i7 Reveal: BMW’s $120,000 Flagship Sedan Goes Over 300 Miles on a Charge
There’s been no shortage of hype surrounding the new BMW 7 Series. Specifically, the world has been keeping its eyes pinned on the i7, BMW’s first all-electric go at their flagship luxury sedan. While there’s been plenty of speculation and rumors about what may or may not make it to production, we now have some answers!
The 2023 BMW i7 power, performance, and range
According to the press release BMW put out this morning, the BMW i7 xDrive60 has a remarkable estimated driving range of around 300 miles in U.S. spec. This puts it right up there with the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. Though BMW used EPA standards for their testing, the EPA official number has yet to be released for the U.S.-spec i7.
It’s no slouch, either. BMW says the i7 will handle a sprint from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds despite its size. This is thanks to two high output electric motors making a combined 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque.
It certainly doesn’t come cheap, though. With the destination charge the base price of the 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 is $120,295.
With the release of the i7 xDrive60 also comes two more 7 Series models. The 740i and 760i xDrive. Instead of electric power, they use the BMW B58 twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder and the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, respectively. Though they aren’t quite in the same environmentally conscious category as the i7, they do both feature a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Yes, it actually has a 31-inch TV in the back
One of the most hotly anticipated features of the new 7 Series did indeed come true. The back row features a ton of legroom and creature comforts for upper-crust rear passengers, as is expected of a 7 Series. However, the 2023 models have a 31-inch “theatre” screen in the rear. It has built-in Amazon Fire TV and is an 8k resolution screen.
Don’t worry, though; front-seat passengers aren’t left out of the fun, either. The massive curved infotainment screen in front has integrated streaming services like Youtube. BMW says that this allows the driver and front-seat passenger to pass the time when fueling or charging. So, it’s safe to assume that streaming won’t be available while driving. Rightfully so.
A slightly bizarre feature of the new 7 Series is the interior cameras. When connected to your smartphone, these cameras allow owners to see if they’ve left something in the vehicle. A cool concept, but it does seem a bit creepy.
The ” Great Entrance Moments ” feature is perhaps the most over-the-top feature of the new 7 Series, though, is the “Great Entrance Moments” feature.
“Once the distance between vehicle and driver drops below about 10 feet, the vehicle carries out a choreographed sequence of steps. This begins with an orchestrated lighting effect using the exterior, and interior lights, including the BMW illuminated kidney grille, the dynamic light carpet in the entrance area, the Panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof, and the BMW Interaction Bar. When the driver is six feet away, the greeting scenario proceeds to automatically unlock and open the doors at the same time as playing a start-up animation on the BMW Curved Display. This shows a personal greeting in a welcome window as well as handy suggestions and information, all with distinctive acoustic accompaniment,” writes BMW.
The BMW i7 is available for pre-order now
BMW says the i7 is available for pre-order as of Wednesday, April 20th, 2022. Additionally, the company says the launch event and rollout should come in Q4 of this year.
So, if a massive luxury EV that costs as much as a three-bedroom house in Wichita, Kansas, and goes over 300 miles on a single charge is everything your dreams are made of, get in contact with your local BMW dealer!
