BMW has said that all its core model lines will offer a plug-in hybrid, and so it will be for the 7-series. Arriving in 2016, the 740e xDrive plug-in will combine a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder, a lithium-ion battery located under the rear seat, an electric motor, and an eight-speed automatic. The maximum range on electricity alone is said to be 23 miles, with zero-emissions driving possible at speeds up to 75 mph. The all-wheel-drive 740e will be sold in all 50 states.
The new chassis features standard air suspension front and rear, along with electronically controlled dampers and optional active anti-roll bars ( now electromechanically rather than hydraulically actuated) . The driver can raise the ride height by 0.8 inch; it’s also automatically lowered by 0.4 inch when the car reaches cruising speed in Sport mode. Four-wheel steering ( BMW’s Integral Active Steering) again is available, only now it can be paired with both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. BMW claims it makes the long-wheelbase car as maneuverable as its short-wheelbase sibling. A new predictive adaptive suspension—Road Preview—that sounds very much like Mercedes-Benz’s Magic Body Control, uses cameras to scan the road surface ahead and adjust the adaptive suspension accordingly.
In our limited drive in a preproduction 7-series, we found that the car’s lighter weight and revised chassis have given the big Bimmer newfound verve. But showroom shoppers likely will be wowed not by issues of dynamics but by the über-plush interior and the dizzying array of electronics.