BMW launches new i7 and 7 Series hybrid

There’s a lot to get into but let’s start with the basics. There are two flavours of 7 Series: electric and hybrid. In the electric corner there’s the i7, the BMW i4’s bigger brother, and in the internal combustion corner are two hybrids, the 750e xDrive and the M760e xDrive. Yes, that means petrol power comes in hybrid form only. Whatever you go for, it’ll be in long wheelbase form, too, with a choice of Excellence and M Sport trims. When i7 deliveries start at the end of 2022, you’ll need to fork out £107,400 to get your hands on one, while prices for the hybrid 7 Series will be revealed later in the year.

First of all, the i7. All-wheel-drive courtesy of an electric motor at the front and another, more powerful motor at the rear, you’ll have 544PS (400kW) and 745Nm (549lb ft) at your disposal. As a result, you’ll be able to hit 62mph in 4.7 seconds, while the 11cm tall, 101.7kWh battery offers up to between 367-388 miles of range. Software and hardware changes mean the electronics of the i7 are more efficient than those of the smaller i4 and the iX SUV, with BMW promising faster charging times and a maximum charge rate of 195kW. The energy recouperation system, meanwhile, can now take gradients, traffic lights and junctions into account when you’re on the brakes or coasting and make adjustments accordingly to recoup as much energy as possible. A fun new feature, and a first for the i7, is the ability to manually pre-heat the battery on the move so it’s in prime condition when you arrive at a fast charger.

The hybrid 7 Series models make use of a 3.0-litre straight-six paired to an eight-speed gearbox with a 200PS (147kW) synchronous motor mounted within. That combo is enough for 490PS (360kW) and 700Nm (516lb ft) in the 750e xDrive and 571PS (420kW) and 800Nm (590lb ft) in the M760e xDrive.

The battery in both is an 18.7kWh lump, enough to propel you down the road for 50 miles in EV silence, with charging done and dusted in three hours with a 7.4kW fast charger and nine hours with a standard plug.

Design wise, the new 7 follows in the footsteps of the i4 in terms of how the two differentiate from one another, but both echo the new X7’s new face. There’s a giant kidney grille – because why wouldn’t there be – and the headlights are split units, the thinner, upper units holding the indicators and daytime running lights, the larger, lower elements housing the headlights and full beams. Both the i7 and the 750e/M760e hold the same classic three-box design in profile, while at the rear there are some skinny, more conventional lights. Wheel sizes range from 19- to 22-inches, depending on the model and how much money you’re willing to spend.

Spotting the difference between the i7 and the M760e car is simple enough. Both have an illuminated kidney grille but the i7 has ‘i Blue’ accents dotted around all over the place, including on the grille, sideskirts and rear bumper. There are also ‘i’ badges on the grille, on both of the car’s flanks and at the rear. The M760e on the other hand has triangular exhausts that you can see (the 750e’s outlets are hidden under the rear bumper), their i logos are replaced by Ms, there’s an optional dinky rear spoiler, the wing mirrors are pinched from the M Performance catalogue and the indent on the bonnet continues down to surround the badge, something it does not do on the i7. The most obvious change, though, is the car’s face. The lower intake is entirely different, split into three pieces on the M760e.

As for the lights, it would be rude not to talk about them because BMW has spent quite a bit of time making them as grand as possible. Adaptive LED Headlights are standard with a cornering function, matrix high beam and a non-dazzling high-beam assist system, but new and very much a cost option are the BMW crystal headlights known as ‘Iconic Glow’. The upper light element is made from Swarovski crystals, meaning the LED backlights, combined with the lit up grille, create an “unmistakeable light graphic”. The crystals will also reflect light more impressively during the day when they’re switched off, too. If you want to show off, then, it’s an option worth having. 

There’s only one non-metallic colour, which really won’t be an issue because very few people will be buying a basic 7. Customers are much more likely to go for one of the nine metallic colours available or, for the very first time on a regular BMW, a two-tone paint scheme. There are two colours to choose from for the lower portion and five for upper.

