on the 21s...

Streamliner

Thank you for posting that video review. Those 19” wheels look great to me, much better than on the Konfigurator. If the car rides “amazing on the 20’s,” it will ride that much better on the 19’s. If I don’t find a wheel I like a lot more, for a reasonable price, I will probably go with these. Too bad BMWUSA doesn’t offer them as an option, as that would have been a very easy choice for me.
Watching this video just makes me more impatient. Can’t wait!

SW20S

Then get them.

I drove i7s on both the 20s and the 19s, and I didn't think the 19s rode any better. There is a diminishing return in ride quality when you already have tires on the larger wheels that have lots of sidewall thickness. The 21s vs the 20s I felt a difference, but even then the car rides great on the 21s...much better than an S Class on 21s.

These are the OEM non M Sport 20s, lots of sidewall:

Wolfman

FWIW, we have been driving the IX with 22” wheels and with 20” wheels.
Turns out the 22” wheels were smoother and more quiet, so much of the choice comes down to tires.
BMW’s choice of 20” Goodyear EV tires sucked vs. the 22” Vredestein Quadtrack.

So I suggest to look at the tire choices that BMW offers with its wheel sizes

W205C43PFL

Is it foam filled? Totally agree and from anecdotally experience tires play a much bigger role than the wheel size (and even wheel material, cast, forged etc.)

SW20S

BMW is doing a great job managing suspension and ride with huge wheels. It’s really interesting. They also have stopped using run flats!

The 7 is the first car where I would seriously consider the 21s.

It’s not wheel size it’s sidewall height. I agree though you can overcome a lot of issues pertaining to sidewall height with tire choice. To a point.

Once tires get so low profile they are just going to deliver a hard ride. For instance on the W223 the 21s have extremely low profile tires. Another issue on 223s is there are very few tires available in any of the staggered fitment sizes, 19 20 or 21. So you’re really stuck with the run flats actually. Luckily they ride very well on the 20s with the foam filled run flats.

Streamliner

Yes, ride quality is most definitely affected by tire choice and one particular type of tire may deliver a vastly different experience in one size as opposed to another, on one vehicle compared to another, etc. That said, I will have a very hard time believing that, with all things being identical, that overall ride quality, over all sorts of road conditions, is better with larger diameter wheels with shallower sidewalls than with smaller diameter wheels with deeper sidewall tires. Unfortunately, unless someone is in the tire business, it is very difficult to “try on” various wheel sizes & tire choices. So, we are left to sifting through the best information we can find, from sources we trust. I’ve heard good things about Vredestein Tires. What/who convinced you to try them?

W205C43PFL

True, can't believe I forgot to take sidewall in to account on low profile tires Sorry about that.

Streamliner

I’m a contrarian when it comes to many things and I enjoy bucking trends, when it makes sense. If I could have ordered 18” wheels on my new I7, with deeper sidewall tires—as I had on four new S Class sedans—I would have.

The whole idea, within reason, of wheels looking “too small” on a vehicle is ridiculous to me. The move towards larger & larger diameter wheels is all about a more aggressive look and performance capabilities that I will never want or need—not to mention suckering mostly younger, less experienced buyers into spending big bucks on huge wheel options, because it somehow makes a three ton saloon look “sporty.” I doubt anyone told Enzo that the wheels on this 1960’s masterpiece of his looked “too small.” To my eye, this car looks perfect!

BobinIL

I have to agree with the reviewer when he says, "these wheels look awful on this car". They don't look premium on an upscale car like the 7. Maybe on something else just not on this. To each their own though.

S_W222

hmmm.. “younger and less experienced”…. Am not really sure that’s a valid argument for the preference of larger wheels. I doubt that many users on this forum has the average car purchase rate I have, with an average of 1.5 new car purchase per year for the past 15 years. I still prefer larger wheels and I wouldn’t call myself less experienced but in fact more than the average buyer if not most.

I think the preference towards at least averaged size wheels makes the majority of buyers. The preference for a “way too” small wheel is the least common preference.

My point is neither options is good or bad, but it has nothing to do at with experience or age at all. BMW is offering it in response to the majority of fans who prefer it that way..

SW20S

The design of the car matters. This car is designed to have those sized wheels. As cars have gotten bigger the styling has been done to make them look best on bigger wheels.

Like you I am a ride guy, but its a balance. 18s on the S560 look awful IMO, but I think 19s look great. You put a W223 on 19s and it doesn't look right, the 20s look right. The good news is the 20s on the 223 have larger sidewall tires than the 20s on the 222, so there isn't really a difference.

