The 7 Series didn't choose to play it safe. In terms of design, it opted for a completely different look from its predecessors. While its design is polarizing, no one can deny its striking appearance.
The S Class, on the other hand, has a much more boring design. When you put the two models side-by-side, I can easily say that the 7 Series looks far more striking and distinctive. The 7 Series, especially the E65/66 and G70, were unconventional vehicles in terms of design. But we can never say that these two models are boring. The S Class, however, has consistently had rather boring designs in recent years.