![]() ![]() Sitting at the top of the motor vehicle food chain in BMW's range, the 7 Series suspension is well sorted, offering a creamy smooth ride when operating in 'comfort' modes. Once up to speed, the car is very rapid, and has enough battery backup to coast for about five minutes on electricity before the petrol engine intervenes to recharge the Li-Ion battery. Similar to the ActiveHybrid 5 the electric motor provides a substantial torque spike, giving the big BMW the kind of lag-free acceleration that most turbocharged systems can only dream of, but witnessing the engine cut out at 100km/h under light throttle is impressive.Ĭlearly the car has been built for autobahn cruising but it has the potential to pique the interest of Australian drivers (or passengers) who do a lot of freeway driving. The reality is that the electric motor is more akin to a supercharger than an air-purifier, in that it's eminently effective at boosting acceleration. But the idea here is for performance with low CO2 emissions, and that you can cruise on pure electricity at up to 130km/h to reduce fuel usage is impressive.Īt more pedestrian speeds – stop-start traffic around Munich for example – the ActiveHybrid 7 was very efficient and it's easy to keep it in electric mode thanks to a long accelerator pedal stroke, but the petrol engine kicks in regularly to charge the battery. It would be cynical to argue that this vehicle has been designed solely to assuage German corporate guilt, though compare it to the most efficient diesel 7 Series and it uses more fuel, both claimed and real world. It's nowhere near the claimed 6.8L/100km figure, and it's likely the diesel-powered 730d would have used less fuel in the same situation, but I doubt the oiler would be as engaging to drive, nor as responsive. The car was given the kind of high-speed shellacking not possible in Australia, which included journeying across the German border into Austria via demanding mountain passes, all the while weighed down by four adults and a boot crammed with suitcases, resulting in a final fuel consumption figure of 11.4L/100km over almost 400km of driving. ![]() Our test car also showed off the facelifted front end styling that'll be launched in Australia before year's end, and it's certainly an improvement, with the advanced LED headlights and smoother surfacing. You won't hear many complaints from the back seat. That directions show up in the heads-up display (HUD) streamlines the navigation process, and there's a lot to be said of rear seat room too. The top quality leather seats were comfortable even after around eight hours in the car, and the iDrive system worked well we had no trouble working with the sat nav planning our route through the mountains and back, with a few detours in between. ![]() The cabin was typical high-end German stuff very roomy, lavish, ergonomically sound and with plenty of buttons to push and dials to twiddle. However, under full load the engine generated a satisfying jet-like snarl as it charged past slower traffic, and left no doubt as to what this car was capable of. The engine was whisper quiet in general operation silent at times. Standing start acceleration from the turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine was rapid thanks to the electric motor adding even more torque, but it's the mid-gear acceleration that really got our attention, and allowed the big Bimmer to chase Porsche 911s and Audi RS5s on the autobahns.įor such a long and heavy luxo-barge, the car was unexpectedly quick. Self levelling rear air suspension was helpful in keeping the car composed at high speeds, particularly when the boot was laden with luggage, and two passengers were lounging in the back seats, adding around 200kg over the rear axle that would have ordinarily affected handling. But even at such high speeds the car felt planted, the driver always in control. Over two days of driving in Germany, the vehicle showed no trouble reaching its 250km/h limit on the Autobahns, accelerating strongly until around 230km/h before punching a hole through the air became more about aerodynamics than mechanics. Peak power and torque from the combined 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol and electric powertrain is 260kW/500Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 5.7 seconds, which is pretty zippy for a 2045kg bahn-storming behemoth. ![]() Unlike some hybrids, the emphasis of these BMWs is very much on 'warrior' rather than 'eco', with the new 7 Series capable of arresting acceleration. Arriving in the first quarter of 2013 priced at $222,000, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the third hybrid Beemer for the Australian market, utilising the same six-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powerplant as the 3 and 5 Series eco warriors. ![]()
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