Photo: bmw
As we said it probably once too many times, we got to see the new 7 Series in the metal and we were left rather unmoved by its exterior design. The real trick that will make this car the best in its segment lies underneath the thin sheet of metal that makes up its body though.
That being said, the new flagship is fitted with the latest engines and technologies from BMW and that means it’s impressive nonetheless. The initial press release didn’t mention all the engines the range will be getting down the road, but that didn’t stop us from digging around and getting more facts to share with you. Therefore, we put together a short list of the complete engine line-up that will be available at first.
The entry-level unit will be used on the 730d, 730Ld, 730d xDrive and 730Ld xDrive models and it makes 265 HP and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of torque, an increase of 7 HP and 60 Nm of torque compared to the previous model.
There will also be a 740d version that will only be available with xDrive in both short and long wheelbase guises. Just like its predecessor, it will also be twin-turbo but it will be good for 320 HP, a 7 HP increase from the old mill.
In the future we're also expecting a 750d model that might continue with the tri-turbo layout of the current offering or migrate to a quad-turbo version as rumors seemed to point out a while ago. There's no official info about it for now though.
The 740i uses the new B58 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine developed by BMW making 326 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque, an increase of 6 HP over its predecessor.
On the other hand, the V8-powered 750i will have the same displacement and power as its forefather. Rated at 450 HP and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque this should prove to be enough for a car the size of the new 7er.
Under the metal lies the same powertrain as on the BMW X5 xDrive40e model, combining a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged mill with an electric motor included in the gearbox. Together they deliver 326 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque maximum, despite the fact that separately they make a lot more than that.
The petrol unit makes 258 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque while the electric motor is good for 95 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque.
However, the fuel consumption of this model should be astonishing, close to 2.4 l/100 km (98 mpg) while CO2 emissions should be close to 49 grams/km.
Of course, these are all just the initial models that will go on sale this year, with the exception of the 740e model that will be delivered next year for the first time. However, we will see more choices down the road, possibly even powered by 2-liter 4-cylinder mills alone. There's also the question of the 6-liter V12 and whether it will still be offered.
The diesel front
On the side of things that is supposed to be as efficient as possible, there will be three diesel engines available at first, both of them based on the 3-liter inline 6-cylinder architecture of the new B57 mill.The entry-level unit will be used on the 730d, 730Ld, 730d xDrive and 730Ld xDrive models and it makes 265 HP and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of torque, an increase of 7 HP and 60 Nm of torque compared to the previous model.
There will also be a 740d version that will only be available with xDrive in both short and long wheelbase guises. Just like its predecessor, it will also be twin-turbo but it will be good for 320 HP, a 7 HP increase from the old mill.
In the future we're also expecting a 750d model that might continue with the tri-turbo layout of the current offering or migrate to a quad-turbo version as rumors seemed to point out a while ago. There's no official info about it for now though.
The petrol versions
When it comes to petrol versions, the initial models on offer will be using a new 3-liter mill as well as an updated 4.4-liter V8. You probably already guess that we’re talking about the 740i and 750i version together with their long wheelbase and all-wheel drive variations.The 740i uses the new B58 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine developed by BMW making 326 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque, an increase of 6 HP over its predecessor.
On the other hand, the V8-powered 750i will have the same displacement and power as its forefather. Rated at 450 HP and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque this should prove to be enough for a car the size of the new 7er.
The first plug-in hybrid 7 Series ever made
Then there’s the 740e model which will be the first ever plug-in hybrid 7er in the company’s history. BMW had other cars that looked for a smaller fuel consumption and environmental impact, like the Hydrogen7 or ActiveHybrid7 models, but this is the first time you’ll be plugging your car into the wall socket.Under the metal lies the same powertrain as on the BMW X5 xDrive40e model, combining a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged mill with an electric motor included in the gearbox. Together they deliver 326 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque maximum, despite the fact that separately they make a lot more than that.
The petrol unit makes 258 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque while the electric motor is good for 95 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque.
However, the fuel consumption of this model should be astonishing, close to 2.4 l/100 km (98 mpg) while CO2 emissions should be close to 49 grams/km.
Of course, these are all just the initial models that will go on sale this year, with the exception of the 740e model that will be delivered next year for the first time. However, we will see more choices down the road, possibly even powered by 2-liter 4-cylinder mills alone. There's also the question of the 6-liter V12 and whether it will still be offered.
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