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BMW To Temporarily Stop Production of Gasoline-fueled, Euro-spec 7 Series

Gasoline is getting more popular in Europe because of the Dieselgate scandal, but Satan’s Fuel still is in high demand. This is the reason BMW doesn’t see a problem with stopping production of the gasoline-engined 7 Series for the European market, the culprits coming in the form of WLTP, RDE, and OPF.
2019 BMW 7 Series 14 photos
Photo: CarPix
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“The what, who, and when?” First of all, every new passenger car sold in Europe will have to go through the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure from September 1st, 2018. What this means for gasoline-fueled models such as the 740i, 750i and M760Li is the integration of an Otto particulate filter (OPF). But that takes time, as much as a year according to motoring publication Automobilwoche.de.

From the cited report, we also learn that “from September 2019, the real driving emissions (RDE) test will become mandatory for all new passenger cars [in Europe].” According to a BMW spokesman, the automaker doesn’t expect “any impact on the [7 Series] sales volume” despite the temporary production halt.

Of a total of 11,533 units of the 7 Series sold in the Old Continent in 2017, 3,540 examples left the Dingolfing plant with Otto mills. The range starts with the 2.0-liter B48 in the 730i and 730Li, topping with the twin-turbocharged V12 in the M760Li that offers almost 610 ponies and 800 Nm of torque.

It’s at the end of May that BMW will pull the plug on the Euro-spec, gasoline-powered 7er. What this means is, the jungle juice-flavored lineup will re-enter production sometime in 2019, when the mid-cycle refresh is already out.

Speaking of the facelift (pictured), the eco-friendly crowd will be pleased to find out that BMW is working on the 745e iPerformance. Described as “a considerable upgrade” over the 740e iPerformance, the newcomer is anticipated to pack 390 horsepower and more energy from the lithium-ion battery. What this means is more than 23 kilometers of electric range.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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