BMW is ramping up its press activities ahead of the new BMW 7 Series launch. In an interview with WhichCar, BMW Head of Research & Development, Frank Weber, talked about the new G70/G71 7 Series generation and its engine lineup. The BMW CTO says that “BMW will this year launch a new engine generation in the 7 Series replacement.” The news are hardly a surprise to us, we’ve talked about this potential engine update in the past, but it’s the first time that BMW acknowledges new powerplants.
Furthermore, Weber says that the company’s goal is to offer a “wide choice of modern, clean and efficient drivetrain technologies” with the goal one day to replace the petrol and diesel engines. The R&D boss further added that the new engine lineup will bring plenty of innovations, such as pre-heated catalysts and a pre-chamber ignition system, along with meeting the Euro 7 emissions regulations due in 2025.
One of the engines to be upgraded is likely the B58 3.0-liter straight six. Even tough not confirmed by BMW, we expect to see more powerful alternative on the 740i which is said to be capable of delivering 370 horsepower. This upgraded version of the B58 will is likely to make its way into the engine bays of other cars, like the X5, X6 and X7 later on. Most likely, the upcoming 5 Series will also get it as a replacement for the current 340 horsepower version found in the 540i model.
On top of that, the top of the line 7 Series model, the 750i will also likely get a completely new V8 engine which is supposedly wearing the internal codename S68. The most interesting part is, without a doubt, the codename it has, as ‘S’ versions are usually reserved for M cars, not a regular 7 Series. So we’ll see if this rumor turns out to be true.
The engine lineup will be vast and will include not only a myriad of gasoline and diesel units, but also a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric powertrain. The BMW i7 is the future of the 7 Series family so we expect it to receive a preferential treatment in terms of tech and other features. No release date yet on the new generation BMW 7 Series, but all signs point to a Spring unveil, followed by a start of production later in the year. In the meantime, we’re waiting to see the final edition of the V12-powered G11/G12. BMW 7 Series.
