German luxury car giant BMW has kickstarted 2023 with the launch of the latest generation of its flagship sedan, the 7 Series, in India. Along with it, the electric version of the car, the i7, has also been introduced to the market. While the former will be locally assembled, the electric car will be imported into the country as a completely built-up unit (CBU). For now, the 7 Series has been launched in a single 740i M Sport version, but a diesel variant will also be introduced in the market at a later stage.
DESIGN
Talking about design, there are many changes on the new 7 Series when compared to the previous generation. The headlights are divided into two parts, at the top are the daytime running lights, complete with the crystal headlights, which come with Swarovski crystals that give a shimmer even when not illuminated. The glow kidney grille is also illuminated, which looks befitting of a flagship sedan. The all-new 7 Series exceeds the length of its predecessor by 131 mm and now stands at 5,391 mm, making the car look more majestic. For the first time, the sedan is also available in dual-tone paintwork.
INTERIOR
When it comes to the cabin, the new 7 Series is leaps ahead of the previous generation. The BMW curved display with navigation with real-time traffic information seen on many other cars from the brand, makes its debut here as well. It includes a 12.3-inch digital information display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen system, along with a head-up display. The car also gets the latest iDrive with operating system 8 from the brand, which offers touch, gesture, or speech controls for various functions. An NFC card can be activated as a vehicle key, which enables customers to automatically open, close, and start the vehicle. They can also share the digital key with up to five users. The i7 additionally offers the feature of automatic door opening and closing with just a touch on the door handles. The real magic though is on the 2nd row of the car which feels like a lounge. A key feature here is the rear-seat entertainment experience with the BMW theatre screen. The 31.3-inch touch screen with 8K resolution extends down from the ceiling to turn the car into a mobile home cinema as the window blinds and panorama glass roof automatically close. The system is integrated with a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. Then there’s the executive lounge seating behind the front passenger, which reclines to 42.5 degrees, and also offers a massage function and seat ventilation. The newly developed Merino leather upholstery also adds to the premium quotient.
ENGINE
The 740i M Sport runs on a 3-litre, 6-cylinder engine that produces an output of 381 hp and a maximum torque of 520 Nm. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in just 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 250 kmph. The engine is mated to an 8-speed steptronic transmission. On the other hand, the i7 xDrive60 is powered by an electric motor, which helps the car accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 240 kmph. It produces 544 hp and 745 Nm, while the high-voltage lithium-ion 101.7 kWh recyclable battery provides a range of up to 625 km. Using a 195 kW DC charger, the sedan can be charged from 10% to 80% in 34 minutes, while a 22 kW AC charger will charge from 0% to 100% in about 5 hours.
SAFETY
The cars get six airbags, attentiveness assistance, dynamic stability control (DSC), including cornering brake control (CBC), an electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, an electronic vehicle immobilizer, and a crash sensor. It also has many driver assistance systems, like an attentiveness assistant, remote parking via smartphone, and a reversing assistant, along with steering and lane control assistants.
PRICES The new BMW 740i M Sport has been priced at Rs. 1.70 crore, while the i7 will set you back by Rs. 1.95 crore, ex-showroom. The car comes with standard 2-year warranty for unlimited kilometers, while the battery in the BMW i7 is covered by a warranty valid for 8 years or up to 1,60 lakh kilometers.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com