BMW held the world premiere of the new generation 7-Series executive sedan G70/G71. The model was shown in two guises at once - with an internal combustion engine and with a purely electric power plant, in the second case, the car bears the trade name i7. Despite the different types of engines, the 7-Series and i7 are built on a single platform and are unified in bodywork.
In the next incarnation, the “seven” retained its classic three-volume silhouette, characteristic of it, with a long horizontal hood, a short front overhang and a cabin shifted back. However, the executive BMW has never had such a minimalist plasticity of the sidewalls - the horizontal punchings are made unobtrusive and practically do not give character or dynamics to the forms. Door handles in the name of better streamlining are made retractable. The characteristic configuration of the glazing with the "Hofmeister bend" is highlighted by a "bold" chrome edging, the end of which is installed on the rear wing and is not part of the door - a technologically and visually complex solution.
When viewed in profile, the novelty does not look revolutionary, the front is another matter: huge nostrils of the radiator grille and an eccentric two-tier design of headlights - dipped and main beam blocks in the bumper, above them are narrowed strips of daytime running lights, dimensions and direction indicators. The complex "sculptural" composition of the front bumper makes you look at it. The design of the front part of the G70 / G71 echoes other BMWs of the latest wave, but is closest to the restyled X7 crossover.
When developing the new 7-Series / i7, the German company decided to optimize costs and not be scattered on the creation of two body versions - standard and extended. The G70/G71 will be offered in one variant that is slightly larger than the outgoing G11/G12 stretched 7-Series.
The overall length, width and height of the novelty are 5391, 1950 and 1544 mm, respectively, the wheelbase is 3215 mm, that is, relative to the current 7-Series Long, the novelty from nose to tail is 123 mm larger, and the distance between the axles of the wheels is 5 mm. The machine added 48 mm in width, 65 mm in height.
The salon was designed according to the principles of "Scandinavian design", that is, it is also minimalistic. The front panel has a deliberately simplified horizontal architecture, which should evoke associations with office interiors. In detail, the interior is very finely worked out - pay attention to the massive inserts made of natural wood or the LED strip that divides the panel into top and bottom, hides the ventilation deflectors and glows in the background.
The digital instrument cluster with a diagonal of 12.3 inches and the screen of the media system with a dimension of 14.9 inches are made in a single block of a tablet type and covered with solid glass.
The upholstery of the seats is combined - made of genuine leather and ... woolen fabric! The Germans obviously spied on the solution with expensive fabric from Toyota, which uses such material on the Century sedan.
The standard equipment of the new 7-Series includes an SAE level 3 autopilot system - this is "conditional automation", that is, the driver is not required to immediately respond. He can, for example, write messages or watch a movie. The system itself controls the car and even knows how to brake urgently. But the person needs to be willing to intervene within a limited amount of time, determined by the manufacturer. There are six autopilot classes in total (including zero).
There are unexpected positions in the list of options - grille illumination and Swarovski crystals in daytime running lights. At the same time, the new generation will not have the optional laser headlights that the outgoing car can boast of. The low and high beams on the new "seven" are only on LED elements, the "laser" has exhausted itself, they say in BMW.
For the back row, the Executive Lounge package is available, offering extra comfort with calf support and an automatic folding front passenger seat for maximum space. Also, for an additional fee, BMW offers rear passengers an incredibly wide 31.3-inch media monitor. It has a resolution of eight thousand pixels and is integrated with Amazon TV Internet TV.
Now about the main thing. The new 7-Series will be produced for the first year in five versions - i7, 740i, 760i xDrive, 740d xDrive and M760e xDrive. First, in November 2022, the all-electric i7 will be released, as well as the petrol 740i and 760i xDrive.
"Electro-seven" has two motors, one per axle, their combined power reaches 400 kW (544 hp), torque - 744 Nm. The drive is permanent full, the engines are powered by a traction battery with a capacity of 101.7 kWh. From standstill to 100 km / h, the car accelerates in 4.5 seconds, its maximum speed is limited to 238 km / h.
The 740i and 760i xDrive will not be offered in the European Union, they are intended for North America, the Middle East and China.
The 740i is the only rear wheel drive version. It is equipped with a 3.0-liter gasoline biturbo engine with a capacity of 375 hp. and a torque of 519 Nm. The machine is also equipped with 48-volt starter-generator, which adds 20 Nm of thrust during acceleration. Transmission 8-speed automatic. The 740i accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds.
The 760i xDrive is equipped with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, which is also mated to a 48-volt starter-alternator and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Engine power is 536 hp, torque - 750 Nm. Acceleration 0-100 km / h takes 4.2 seconds.
For the European Union, in addition to the i7, the 740d xDrive with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel with a capacity of 300 hp is intended. and a torque of 760 Nm, as well as a rechargeable hybrid M760e xDrive, in which the power plant produces 571 hp. and 800 Nm. The hybrid system is built around the 3.0-liter petrol turbo engine and provides the ability to recharge the battery from an external network, thanks to which gasoline consumption is only 1.2 l / 100 km.
Executive BMW 7-Series in the new generation received a strange exterior
