2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7-Series Official Details

With just few weeks before its official premiere at the Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA), BMW released the production version of the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7. According to the German manufacturer, the model is scheduled to go on sale in U.S. next spring, destined to set “new standards for performance and efficiency in the premium luxury class.”

The preliminary figures announced by BMW for the 2010 ActiveHybrid 7 show a combined output of 455 hp and maximum torque of 516 lb-ft coming from the upgraded twin-turbo, High Precision Direct Injection, V8 engine with a 3-phase synchronous electric motor.

The powerplant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with the electric motor positioned between the engine and the torque converter. The 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, and tops at an electronically limited speed of 240 km/h (150 mph) for the Unites States.

The car’s preliminary fuel economy figures show that it's about 15 percent better than the 750i. However, the official EPA ratings will be available closer to its U.S. market launch.

Probably the most notable feature of the newly introduced hybrid lies in the fact that this is the first BMW with automatic transmission to feature Auto Start Stop. Other worth-mentioning details include the fact that the air conditioning and ventilation system remains fully operational when using Auto Start Stop, while the power is supplied directly through the 120-volt on-board network powered by the lithium-ion battery.

Also different from the 750i, BMW’s first luxury sedan with ActiveHybrid technology is fitted with ten-spoke 19-inch light-alloy Aero wheels and model designations on the trunk lid, C-pillars and on the door cutouts. Entering the market in two body variants, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is also available in Bluewater Metallic exterior paintwork.