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.
The BMW 7-Series is designed for luxury first and power second, but German tuner, TuningWerk, has decided to change up BMW’s priorities just a bit. Well actually, a whole lot. TuningWerk’s new package for the 750Li luxury sedan increases the 4.4-liter turbocharged V8’s output to a total of 720 HP, while top speed has been bumped up to 223 mph. There is also a milder version available for those that can’t handle the extra push.
The new 720 HP and 803 lb-ft found in the top kit can sprint the Beamer from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds before the Carbon Ceramic brake system slows it to a halt. This performance is facilitated by the weight reduction options chosen by TuningWerk. The firm reduced the 7-Series’ weight by 264 lbs thanks to a lightweight design sports exhaust system and front and body sills made out of a combination of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials. The kit, car included, costs 198,000 euros or about $270,000 at the current exchange rates.
If the thought of being carried by 720 HP is too much to handle, TuningWerk has also released a "small-scale" version that will boost output to 530 HP and 545 lbs-ft, up from the standard 362 HP and 360 lb-ft of torque. This version will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 192 mph. It will set you back 169,800 euro or about $230,000 at the current exchange rates.
Usually unflappable German engineering has taken a hit today. BMW has announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation that centers on 120,000 2002-2008 7-Series models, ranging from the 730d to the 760li. This investigation began after a 2006 7-Series experienced an incident in which, after being placed in park, did not fully engage the park gear and proceeded to roll a short distance. This gearbox is designed to automatically shift into park, for example, when the vehicle is turned off.
If this pending investigation makes you nervous, keep in mind that the NHTSA has said that a) "thus far, no cause has been identified for any of the rollaway incidents" and b) it is not a full scale recall, just a preliminary investigation.
You may ask us, would we still buy one? Well, we have nothing but praise for the 7 series. We find it to be truly staggering, leaving us to shake our head in disbelief that a car the size of the state of Kansas can be made this fun to drive. This potential gearbox glitch does not affect our view of the Roundel and we continue to look reverently upon each model. This full size luxury sedan did not disappoint us and it won’t let you down either.
The current generation BMW 7-Series was only launched a couple of years ago, but with Mercedes tackling their S-Class with modifications improving fuel efficiency, as well as design, BMW had limited time to freshen up the competition. The facelifted BMW 7-Series will find it way to the market in 2013, ready to meet the new S-Class straight on with most of it changes found under the hood.
The modified luxury sedan will benefit from BMW’s current engine lineup, meaning a 350 HP twin-turbocharged engine for the 740i and a 450 HP 4.4-liter V8 petrol engine for the 750i version. As of right now, there’s been no mention of changes for the 760i, but rumors are circulating stating that version will be dropped when the time comes.
Along with the engine modifications, the exterior and the interior will receive a series of updates, including new LED accents, restyled front and back bumpers, and a new spoiler.
The facelift BMW 7-Series will be making its world debut at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show in April, with a North American debut following at the New York Auto Show.
It took us a little while to be able to report on this simply because we were laughing so hard when we first saw it. Three thieves in Poland thought it would be a great idea to not only steal a Bugatti Veyron, but a one-off Grand Sport Sang Bleu - you know, the one created to celebrate Bugatti’s centenary in 2009. Oh, and it gets even better. These morons then went on to steal a BMW 7-Series and a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Read on because it gets even better still.
After stealing the Veyron in Poland, the trio of hoodlums moved on to Oberrieden, Switzerland where they used the supercar to rob another house before they were pulled over by the police in Germany. That’s right, folks. They stole the car in Poland, robbed a house in Switzerland, and then got pulled over in Germany. Guess the old saying of, "three strikes and you’re out" rings true in this situation.
As a result of these extracurricular activities, the robbers will not only have to spend some time in the slammer, but they will also have to pay a tax bill of $522,000 because the stolen cars were registered in Switzerland. This is the point where everyone should just point and laugh at them.
Nice job, imbeciles. Maybe next time you can steal a greater number of exclusive vehicles and hit that $1 million mark!
BMW has unveiled on the Chinese market the special edition 7-Series Steinway & Sons Piano. The new edition will be limited to only 150 units, and was developed by BMW Individual in cooperation to New York-based piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons.
The new 7-Series Steinway & Sons Piano Limited Edition will be based on either 740i or 760i versions, and will be distinguished by a hand polished metallic paint, with texture comparable with Steinway piano. The whole painting process takes at least 35 hours to complete. The special edition also gets light shadow lines and 20" lightweight alloy wheels.
On the interior, the front and rear seats, door panels, center console, instrument panel and other components are covered in ’Merino’ white gold full leather, contrasting with different black exterior and interior elements. Highlighting the cooperation with the Steinway company are: Steinway logo on the seat head restraints and seat cushion gold harp, iDrive button with Steinway logo.
