The BMW 7 Series' $16K Paint Job Can't Go Through a Car Wash

Dual-tone paint is no longer just for Bentley, Maybach and Rolls-Royce

written by Duncan Brady
edited by Steven Ewing
4/27/2026
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What's new: BMW's Individual Dual-Finish paint debuts on the 2027 7 Series, and it's not just a regular two-tone paint job.
Why it matters: The new paint concept combines the advanced screen-heavy tech of the 7 Series with old-school hand-finished craftsmanship.
Edmunds says: It's going to look fantastic for those who have the budget (and a detailer on retainer), and it's coming to other BMW models soon.

BMW is introducing a new paint concept for the 2027 7 Series. Dual-tone paint is nothing new or special at this point — you can get a contrast black roof on a Toyota RAV4 — but BMW's Individual Dual-Finish option combines a matte finish on the lower half of the new 7 with a glossy metallic finish on the upper. That may not sound too out of the ordinary, but it's much more complicated — and expensive — than you might think.

BMW spent 2.5 years developing the process, training over 20 employees and adding dual-finish capabilities to the paint shop at the 7 Series' Dingolfing, Germany, production facility. That kind of R&D doesn't come cheap — likely well into seven- or eight-figure territory — and Individual Dual-Finish is priced at the Euro equivalent of $16,398, or more than 10% of the 7 Series' cost.

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The reason? Dual-Finish takes over 75 hours to apply, almost six times longer than it takes Dingolfing to put standard paint on a 7 Series. Those 20 specially trained employees spend nearly half that time taping out and sanding the car by hand.

This isn't the first time we've seen a combination of matte and gloss on the same car, but it's the first time we've seen it like this. Rolls-Royce Bespoke offers a similar treatment on its vehicles with a satin-finish hood and traditional metallic paint elsewhere, as does Bentley Mulliner.

Maximilian Huber, product manager for the new 7 Series, told me the Dual-Finish paint has also been made possible to deploy at BMW's factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Huber confirmed that, although the paint treatment is exclusive to the 7 Series for now, it will be coming to other BMW products soon. The Spartanburg plant only builds BMW's SUVs, which leads me to believe we can expect to see Dual-Finish on the X7 and possibly the X5 or X6.

Even for the 7 Series, though, Dual-Finish won't be available when BMW starts production of its updated sedan this September. Production for Dual-Finish cars begins in November. But remember, even if you can afford the price premium, this isn't for the faint of heart. Because matte paint requires unique waxes and polishes and soaps, you can't take your Dual-Finish 7 Series through a regular car wash. But something tells me the type of buyer who spends this kind of money on paint on top of their six-figure 7 Series can stomach a couple of trips a month to the detailer.

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by Duncan Brady

Duncan Brady has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. In the years, he's written hundreds of reviews, news pieces, comparisons, and buyers guides, all while getting behind the wheel of anything and everything he can. Duncan is Edmunds' primary script writer but has previously been on staff at MotorTrend and contributed to Car and Driver. In his spare time, Duncan is often found camping, trying new recipes, exploring LA's restaurant scene, and hoping his early 2000s Porsches don't break

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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