First of all, let’s clarify the difference between the new 7 series and the i7. none! The design, equipment and functions are the same. The only difference is the electric drive. «The 7 Series is the best BMW regardless of driving. That’s why we’re not splitting our flagship,” says Markus Flasch, product manager, explaining the strategy.
The new BMW flagship was developed not around the ride, but around the rear right seat. Even in the seventh edition, the Bavarian remained a chauffeur-driven limousine. But he no longer has to go outside to open doors. They can be opened with a button on the door handle, a button on the interior, the touchscreen, the BMW app or voice command. The system detects which seat the command came from and only this door reacts.
TV while driving
First I let myself go to the driver and sat in the back. Upholstered in merino wool and a bit of leather, the seats can be adjusted in a variety of ways and can be cool, warm, or massage-to-me. There is a mini tablet in the center armrest and a small touchscreen on the door. The optional cinema screen (fee: 6030 Fr.) can also be activated in the headlining. With a diagonal of 31.3 inches or 79 centimeters, it occupies nearly its entire interior width. BMW also provides streaming TV.
Here I can isolate myself from the outside world. I hardly see, hear or feel anything. Air suspension and adaptive dampers remove almost any bumps and provide a comfortable cinema experience in the rear that only the driver can disturb. Or my body. Unfortunately, as a passenger I’ve always had travel discomfort. So it has nothing to do with watching TV or surfing the Internet. But this is not because of the i7. This offers the high driving comfort expected of a sedan. Chief Development Officer Frank Weber knows why. “The battery brings 600 kilograms more weight to the car and calms it down.”
handle yourself
I’m driving now. The typical BMW cockpit can be operated intuitively. The workmanship is accurate, the material selection is of good quality, as is the back. Two powerful electric motors on the front and rear axles move BMW’s flagship effortlessly. System output of 544 hp (400 kW) and maximum torque of 745 Nm can be easily dosed with the accelerator pedal. Rear passengers should not be subject to a whiplash at the start of each traffic light.
Of course, the i7 can run fast. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. It curves quickly on the mountain roads south of Palm Springs (USA), making it almost forgettable 2.7 tons. But wide US roads and wide curves also make it easy. The steering responds directly and precisely to our commands. Back in town, the 5.37-metre-long i7 turns very easily, and the rear-axle steering makes it surprisingly manoeuvrable.
costs
The classic sedan design with the front facing the wind does not have a significant negative impact on the range. The i7 offers up to 625 kilometers according to WLTP, which should still be over 500 in daily life. Its long-term rival Mercedes’ comparable all-wheel drive EQS manages 676 kilometers in an extremely aerodynamic shape.
BMW’s new i7 is now on sale. Prices start from CHF 169,900. In Switzerland, the 7 Series will also get diesel (from CHF 139,600) and plug-in hybrid petrol engine (from CHF 151,200) and an electric range of around 85 kilometers from next spring.