2023 BMW 7 Series Debuts With New BMW i7 EV
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The 2023 BMW 7 Series made its official debut this week, and while General Motors-owned luxury brand Cadillac left the full-size sedan segment back in 2020, the automaker will certainly be paying close attention to the new i7 battery-electric variant.
In the United States, the 2023 BMW 7 Series will launch in three trim levels: entry-level 740i, mid-grade 760i and the battery-electric i7 xDrive60. Let’s first focus on the electric i7 xDrive 60, which will come standard with a 101.7 kWh battery and a dual-motor powertrain good for 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque. This setup will give the full-size luxury sedan a BMW-estimated EPA driving range of 300 miles on a full charge. The automaker says the sedan can add 80 miles of range to the battery in about 10 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charging station thanks to its 195 kW charge rate.
Power in the 740i model, meanwhile, comes from BMW’s B58 3.0L twin turbocharged inline-six engine, which is rated at 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission with an integrated 48V mild-hybrid system is standard, sending power to the rear wheels. The 760i xDrive model features the same transmission and mild hybrid setup, but trades the 3.0L engine for a twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 rated at 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The 760i is the quickest model, hustling from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, followed by the electric i7 xDrive 60 at 4.5 seconds and the 740i at 5.2 seconds.
All BMW 7 Series variants will come standard with adaptive air suspension with automatic self-levelling, as well as adaptive, electronically controlled dampers. The 760i xDrive and i7 xDrive 60 models will also come standard with rear-wheel steering, which reduces the 7 Series’ turning circle by about two and a half feet and increases overall agility and stability at speed. Active roll stabilization is also available on the 760i xDrive.
A large widescreen infotainment display greets occupants of the BMW 7 Series, which consists of a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch control display mounted under a uniform piece of glass.
For back seat passengers, there’s an optional 31.1inch BMW Theater Display, which can be controlled via 5.5-inch touchscreen displays mounted in either of the rear doors. A panoramic sunroof with embedded LED backlighting is also standard, along with an 18-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system. A hands-free highway drive assistant akin to Super Cruise is also available and works at speeds up to 80 mph.
While Cadillac left the full-size sedan segment behind in 2020, it will be paying close attention to the i7 and what it has to offer, with the American brand planning to transition to a full battery-electric portfolio by 2030. While it has an electric large sedan in development in the way of the Cadillac Celestiq, this vehicle is expected to be much more luxurious, occupying the $250,000 price point. Pricing for the BMW 7 Series, by comparison, starts at $94,295 including destination for the 740i. The i7 xDrive 60 is the priciest of the three at $120,295.
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Great interior but man is that exterior shall we say different. Not sure how to feel about the exterior.
It is a mixture of Boldness and some real plain design language all at once.
Side profile kinda reminds me of a 2005 5 Series.
Love it. Celestiq has a lot of competition when it finally launches. Please please be great.
The CELESTIQ will be on another level this new 7 series can’t match.
All you guys will be mad when you finally realize the celestiq is not coming.
Don’t know how I feel about this design but BMW did this intelligently by not having two separate designs for ICE and electric motor like Mercedes is doing with the S Class and EQS. It could pay off for BMW financially in the long run since they are keeping it simple.
@Johnls_39
I disagree with that. BMW decided to go the cheaper route instead of doing what is best for their Customers.
BEV’s are much more efficient when designed as strictly BEV’s from the Ground up.
I think Only GM is doing this from the Legacy Automakers and that is what excites me. GM might overtake VW Group and Toyota again. The Future will be fun to watch.
There is no point of having two different flagships with one being electric and other ICE. Imo, 300 mile range from the i7 will not win awards but the 300 mile range is not final either till we know what the exact mileage will be closer to production. Of the two, I would buy the i7 over the EQS quite easily.
Besides, this could be a seven year life cycle like the prior generation. After this generation; EV technology will evolve by then, BMW will enhance their EV models and I can’t blame BMW going the cheaper route. Also, they are enhancing the 7 series brand for the reason why they are doing it. People in this market love gimmicks and will buy. No one knows for sure how many 7 series total BMW will produce for a limited market.
