ActiveHybrid 7 to top BMW hybrid range in Oz

BMW has revealed upgraded hybrid and new tri-turbo diesel versions of its facelifted 7 Series limousine, both of which will be available in Australia within a year.

Revealed overnight in Germany, the revised 7 Series sedan range has been confirmed for local release by around October this year, with the all-new ActiveHybrid 7 to follow in early 2013.

The second-generation 7 Series hybrid will be BMW’s third petrol-electric model in Australia, following the release later this year of both the Munich marque’s first local hybrid – the 5 Series sedan-based ActiveHybrid – and the new ActiveHybrid 3, which will be launched in Europe in July.

“This new 7 Series will be an important launch as the flagship of the BMW range as well as showcasing some amazing new and updated technologies,” BMW Group Australia Product Communications Manager Scott Croaker told motoring.com.au.

“We are expecting local arrivals for this model early in the fourth quarter this year, although the ActiveHybrid 7 is likely to be pushed back into next year,” he said, adding that limited stocks of the 5 Series hybrid – some examples of which are already in the country - would negate a high-profile media launch.

“We have a couple of ActiveHybrid 5s here, however, they are committed to getting the dealer network trained and set-up to accommodate this technology for when customers car arrive. We will also not be conducting a conventional launch as such with the ActiveHybrid 5 as we only have a few cars and we don't expect to sell many this year.”

In contrast, Mr Croaker said the new 3 Series sedan-based ActiveHybrid 3, which motoring.com.au will drive in Munich in July, is expected to be BMW Australia’s top-selling hybrid model when it is released here in the fourth quarter.

“The ActiveHybrid 3, when it arrives in the fourth quarter this year, will be a different story as the dealer network will be prepared and we expect this to be the volume-seller in the hybrid range, so there may be some more conventional launch activities around this car,” he said.

While there is no sign yet of a replacement for BMW’s alternative-fuelled Hydrogen 7, the upgraded 7 Series is now confirmed to be the next model to come with the world’s most powerful diesel engine - BMW’s bullocking new tri-turbo diesel 3.0-litre inline six - which will debut here in the facelifted X6 later this month.

The range-topping 750d xDrive and ActiveHybrid variants are the chief additions to the 7 Series range, which receives a mid-life makeover more than three years after the fifth generation arrived here in February 2009.

Charged with reviving the top-shelf BMW model’s sales fortunes - which have slumped by more than 70 per cent in Australia this year with just 15 examples sold to April, on top of a 25 per cent decline last year – the facelifted Seven also gains an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard across the range.

Naturally, in addition to subtle styling updates, the freshened 7 Series brings a host of new technologies, a revised chassis tune designed to improve ride quality and increased interior equipment levels.

First seen in Europe’s M550d, X5 50d and X6 50d, BMW’s triple-turbo diesel six produces the same 280kW and 740Nm performance peaks in the 2013 7 Series, which it propels to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

However, the Australian future of the new 750d xDrive is not yet clear because – like the 3 Series and 5 Series – the 7 Series is not available Down Under with all-wheel drive, meaning Australians are initially likely to have access to the tri-turbo oil-burner only in July’s facelifted X6M 50d.

The ActiveHybrid 7, however, will come to Australian showrooms with a more powerful version of the petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain from the smaller ActiveHybrid 3 and ActiveHybrid 5. It combines the 235kW 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine from the 740i with a 40kW electric motor – powered by a lithium-ion battery pack – to deliver combined outputs of 260kW and 500Nm.

That is enough for BMW to claim the ActiveHybrid 7 can sprint to 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds and to consume just 6.8L/100km, which is 14 per cent less than the 740i and would qualify for the federal government’s sub-7.0L/100km luxury car tax exemption, at least for the first $75,000 of its purchase price.

Aided by brake energy regeneration, an idle-stop system and ECO PRO mode with coasting function, the 7 Series hybrid can travel in all-electric mode for as much as 4km/h at speeds of up to 60km/h.

Apart from the eight-speed auto that BMW says brings economy increases of up to 25 per cent, all facelifted 7 Series models will gain extra sound-proofing and self-levelling rear air suspension as part an overhaul of the car’s integral-V aluminium rear axle, which also now features new ball-joints, stiffer dampers, new rubber bearings and tuned elastokinematics.

Distinguished primarily by new full-LED headlights, the facelifted 7 Series also gains new front bumper designs with a revised kidney grille (now with nine slats instead of 12), indicators integrated into the wing mirrors, new leather-clad front seats, the option of new individual seats for rear passengers, a new rear-seat entertainment package with 9.2-inch monitor, a new 1200-Watt 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen high-end surround-sound system and new 3D graphics for the front display screens.

Other new Connected Drive additions include the latest-generation Professional navigation system, BMW Night Vision + with Dynamic Light Spot, anti-dazzle LED High-Beam Assistant, BMW Parking Assistant, Driver Assistant Plus and Active Protection.

BMW Australia’s 7 Series range currently opens with the $202,600 730d and also comprises 740i, 740Li, 750i, 750Li and 760Li variants. While the 740i will receive a new inline six-cylinder petrol engine, the 750i scores an upgraded petrol V8 and BMW says the 730d and Europe’s 740d will also offer more performance and lower fuel consumption.

While the revised 730d employs a 190kW/560Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel six that returns combined fuel consumption as low as 5.6L/100km, the 740i gets a 235kW/450Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline petrol six, the 750i will come with a 330kW/650Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 and the flagship 760i/Li will come with a 400kW/750Nm 6.0-litre V12.

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