The 7 series is such a huge car and its so tall, it looks like its riding on little lowrider wheels on 19s IMO, the body of the vehicle is designed for the 21s...I won't totally sacrifice ride for style, but there is a happy medium.

If you like little wheels thats fine, but characterizing the rest of us as being "duped immature kids" because we think a big car designed for bigger wheels looks better on bigger wheels is absurd. Like I said, having driven the car back to back on the 19s and the 20s, they ride the same...so why am I duped and immature for choosing the better looking 20s when there is no ride penalty?

In any event, these are the wheels that are coming on your i7...I think these look way better than those ones in that video:

crabman

I didn't like the styling of the redline wheel, but the aspect ratio looked fine to me. As to factors, wheel weight is always a factor, same with aspect ratio, and tire design. The diameter of the wheel itself also matters because the center of rotation remains the same, but the moment of inertia moves due to the disparity been wheel weight and tire weight.

I don't really see how some compromises can be avoided in all that, even when you leave the aesthetics out if it.

Streamliner

You left out my “mostly.” “Mostly younger and less experienced.” There are always exceptions and you certainly sound like one of them. I’ve gone through many cars myself. I believe I’ve had 60 brand new ones, with an additional 33 that I bought used. I know what I like and what I don’t. Some of it has to do with aesthetics, some with performance, some with comfort and some with attitude. I say “attitude,” as I truly dislike the AMG, M Performance and pretty much any vehicle that is labeled a “sport” model. That’s just me. I’ll be the first one to agree that these sub brands and designations have become cash cows for the manufacturers, but I don’t want any part of them. I am, very reluctantly, currently driving an S560 with the AMG Line bodywork and I hate the way the car looks. I hate the fact that someone might think that I fell for the AMG Line scam and paid thousands extra for merely different body panels & wheels that cost MB virtually nothing beyond the cost of the standard parts. It’s just not me.

As for my “mostly younger and less experienced,” comment, I would bet that describes the majority of folks who are having the massive issues with the 21” wheels on the W223’s.

SW20S

There are compromises of course, but its relative. We're talking about one additional inch of wheel vs tire and tires that still have 4 inches of sidewall.

Why do you care what other people think? Nobody thinks that BTW, they look at your S560 and say "what a beautiful car".

As someone who would not drive an S Class without the AMG appearance package, I did not "fall for a scam" lol. I bought the car that I preferred the looks of. I don't like how the 222 or 223 looks without the AMG package, I wouldn't buy them. 7 Series I like the car both ways.

You paid $25,000 for wheels you liked and carbon ceramic brakes you liked, but I am the fool who was duped for a $4,000 option that resulted in $60 a month to my lease payment that I prefer the looks of? Thats hilarious. You parted with an insane sum of money for silly wheels and brakes because you didn't want dust, but that wasn't foolish?

At the end of the day we all do what we want with our money. I don't see how choosing the AMG line package makes somebody a "fool" but spending $25,000 on wheels and brakes you like doesn't make you a fool? Why is it any different than spending $6,800 on the Burmester high end audio? I wouldn't do that because it doesn't have that level of value to me, but you did...because it did have value to you. Spending $4,000 for an appearance package that I love the look of is not foolish lol

BobinIL

Those wheels look good. I also like the car in the white with the mix of chrome and black trim on the front end.

SW20S

Yeah that’s mineral white which is a great pearl white.

crabman

My brain tells me white must be Stormtrooper, there is no chrome on a Stormtrooper...

SW20S

Captain Phasma disagrees!

Dima

Nice to see a BMW dealer having a sense of humor; only missing the word 'once'.

crabman

Cred, that was pretty funny!

Phasma isn't however, a Stormtrooper. She's one of the commanding triumvirate of the First Order. Still, I'm giving it to you, snappy comebacks deserve recognition.

SW20S

I appreciate the leeway lol

S_W222

I agree. I usually go for “average” wheel sizes. Never picked the largest ones but would never pick the smallest ones either. Most of my german cars have/had the 19” minimum or 20” maximum. Except for our X7 that had 21” but plenty of tire height.

SW20S

Same, its a happy medium balancing looks and ride.

As for the 21s on the W223, sometimes you don't have a choice. Most people buy off the lot, and a lot of cars are equipped with them and you have to put up with them or spend $5,000 on new wheels and tires.