The standard bearer in the market is the S Class and BMW have a chance with the new 7 to give the S Class a good run for it’s money.
.. me either… see all the comments. Worked in some BMW Projects indirect from 1998 to 2005,
and remember people complaining about the 15 years ago 7 Bangle Butt, but then complains again, much more
Sincere, have a mix of feelings, it is not beauty, but what GM and others do are not Beauty too.
However has some details which liked, only few, like the wheels for example and the use of Crystals
Never would put so much electronic playground like this inside my car… for me still misses the windshield chrome frame, they did so much complicated details, and forgot that. It is not what would buy if very Rich
The all Black version is Batman at all, the Customers will buy Billions cars of these, this what know from the now generation. As said, probably if were rich, would buy a car of 1950ies and restore it, impeccable with chrome
Bingo! What the luxury car world desperately needs is gm to step up with a modern equivalent of the 1959 Eldorado Brougham. Not another video arcade on ugly wheels. Unfortunately, with Ed Welburn out of the picture and elegant concepts like Elmiraj now long distant memories, nobody will be holding their breath.
The exterior is pretty awful, no grace, it looks like a Chinese 7 series knock off, it manages to be boring and overdone at the same time. The interior is a mess too….screen across the dash, whoo hoo….whos not doing that? Where else can we add a sceen? How about on the gas pedal? Under the seats?
I think Sam forgot that GM still sells the CT6 in China which will compete with the gas versions of the BMW. Matter of fact, it’s getting what looks like a pretty extensive refresh soon. With that and the dedicated Celestiq, Cadillac should be able to handle the rich Chinese market.
It looks 8 years old already.
@Megeebee
I totally agree. The exterior is just not futuristic looking but more like a retro vibe of a vehicle from the 80’s that tried to be futuristic back then Lol
Tweak the front a little and put a decent dash and gauge package in it. Rip that ugly and stupid screen out now. Get rid of some of the other toys screens as well. God I miss the pre-huge and huger screens days.
Cadillac: Don’t delay. Bring the CT6 back with a good name and commit to the flagship Celestiq now.
If the CT6 does come back here, it probably will have a big screen.
I like BMWs in general, but this looks like someone put a lift kit and ground effects package on a Japanese sedan. Woof…
Mary is still sitting on the dock after having missed the boat entirely.
As a former BMW enthusiast (they lost me when they went from driving machines to luxury machines), the best I can say about the styling is at least it doesn’t have the Bangle Butt. Is there any way to stop The Invasion of the Screens?
When driving, I want to focus on the view through the windscreen! Yes, I know I’m old school (very) and not hip to having my eyes glued to a screen 24/7/365. Sorry.
BMW has lost their mojo. This car’s styling is a rehash of a rehash of a rehash with a praying mantis face. But at least they’re still building full-sized flagship luxury sedans unlike gm.
Whatever. Everyone’s so obsessed with excesses of dumb computer screens all over the dash and flopping out of the ceiling, we’ve clearly moved beyond things like beauty and elegance anyway. All part of our transhumanist journey to virtual humanity.
We need the CT6 back in the U.S. The GM execs need to start paddling their rowboat and make it to the shore. The CT6 is a great full-sized luxury sedan. I have a 2017 and a 2020 Premium Luxury’s that are loaded and I get asked all the time where one can be bought. My dealer had a used 2020 Satin Steel Premium Luxury and it lasted 1/2 day on the lot and sold for $67K, almost what it stickered at.
China is killing GM and it’ll soon go the way of so many of the great luxury car brands. I am not a fan of the Bimmer or the Mercedes, but if that is all I have to choose from when I am ready to replace one of the CT6’s I guess I’ll have to learn to like them. The CUV/SUV and mall-crawlers and sink to the bottom of the ocean…they aren’t for me, or it seems a lot of other people also.