The new BMW 7 Series will be launched in India during the Delhi Auto Expo 2016 in February, almost 9 months after it was first unveiled in Munich, Germany. The 2016 BMW 7 Series might come across as a little conservative as far as exterior styling is concerned but the luxury sedan is packed to the gills with features.
BMW has stuck to its style book with the familiar front fascia which consists of a prominent twin kidney grille that is flanked by standard LED head-lamps or optional laser head-lamps. There are LED fog lamps too and a whole lot of chrome on the front fender vents. The BMW 7 Series' tail-lamps are L-shaped which look good but not extravagant.
The BMW will continue to be offered in the standard and long-wheelbase variants. The inside of the car is as luxurious as ever and features Dakota leather or Nappa leather upholstery as well as wood trim and aluminum accents.
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BMW has also equipped the 7 Series with metallic switchgear, touch sensitive controls and a new iDrive infotainment system with a touchscreen and gesture control technology.
Those who are not satisfied with the amount of luxury provided can also opt for the Executive Lounge package on long-wheelbase (LWB) variants. This features a four-zone automatic climate control system, ventilated seats and power rear seats with a massage function. The LWB variant also features a Sky Lounge Panorama glass roof and a Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system. There's also something called an Ambient Air package which, according to BMW, ionizes the air and releases one of eight different aromas.
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If you're wondering what's under the hood, well, there are a number of powertrains to choose from in the international market. There's the 4.4-litre TwinPower Turbo V8 petrol engine that develops 445bhp and 650Nm of torque. All that power helps the car to go from 0-100Km/h in 4.4 seconds, before topping out at 250Km/h. There is also a 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder petrol engine with 320bhp and 450Nm. Then there's the 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder diesel engine that produces 259bhp and 620Nm.
Beside these, there's also an xDrive plug-in hybrid which has a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder petrol engine, a 93bhp electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. This enables the car to produce a combined maximum output of 320bhp, which helps the car accelerate from 0-100Km/h in 5.5 seconds before hitting a top speed in excess of 240Km/h. Mileage is obviously the biggest gainer here as it consumes only 2.1 litres/100km and can travel up to 40km on electric power alone at speeds up to 120Km/h.
As far as India is concerned, the new 7 Series is likely to be launched in two variants - the petrol 740Li (with the 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder engine) and the diesel 730Ld (3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo 6-cylinder engine). Both of these will come fully loaded with tech, with the Ld also possibly getting a slightly cheaper version with less standard equipment in the future.
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Of course, it is highly unlikely that India will get the xDrive version of the 7 Series with the all-wheel drive system as it will be more expensive than the standard rear-wheel drive versions.
The BMW 7 Series provides for a comfortable driving experience thanks to the two-axle air suspension with automatic self-leveling and Dynamic Damper Control. BMW has given its customers the option of Executive Drive Pro package which adds an active chassis control system with an electro-mechanical active roll stabilisation system.
The BMW 7 Series will obviously not come cheap, with the diesel expected to be priced at about the Rs. 1-1.2 crore mark and the petrol version to cost in the region of Rs. 1.3-1.5 crore. The luxury sedan will go up against the likes of Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8 in India.
