'Likeable brand, BMW. In the program of the new 7 Series, the clientele can choose from just about any form of drive: a V8, in-line six with hybrid support, diesel for the 'frequent driver' or a fully electric drivetrain, which is appropriately named i7 is called.' Werner Budding drove the world's very first electric top limo through California for two days, both at the wheel and in the right rear seat.
'Likeable brand, BMW. In the program of the new 7 Series, the clientele can choose from just about any form of drive: a V8, in-line six with hybrid support, diesel for the 'frequent driver' or a fully electric drivetrain, which is appropriately named i7 is called.' Werner Budding drove the world's very first electric top limo through California for two days, both at the wheel and in the right rear seat.
When we walk out of the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs, there are about twenty 7 Series neatly arranged, in all kinds of color schemes. From matte white with black wheels, to matte black with equally black wheels and a piano black grille, as well as a number of i7s in elegant beige, as well as striking variants painted in a two-tone color package. The diversity of colors immediately indicates exactly how popular it is in worldwide sales areas. The matte paint colors do well in the Middle East and California. The Chinese perk up over the top color schemes, such as a Rolls-Royce-like two-tone body, where the bottom of the body is dark red and the top is black. In Europe, a preserved exterior color such as light beige is sufficient, the car in which we drive our kilometers through this very dry part of America.
Preséance
When the first generation 7 Series came on the market in the late 9s, Europe was the most important market. Now, in the seventh generation, the 'old world' is one of the smallest sales areas. Only 7 percent of the 7 Series volume, the vast majority of which consists of i45s, remains in Europe. BMW distributes just under half of its total production between the Middle East and America and the remaining 7 percent goes by boat to China. Since China is the most important market, the design team led by the Dutchman Adrian van Hooydonk has designed the appearance in such a way that it is also popular there. A BMW must have a presence and must not blend in with the street scene. Certainly not when it concerns a model higher in the line-up. The new 7 Series, just like the updated X7, has the front with split headlights, with the prominent grille in between. Regardless of whether it is an electric XNUMX Series or a variant with a combustion engine, it always has that striking air intake. That front is sensational: it tells the story of a car that is packed with impressive technology and delivers ground-breaking performance. The nose of a car, which is not just any car.
Nice score
If you are not ready for an electric car yet, that is of course possible. Then don't rush to the BMW dealer to order a 7 Series with V8. That variant will not come to the Netherlands. Such a version carries too high a BPM fine, which means that it does not fit into the program from a price point of view. And why wouldn't you be ready for an electric car? Take the specifications of the i7, a car that represents the phenomenon range anxiety completely removes it. A driving range of over 600 kilometers on a full battery should please many. In addition, BMW is committed to bringing cars onto the market that in practice have a driving range that is as close as possible to the legally required consumption measurement. This so-called WLTP method tells us that you can travel 7 kilometers with an i60 xDrive625 when the almost 102 kWh (usable capacity) battery is fully charged. Always expect a little negative deviation - this also applies to a car that runs on petrol or diesel. But the deviation from the i7 would be very limited for an electric car, which we also experienced in California. After a drive of over 200 kilometers through the rugged mountains in the Palm Springs area, the energy consumption turned out to be exactly 20 kWh. For a large sedan – 5,39 meters, weighing around 2.700 kilos – this is certainly a decent score. Especially since we certainly did not use a reserved driving style. BMW uses the 400 Volt charging system, which allows the i7 to charge at a maximum of 195 kW at a fast charger. It is striking that the i7 can maintain such a high charging capacity for quite a long time. So no impressive peak power that only lasts a few minutes, as some other electric cars offer. On the home charger, the i7 can handle a maximum of 22 kW, which is also a good score. To make it a bit more clear: if you are on your way to winter sports, you can charge about 170 kilometers of driving range on a fast charger in ten minutes. Many of which can now be found at almost every gas station in Germany. The world is changing rapidly when it comes to electric driving.
Clarity
It remains amazing that BMW's chassis engineers have managed to provide such a dynamic driving experience for a fairly heavy car like the i7. Get behind the wheel and you look out over a clear dashboard, which mainly consists of two connected screens, the layout of which you can personally customize. If you love glitter, you can opt for crystal-like controls. If you prefer something more subdued, you can have these elements done in black. As soon as you take off, you experience a car that doesn't feel at all like a 5,39 meter long limo. The clarity that BMW has managed to create is admirable, and where you cannot fully assess the end of the bodywork, you get help from 360-degree cameras. And if you are still unable to respond or respond too late, the car will do that for you. If you hate parking, no problem: the 7 Series is happy to take it off your hands. And if you are a bit lazy by nature, know that you can open and close the doors electrically, if desired via the remote control. Fun and convenient: you walk up with a group of people, press the button and all the doors open. Once you are on tour With the i7 you once again experience the feeling as if the BMW is smaller than in reality. As if he loses half a meter of length while driving. The i7 also feels less heavy while driving. Masterfully done: a design that visually reduces its size and weight while driving.
MASTERS MAGAZINE
Want to read more about the BMW i7? The winter issue of MASTERS was created in collaboration with Jordi van den Bussche. Many will know him as YouTuber Kwebbelkop, but he has been working hard as an entrepreneur for some time, as he explains in the Great Interview. What is new is that his company JVDB Studios offers to do social media marketing and short format content marketing for other companies. “They can also figure it out themselves, but we cracked the code.” Jordi gives a platform to like-minded entrepreneurs such as Jay-Jay Boske, Demy de Zeeuw, Chahid Charrak and Marcella de Bie, and discusses developments surrounding games, crypto and NFT: “Just as bitcoin turned the financial system upside down, will that also happen with gaming.” This extra thick winter issue also focuses on Lengers' first own ship, an interview with Corendon CEO Atilay Uslu, specials about the new BMW 7 Series and Samsung foldables, and - exclusively for MASTERS! – an interview with Max Verstappen.
