In the 1990s, Karl Lagerfeld approached BMW as one of the first customers with specific customisation requests for his 7 Series Sedans. It was from demands such as this – for greater exclusivity and a vehicle that was particularly distinctive and personal – that BMW Individual, the customisation programme of BMW, eventually emerged.
In addition to particularly high-quality leather upholstery and interior materials, it is above all the fascinating paint finishes from BMW Individual that lend every BMW or BMW M model, from the BMW 1 Series to the BMW 7 Series, that characteristic presence at first glance – a presence that every observer can immediately sense at any moment, whether the car is driving past or stationary. Over 150 different paint finishes are available for this purpose.
Even more exclusive are the paint finishes from BMW Individual that use two colours, available exclusively for the BMW 7 Series and BMW 7 Series M Performance models: BMW Individual Two-Tone and Dual-Finish. Here, the possibilities are even more numerous: more than 500 different colour combinations are possible. Let’s take a closer look at these two elaborate paint finishes.
BMW INDIVIDUAL TWO-TONE PAINT FINISH.
BMW INDIVIDUAL TWO-TONE PAINT FINISH.
BMW Individual Two-Tone paint finishes offer the option of creating both elegant and striking colour combinations for the BMW 7 Series. The paint finish for the lower half of the body, which can be freely selected from all available colours, is combined with a contrasting colour on the upper section of the vehicle to create a uniquely individual look. Whilst only Black Sapphire and Oxide Grey have been available in the upper section, BMW Individual will offer further contrasting colours from November 2026. These include Frozen Space Silver, Aventurin Red and Tansanit Blue.
A precisely positioned Coach Line separates the two areas from one another like a delicate signature. The Two-Tone paint finishes derive their distinctive quality from meticulous craftsmanship, such as manual masking and polishing processes, to achieve a seamless finish.
Whilst a BMW Individual Two-Tone paint finish is primarily an exclusive statement, it also has a significant influence on the perceived geometry and proportions of the model. The colour division, which separates the BMW 7 Series into two sections, creates a visual effect: a black or dark paint finish for the upper half of the body makes the entire model appear flatter and sportier, whilst exuding an inimitable elegance.
BMW INDIVIDUAL DUAL-FINISH PAINTWORK.
BMW INDIVIDUAL DUAL-FINISH PAINTWORK.
The BMW Individual Dual-Finish paintwork, which made its debut on the new BMW M760e xDrive, offers an exclusive, unique feature. It combines a matte paint finish on the lower area of the vehicle with a manually applied metallic finish on the upper bodywork. In conjunction with the Coach Line, which is also applied by hand, this variant of the BMW Individual paint finishes creates a subtle yet highly elegant look that comes into its own particularly as the light changes.
The impressive quality of this innovative paintwork and the craftsmanship involved are particularly evident at the transition between the two paint finishes: although the metallic and matte finishes differ significantly in their composition, there is no visible or noticeable transition where the two finishes meet.
AN INNOVATION FOR OUTSTANDING QUALITY.
The BMW Individual Dual-Finish paintwork represents the pinnacle of what is possible in modern painting techniques. For more than two and a half years, specialists developed this innovative technology with great precision and passion. More than 20 employees were specially trained for the twelve-stage paint process, during which the vehicle is prepared manually for every single step of the complex procedure.
With the utmost care, they mask the vehicle by hand and sand the bodywork to prepare it for the subsequent manual painting process. Around half of the total working time is devoted to manual craftsmanship. For a BMW 7 Series with BMW Individual Dual-Finish paintwork, the turnaround time in the paint shop amounts to around 4,500 minutes – that is, more than three full days. This means that this extraordinary process takes almost six times as long as conventional paintwork.
CENTRE FOR SPECIAL AND INDIVIDUAL PAINTWORK.
CENTRE FOR SPECIAL AND INDIVIDUAL PAINTWORK.
The BMW plant in Dingolfing is where all this becomes possible. The paint shop based here is characterised by a wide variety of colours, paint types and customisation options. This site is also where the intricate Two-Tone and Dual-Finish paintwork is produced to perfection.
A hallmark of this production is always a combination of automated processes in series production and those carried out by hand by specialists in Dingolfing. Once the primary colour has been applied to the bodywork automatically, any special finishes – such as stripes, or the contrast colours on the doors and bodywork in the case of Two-Tone finishes – are applied by hand.
This new “Centre for Special and Individual Paintwork” is currently being expanded even further. Covering over 2,000 square metres and spanning two levels, the building extension will enable individual customer requests and special paint finishes to be handled even more efficiently in future – ensuring the maximum precision and outstanding quality for which all BMW Individual paint finishes are renowned.
* preliminary values