If the crystals on the outside were impressive then the interior is on another level. There’s the same curved display you get in the iX, i4 and 2 Series Active Tourer, the panel comprises a 12.3-inch screen for the instruments ahead of the driver and a 14.9-inch screen in the centre of the dash. New for the 7 is the ‘BMW Interaction Bar’, a thin panel that runs the length of the dashboard and into the doors, with controls for heating the front and rear screens, the hazard lights, seat adjustments and more. As you enter the car, the panel puts on a welcome display, too, and if you go to open a door when something is coming it’ll flash to warn you not to.

The steering wheel is a two-spoke job with rocker switches, wheels and haptic controls. You can have wood, gloss black or carbon-fibre interior finishes, the seats can be covered in Merino leather and cashmere, while four-zone climate control and a panoramic roof are included as standard. Automatic doors are available as an option, where you touch the handles on the outside, buttons on the inside or buttons on the key, with sensors preventing the door from opening if there’s traffic or an obstacle.

The funky Interaction Bar pales into insignificance when you climb into the rear and see the ‘Theatre Screen’. An optional extra, it’s a 31.3-inch, 8K touchscreen display complete with Amazon Fire TV that folds down from the headlining spanning nearly the entire width of the cabin. It’s controlled via 5.5-inch screen remotes mounted in the door panels, which also operate many of the car’s other systems. As the screen deploys, you’ll be treated to a unique sound composition from film composer Hans Zimmer while a system of blinds closes to bring the rear into near darkness. Add to that the standard Bower & Wilkins 18-speaker, 655-Watt sound system and this has to be one of the most immersive rear seat entertainment systems ever made. It can be made more impressive, though, with the addition of the Bower & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System, with 36 speakers, four of which are in the headlining, with a total output of 1,965 Watts – it’s the Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson of the in-car speaker world. It’s worth noting, too, that speakers in the headrests mean you can have phone calls directed to your ears only should you not want your driver to hear what you’re up to, or just direct the call to entire cabin.

There are new, more comfortable and more supportive seats across the entire 7 range, but the Executive Lounge option brings reclining seats to the rear, with 42.5 degrees of recline. Surely those are a must if you’ve got a cinema in the back? BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant now responds to passengers in the back, too, so you can open or close the doors, for example, without pressing anything.

What else is there to know? Well, there’s double-wishbone suspension up front and a five-link set-up at the rear. BMW says an elastic steering gear mounting has been fitted on the front axle subframe to improve acoustics, there’s a model-specific motor mount on the BMW i7 for the same reason, and there are hydro mounts for the rear axle subframe to help with ride comfort. Adaptive air suspension is standard, the ride height dropping by 10mm in Sport mode, or at 87mph in the hybrids or 75mph in the i7, with the option to raise the body by 20mm should you need to.

The Executive Drive Pro option brings a 48V active anti-roll system, while the Integral Active Steering option includes rear-wheel-steering, with 3.5 degrees of angle applied to the rear wheels in either direction depending on your speed and steering lock. The steering system itself is, as you might expect, electric, but now a variable ratio system for the first time.

It's worth noting that this generation of the 7 has grown compared to the last. The body is 130mm longer at 5,391mm, 48mm wider at 1,950mm and 51mm taller at 1,544mm. The wheelbase has been stretched by just 5mm, the front track by 47mm and the rear track only 4mm.

And what of sustainability? BMW says 50 per cent of the body is made from recycled aluminium, while the floor covers are made from a synthetic yarn called Econyl, a recycled nylon waste material. The surround for the front grille meanwhile is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. The factory that builds every 7 model in Dingolfing, meanwhile, is powered entirely by renewable sources. Forty per cent of the water used at the plant comes from its own wells now, too, while there’s a 90 per cent waste material recycle rate with a 99 per cent recovery rate.

So then, what do you make of the new 7 Series? Is the i7 a match for the EQS in the luxury limo stakes? Does the hybrid M760e xDrive’s performance sound exciting enough? Let us know.