BMW

BMW 7 Series build years & generations

Coverage 2002-present4 named generationsSaloonPETROL / UNKNOWN / DIESEL / HYBRID ELECTRIC

The BMW 7 Series spans several build years and named generations (2002-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest BMW 7 Series generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2002-2004
Generation
E65/E66
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2007
Generation
E65/E66
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with E65/E66 and F01/F02 cars built in the same years.
Built 2008
Generation
F01/F02
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with E65/E66 and F01/F02 cars built in the same years.
Built 2009-2012
Generation
F01/F02
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2013-2014
Generation
F01/F02
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with F01/F02 and G11/G12 cars built in the same years.
Built 2015-2016
Generation
G11/G12
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted together with F01/F02 and G11/G12 cars built in the same years.
Built 2017-2020
Generation
G11/G12
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2021
Generation
G11/G12
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with G11/G12 and G70 cars built in the same years.
Built 2022+
Generation
G70
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with G11/G12 and G70 cars built in the same years.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2002-2004	E65/E66	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2007	E65/E66	2005-2008	Counted together with E65/E66 and F01/F02 cars built in the same years.
2008	F01/F02	2005-2008	Counted together with E65/E66 and F01/F02 cars built in the same years.
2009-2012	F01/F02	2009-2012	Counted with this generation only.
2013-2014	F01/F02	2013-2016	Counted together with F01/F02 and G11/G12 cars built in the same years.
2015-2016	G11/G12	2013-2016	Counted together with F01/F02 and G11/G12 cars built in the same years.
2017-2020	G11/G12	2017-2020	Counted with this generation only.
2021	G11/G12	2021 onwards	Counted together with G11/G12 and G70 cars built in the same years.
2022+	G70	2021 onwards	Counted together with G11/G12 and G70 cars built in the same years.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of BMW 7 Series build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

A mix of G11/G12 and G70

These build years include both G11/G12 and G70 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

7.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

1,695

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

1,0257.1%

4 years

6707.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

G11/G12 only

These build years are all G11/G12, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

8.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

6,280

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

4275.4%

5 years

1,2427.7%

6 years

1,8778.9%

7 years

1,6598.9%

8 years

1,07511.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

A mix of F01/F02 and G11/G12

These build years include both F01/F02 and G11/G12 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

14.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

4,183

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

7677.7%

9 years

1,20412.0%

10 years

86713.5%

11 years

94315.7%

12 years

40214.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 11 years old.

Built

2009-2012

F01/F02 only

These build years are all F01/F02, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

15.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

2,821

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

30514.8%

13 years

98816.1%

14 years

70413.8%

15 years

61513.7%

16 years

20915.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 13 years old.

Built

2005-2008

A mix of E65/E66 and F01/F02

These build years include both E65/E66 and F01/F02 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

24.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

2,606

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

27023.7%

17 years

65018.1%

18 years

76622.9%

19 years

70222.2%

20 years

21824.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

E65/E66 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the E65/E66.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

22.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

2,800

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

13423.1%

21 years

31223.4%

22 years

17525.7%

23 years

25423.2%

24 years

33923.0%

25+ years

1,58622.7%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 22 years old.