Test: BMW i7 – Thankfully nicer on the inside than on the outside

Always a memorable moment, the arrival of a new BMW 7 Series!

And BMW makes the introduction of the seventh Siebener extra memorable by also taking a fully electric variant into production: the i7. In appearance, this version only differs in detail from the plug-in hybrids and the diesel, which BMW traditionally offers as a 7-series. The monumental front of BMW’s new top class car (which is internally called G70) is nothing short of impressive, the angular body shapes guarantee a spacious entrance and plenty of interior space. There is only one length size of the new 7-series. The choice between a ‘normal’ and an extended wheelbase was no longer considered necessary, because the standard wheelbase already measures 3,215 mm.

You can’t switch with it.

But doesn’t the i7’s battery pack take up a lot of interior space?

Unlike Mercedes-Benz, which designed the electrically powered EQS alongside the S-class, BMW chose to prepare the new 7 Series for electric drive and a large battery pack as well as for plug-in hybrid technology and a diesel engine. The necessary space has been reserved for the battery pack under the seats and in the floor of the car, but in view of the generous dimensions of the body, this hardly takes up the available interior space. Regardless of your stature, you have plenty of room in all directions in the front. In the back, the legroom is ample and thanks to the roofline that extends high to the rear, you will not be short of headroom. The fact that you can fold the passenger seat against the dashboard at the touch of a button to transform the place in the rear right into a lounger is a nice option – especially when you are being driven in the i7. But even without this extra, we can imagine that i7 is very successful at the Binnenhof.

Incidentally, as a middle rear passenger in the BMW you will have to deal with a center tunnel in the floor. In large EVs such as the Mercedes EQS, NIO ET7 and Tesla Model S, the floor is as flat as the Noordoostpolder. However, on the 7s with a combustion engine, the cardan shaft runs through that tunnel. The boot of the BMW i7 has a capacity of 500 liters and the car can tow a trailer of 2,000 kilos.

Have BMW’s interior designers been allowed to indulge themselves on the i7?

The electric i7 has the same dashboard as the petrol and diesel versions. All information is displayed on the wide “Curved Display”, which we also know from the BMW iX, for example, and is somewhat reminiscent of the MBUX system that first debuted in the Mercedes A-Class five years ago. In that respect, the designers of the Mercedes EQS were given much more freedom to give free rein to their imagination with the futuristic Hyperscreen.

Very nice, very high tech.

In the BMW, the instruments and screen of the multimedia system are housed in the ‘Curved Display’. The central screen in particular has a busy layout, which we associate with a game computer. Fortunately, BMW has left the central, still unsurpassed iDrive control button untouched, and that certainly improves the ease of use of the i7. After all, there is quite a bit of technology in the car! BMW has chosen to integrate the settings of the air conditioning in the multimedia system. We would have preferred to see physical buttons.

But the interior is of course an oasis of luxury and well-being…

The finish and choice of materials are as you would expect from a top limousine of more than €140,000. The endless list of options offers plenty of options for varying colours, materials and ambiance. From subdued chic to sporty, and from exuberant to colorful. You could even opt for two-tone paint, a grille with illuminated surrounds of the ‘kidneys’ and/or headlights with Swarovski crystals …

And then we haven’t even mentioned the numerous possibilities to further expand the already very spacious standard equipment. LED lighting has been incorporated into the glass panoramic roof of the test car. When you order the Rear Seat Entertainment Experience, you treat the passengers in the back to an ultra-wide 31.3-inch theater screen with 8K resolution. What a luxury! The list of safety features also leaves little to be desired. For an additional charge, you can opt for Driving Assistant Professional, which accurately scans the car’s surroundings for imminent danger.

Everything goes in the back.

With its electric drive, the BMW i7 must be the pinnacle of comfort.

For the time being, the xDrive60 is the only electric variant of the i7. Its rear electric motor generates a peak power of 313 hp and maximum torque of 380 Nm, while the front motor activates 258 hp and 365 Nm. At the bottom of the line, this means 544 hp and 745 Nm, distributed over all four wheels. The BMW delivers its power in complete silence and completely free of vibrations or unwanted resonances, something that has been strived for for decades with eight or preferably twelve cylinders. The powertrain of the i7 cannot make a greater contribution to comfort.

If you prefer to ignore the electric powertrain of the i7 and if you prefer a petrol or diesel engine, the choice is limited to three three-liter six-cylinder. The engine of the 750e xDrive is coupled to an electric motor with a rechargeable battery, together good for 490 hp. In the M760e xDrive, also a plug-in hybrid, the power has been increased to 571 hp. Diesel enthusiasts can go to the 740d xDrive, whose engine delivers 299 hp. A starter generator (14 hp) simplifies the life of the diesel engine by giving the crankshaft an electric crank at appropriate times.

What about the performance of the BMW i7 and its consumption?

It may weigh 2,615 kilos, with 544 hp and 745 Nm under your right foot, you will hardly notice it in a straight line. The i7 accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, an intermediate sprint from 80 to 120 km/h is over in 2.9 seconds. So yes, the BMW i7 is a fast car. But with electric propulsion, efficiency is a much more important indicator. During our test (at an outside temperature of 9 degrees Celsius), the BMW needs 22.9 kWh/100 km. This results in a range of just under 450 kilometers. BMW promises according to WLTP standards that 625 kilometers can be achieved from the full battery of (net) 101.7 kWh. The i7 does fast charging with a peak power of 195 kW, with a regular charging station it draws a power of 22 kW. It should be noted that most public charging stations usually do not supply more than 11 kW.

Large trunk, despite the battery.

How does the BMW i7 steer?

BMW wouldn’t be BMW if the naturally very comfortably tuned chassis of the i7 wasn’t also a touch of dynamism. The rear suspension has five wishbones per wheel, one of which is a steering linkage. Indeed: the rear wheels also steer. At the front we see double triangular wishbones, all in combination with air suspension and active shock absorbers.

There is a noticeable difference in the available driving programs; you can opt for a week of suspension comfort, but also for more firmness and light-footed steering. Because the car weighs 2,615 kilos, dynamics is of course a relative concept. Because even in the most dynamic position of the shock absorbers, comfort in the BMW continues to prevail. No one wants to bounce off the backseat in a car of this caliber, even if it has gone to the driver’s head for a moment…

The choice of AutoWeek Test Coordinator Marco Gorter

It is currently nice and clear with the powertrains, because the i7 is only available in one version. It becomes more difficult when dressing that one version. The price list is so very long and, strictly speaking, almost everything on it is superfluous luxury. But of course that applies just as much to the i7 itself. In that light, the Executive Lounge Pack and the Innovation Pack are in any case recommended.