The seven gets electrified
BMW had announced that moving forward all its car models would get electrified and for the 7-series this means a 745Le at the launch and as promised by BMW India, this also makes it to India, albeit as a CBU but not at an alarmingly high price. The 745Le gets a specially tuned straight six engine that makes a max of 286bhp that is even smoother than the ultra-smooth normal engine and an electric motor with a rated power output of 113bhp and torque of 265Nm that is available from the word go. Powering this motor is a new lithium-ion batterypack with a capacity of 12kWh that is located under the rear seat. BMW also claims that it has significantly enhanced the electronic management system that coordinates and pans the interaction of the two power sources to ensure the most efficient or the most sporty performance, as the situation or the driver may demand.
If the proactive driving function is enabled on the car then the system also ensures that parts of the journey that have to be
performed without or with low emissions are done accordingly and suitable resources are kept in store for those sections. To drive the car is a joy as it just glides noiselessly in the electric mode and there is barely any indication when the straight-six engine is turned on. The switch from electric to internal combustion modes is seamless. But even when in electric mode, the range is not insignificant and many incity journeys can be performed in just electric mode, given that the car has an electric range of over 50km and can go up to a top speed of 140kmph before the petrol engine cuts in. As per testing as per the new European cycle, BMW says that the range varies between 52 and 58km only in electric mode.
While performance is aided due to the added torque from the electric motor, the car is a little heavier, and the xDrive system also aids in laying down the combined system torque of 600Nm on the road to give it a 0-100kmph time of 5.1 seconds and the close to 400bhp of power help in the top speed of 250kmph.
But where the plug-in hybrid car really makes a difference is in terms of efficiency and emissions. As per Indian test norms the 745Le gives a fuel efficiency of 39.53kmpl as well as CO emissions of 60g/km. This compares very favorably with the smallest of
THE 745LE
GIVES A FUEL EFFICIENCY
OF 39.53KMPL
sedans and as compared with the 740Li, the emissions are just 30 per cent and the fuel efficiency is more than three times better.
Plug-in hybrids give the flexibility of driving an emission free car in city conditions or with very low emissions on a day to day basis, specially if there are charging points available at points of the longer stops, like home and office. And it also gives the flexibility to be able to drive long distance as well as to places where charging may be non-existent. Although the range of 50km is not substantial, but it can serve to reduce pollution drastically because most journeys in the city are not more than that distance. BMW has made a good beginning with the plug-in hybrid and the pricing is also not out of the ball-park so we are hoping that at least one segment of society starts adopting cleaner vehicles even though it will be a miniscule number.
the global media drives but the models that have been launched here are the 740 Li and 760 Li in petrols and three different versions of the 730Ld in diesels.
Well the biggest change is in the looks of the car. BMW used to have a strategy which made their smaller cars expressive and the expression for the larger cars came from their size. But now, starting with the X7 and now carrying forward to the 7-series, not only are the larger vehicles getting more expressive but also very loud. The kidney grille has increased by 40 per cent to give the car a rather stately and upright look from the front, something in between a Rolls and the traditional 7. In addition to the larger single-piece kidney grille BMW has made LED adaptive lights standard with laser lights now being optional. This means that the headlights can be slimmer and more precise looking while the bumper has also been changed and now has more surfaces and chrome edges. On the top of the new grille the bonnet also gets additional sculpting and the BMW badge on top of the bonnet has also been made bigger to keep it in synch with the grille. At the rear the tail-lights are also much slimmer and there is now a light band connecting the two tail-lamps and acts like a DRL for the rear. There is a parallel chrome strip running across the width of the car as well to harmonise the usage of chrome.
On the inside as well there is an effort to add opulence to the car, whether it be from the materials used or the technologies employed. The steering wheel is all new as is the infotainment system which gets the BMW professional Live Cockpit treatment and the software now moves out to the 7th version,
which as we saw on the X5 and the X7, is highly superior to the earlier version.
The focus on the rear seat passengers remain in this series of cars and this time there is also the two 10in screens at the rear. The entire range of engines has been updated with slightly more power in most cases. But the biggest addition to the range is the plug-in-hybrid and that we are talking about in detail separately.
To drive the cars have not lost one bit of the sportiness and the 750Li is a stonker, smooth as silk with a surge of power as the huge amount of torque is available from very low down in the rev range. It is great fun to drive as well and goes around corners belying its size, the steering direct and precise while grippy rubber and the huge brakes inspire confidence to drive it like a sports car. But that’s not much different from before. What has changed though is the levels of NVH while cruising on the motorway. More than 5mm thicker laminated glass on the sides and extra acoustic insulation around the rear wheel arches no doubt help.
And of course there is the customisable BMW personal assistant to answer to your every whim and command. Hey BMW, start the massage, is all it takes to get the ball rolling or you could ask your assistant to take you home or for a movie.