BMW unveils new-gen 7 Series; offers multiple drivetrains and a pure EV version

German manufacturer of luxury vehicles BMW has taken the wraps off its seventh-generation 7 Series limousine with several powertrain options and new features. The luxury sedan, which will go on sale in the global markets in a few months, is likely to arrive in India in 2023.

The BMW 7 series sedan will be available in drivetrain options like — mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines, plug-in hybrid and a pure-electric version. In addition to this, now BMW’s all 7 series cars will come with all-wheel drive as standard.

Design and features:

To give the new 7 Series a bold design revamp, BMW has used customer feedback from its customers from the US, China and other markets. While the length, width and height of the 7 Series have increased by 130mm, 48mm and 51mm respectively, there are no longer two wheelbase options.

The new BMW sedan’s grille is now much larger than the previous generation and has also received the automaker’s 'Iconic Lighting' treatment, debuted first on the face-lifted 8 Series.

The separation of the headlights, with the LED running lights placed above and the main beams in a different placement below, continues to provide visual linkages with the newly face-lifted BMW X7. At the rear, the car gets horizontal LED tail-lights.

Three different M packages add performance-inspired styling cues – M Sport, M Sport Pro, and M Performance. There is also a choice of chrome and blackened styling elements, and wheels range from 19 inches as standard up to the optional 22 inches as part of the M Performance styling package.

The new BMW 7 Series, in terms of inside, gets similar features to the new BMW models like - the BMW i4 and BMW iX - and gets a curved digital display, 12.3-inch instrument display and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen.

There’s also an option of a new roof-mounted 8K 31.3-inch display, which BMW calls ‘Theatre Screen,’ linked with the premium audio system and a 5G-compatible antenna for the rear passengers. This screen is mounted within the roof and folds down to offer video streaming.

The sedan’s all-electric i7 variant gets a blanked-off grille with a ‘BMW I’ logo and distinct design elements for the bumpers.

Powertrain options:

The new BMW 7 Series is based on the company’s CLAR platform and has been heavily reworked for the new models. The new car gets an air suspension system with adaptive damping and the automaker’s latest version of Integral Active Steering, which provides rear wheels steering up to 3.5 degrees. The sedan also gets an optional Executive Drive Pro system to suppress body roll.

The pure-electric version of the 7 Series, which is officially called BMW i7 xDrive60, uses two electric motors that together create 544PS and 745Nm of torque paired to a 101.7kWh battery pack.

The i7 variant, which sits on top of the line among its siblings from the 7 Series, is the most powerful and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just over 4.5 seconds. The BMW i7 xDrive60 will have a claimed range of up to 590-625km.

The BMW 750e xDrive and BMW M760e xDrive, both get a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol unit. Combined outputs are put at 489hp and 698Nm and 570hp. BMW claims 0-100kph in 4.9sec for the 750e xDrive and 4.3sec for the M760e xDrive. Both cars will have a top speed of 250kph.

Interestingly, BMW has decided to stop offering petrol engines completely for European markets and will be providing petrol-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrains only.

The 2022 BMW 740d xDrive - the only diesel option and is likely to arrive globally in 2023 - will come with a mild-hybrid assist system and a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine. BMW claims that this car can reach from 0-100kph in 6.3sec and has a top speed of 250kph.