BMW hasn’t officially released the i7 yet. So far, it’s been teased and discussed; BMW certainly isn’t hiding its existence. But no official reveal means no official specs, names, or prices. However, BMW just revealed one such detail on its BMWUSA site. As of right now, there’s at least one model variant confirmed — the BMW i7 xDrive60.
On BMW’s website, it reveals a few interesting details about the BMW i7 xDrive60, enough that we can begin to make some likely accurate assumptions. For starters, it’s going to have a BMW-claimed maximum range of 324 miles. That range figure tells us it might have the same 105.2 kWh usable battery pack as the BMW iX xDrive50, as that car also has a max range of 324 miles.
If it has the same battery pack and the same range, we’re assuming — rather safely — that it will have the same powertrain, too. Expect around 535 horsepower and at least 564 lb-ft of torque from dual electric motors, just like in the iX. Though, we wouldn’t be entirely surprised if BMW gave it a few extra ponies, just for seniority.
Where the BMW i7 xDrive60 will differ is in its design. While the i7 will also get large kidney grills, they’re going to be illuminated, much like many of its traditional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles. In addition to the illuminated grille, the BMW i7 will also get what BMW calls crystal headlights, which will be integrated into its new split headlight design. I’m not entirely sure how those work but, according to BMW, “Crafted with the most exclusive crystal glass, available Crystal Headlights make a boldly luxurious statement.”
Two other interesting bits about the interior. One is something we already knew — it will be getting the massive theater screen option we saw at CES. The 31″, 8K resolution, 5G connected screen will provide epic rear seat entertainment to passengers, all while immersing them in the car’s fantastic Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. The screen itself seems to fold up flat with the headliner when not in use and fold back down when needed.
The other interesting bit is the all-new “BMW Interaction Bar”. Essentially, it’s a lovely looking illuminated glass bar that runs horizontal across the dashboard. The bar features touch-sensitive panels that control the front air vents.
There will be additional models; a higher-performance model and a potential entry-level model. The higher performance model was already teased to us during an interview by BMW CTO Frank Weber. He said that the most powerful 7 Series model will be all-electric which leads us to believe that we were right about the BMW i7 M70 (or simply BMW i7 xDrive70). More on that soon! However, for now the BMW i7 xDrive60 is all that’s confirmed and these options are all that BMW has released. We’ll see the rest on April 20.
[Source: BMW]
