The BMW 7-Series started back in 1977 and has gone through five generations since then. The BMW 7-Series is only available as a sedan and is powered by three gasoline and two diesel variants, along with xDrive all-wheel drive. The engines are mated to either a six-speed automatic transmission or an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The 4.4L twin turbo V8 produces 400/440hp and 450lb-ft of torque while the 4.4L V8/Electric Hybrid gets 455 net hp and 516 net lb-ft of torque. The giant 6.0L twin turbo V12 pushes out 535 hp and 550lb-ft of torque.
BMW announced today the North American debut for the 740i and 740Li. Both models will go on sale in Spring 2010 and prices will be announced at a later date.
Both the 740i and 740Li are powered by a twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine that deliver a total of 315 hp at 5800 rpm and 330 lb-ft of torque from 1600-4500 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and delivers power to the rear wheels.
Both models will feature all-aluminum construction, High Precision direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS variable camshaft technology, and Brake Energy Regeneration. M-Sport Package, Driver Assistance Package, Luxury Seating Packages, Rear Entertainment Package, and even the BMW Individual Composition Package will also be available for both of them. The 740i is priced at $71,025 and the long wheelbase 740Li at $75,425.
UPDATE 06/04/2010: We got a chance to drive around in the luxurious BMW 740Li. Check out our review here.
Press release after the jump.
Full story
The new 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 made its North American debut at the LA Auto Show giving the American audience the first glimpse of BMW’s first high-performance hybrid luxury sedan. BMW also announced that the car would come with a price tag of $103,125 for the standard version and $107,025 for the long wheelbase ActiveHybrid 7L version.
Powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with a hybrid electric motor and an 8-speed automatic transmission, the ActiveHybrid7 also comes with some of the most high-quality materials out in the market today, including Alcantara headliners, a leather dashboard, ventilated active front seats, 19-inch wheels and tires, the Premium Sound System, a Head-up Display and Rear View Camera soft-close doors and Automatic trunkgate closing. That’s a lot of features, don’t you think?
But if those aren’t enough for you – and if it isn’t, then you’ve got some pretty high standards – then BMW also comes with optional packages, among which include a Driver Assistance Package, BMW’s Night Vision and Rear Seat Entertainment Package, and a Camera Package.
For a full list of all the extra add-ons, take a look after the jump.
Full story
Even if the demand is present, the German automaker BMW has decided to leave the job of tuning their luxury limousine up to Alpina and discarded the idea of a high performance M7, however they have decided to offer new car buyers a more aggressive looking 7 Series with an optional aero upgrade package. Unfortunately for some, their sales slips were signed before the automaker made the M Sport package available, but have no fear because European Auto Source has come to the rescue with their own version of the 7 Series’ Motor sport appearance package.
Similar to the OEM pieces, ESA’s kit includes an M Sport style front bumper with larger air intakes and matte black trim along the edges. However the genuine article’s stretched out horizontal chrome strips that sit at the edges of the big mouth front bumper are sold separately. But out back the EAS unit is almost identical to the one that comes from Germany. And while European Auto Source’s rolling stock are not quite the same as the split five spoke rims that come fitted to the 7 Series M Sport, these 21 inch alloy wheels finished in matte black with their classic mesh design do the trick.
If there’s one thing the global economic crisis has shown us, its knowing which countries have become the have’s and have-not’s in the auto industry.
One such country that falls in the former category is Saudi Arabia, which recently purchased a staggering 132 BMW 740i and 740Li models, which incidentally are the short wheelbase variant and the long wheelbase variant, respectively, of the BMW 740.
The purchase, which was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was made to serve as the official vehicles used by Saudi Arabia embassies across the world.
The official handover was made at the BMW Welt in Munich, Germany, and was attended by a number of luminaries from Saudi Ariabia led by His Excellency Professor Ossama Abdulmajed Al Shobokshi, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Germany. Likewise, leading the BMW contingent was Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing.
Continued after the jump.
Full story
The German automaker BMW has officially unveiled the new ActiveHybrid 7, the first car in the world to combine a V8 gasoline engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor as a mild hybrid concept.
The V8 engine delivers 449 HP between 5,500 and 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 479 lb-ft consistently all the way from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm. The ActiveHybrid 7 accelerates from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.9 seconds, and can hit a top speed of 155 MPH.
The V8 engine is combined to a three-phase synchronous electric motor positioned between the combustion engine and the automatic transmission converter. The electric motor generates additional drive power of 20 HP, with maximum power increasing to an even more substantial 27 HP in the generator mode charging the lithium-ion battery. In the driving mode BMW ActiveHybrid 7 benefits from maximum output of 465 HP and peak torque of 516 lb-ft.
Other green technologies included in the new ActiveHybrid 7: Brake Energy Regeneration, two interconnected on-board power networks, and a 400 watt-hour 35 cell lithium-ion battery which weighs 59.5 lb and measures 14.6 x 8.7 x 9.1 inches.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
Full story
