BMW ActiveHybrid 7 2013 Review - International

Arriving in the first quarter of 2013 priced at $222,000, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the third hybrid Beemer for the Australian market, utilising the same six-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powerplant as the 3 and 5 Series eco warriors.

Unlike some hybrids, the emphasis of these BMWs is very much on 'warrior' rather than 'eco', with the new 7 Series capable of arresting acceleration. Peak power and torque from the combined 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol and electric powertrain is 260kW/500Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 5.7 seconds, which is pretty zippy for a 2045kg bahn-storming behemoth.

Over two days of driving in Germany, the vehicle showed no trouble reaching its 250km/h limit on the Autobahns, accelerating strongly until around 230km/h before punching a hole through the air became more about aerodynamics than mechanics. But even at such high speeds the car felt planted, the driver always in control.

Self levelling rear air suspension was helpful in keeping the car composed at high speeds, particularly when the boot was laden with luggage, and two passengers were lounging in the back seats, adding around 200kg over the rear axle that would have ordinarily affected handling.

Standing start acceleration from the turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine was rapid thanks to the electric motor adding even more torque, but it's the mid-gear acceleration that really got our attention, and allowed the big Bimmer to chase Porsche 911s and Audi RS5s on the autobahns.

For such a long and heavy luxo-barge, the car was unexpectedly quick. The engine was whisper quiet in general operation; silent at times. However, under full load the engine generated a satisfying jet-like snarl as it charged past slower traffic, and left no doubt as to what this car was capable of.

The cabin was typical high-end German stuff; very roomy, lavish, ergonomically sound and with plenty of buttons to push and dials to twiddle. The top quality leather seats were comfortable even after around eight hours in the car, and the iDrive system worked well; we had no trouble working with the sat nav planning our route through the mountains and back, with a few detours in between.

That directions show up in the heads-up display (HUD) streamlines the navigation process, and there's a lot to be said of rear seat room too. You won't hear many complaints from the back seat.

Our test car also showed off the facelifted front end styling that'll be launched in Australia before year's end, and it's certainly an improvement, with the advanced LED headlights and smoother surfacing.

The car was given the kind of high-speed shellacking not possible in Australia, which included journeying across the German border into Austria via demanding mountain passes, all the while weighed down by four adults and a boot crammed with suitcases, resulting in a final fuel consumption figure of 11.4L/100km over almost 400km of driving.

It's nowhere near the claimed 6.8L/100km figure, and it's likely the diesel-powered 730d would have used less fuel in the same situation, but I doubt the oiler would be as engaging to drive, nor as responsive.

It would be cynical to argue that this vehicle has been designed solely to assuage German corporate guilt, though compare it to the most efficient diesel 7 Series and it uses more fuel, both claimed and real world. But the idea here is for performance with low CO2 emissions, and that you can cruise on pure electricity at up to 130km/h to reduce fuel usage is impressive.

At more pedestrian speeds – stop-start traffic around Munich for example – the ActiveHybrid 7 was very efficient and it's easy to keep it in electric mode thanks to a long accelerator pedal stroke, but the petrol engine kicks in regularly to charge the battery. The reality is that the electric motor is more akin to a supercharger than an air-purifier, in that it's eminently effective at boosting acceleration.

Similar to the ActiveHybrid 5 the electric motor provides a substantial torque spike, giving the big BMW the kind of lag-free acceleration that most turbocharged systems can only dream of, but witnessing the engine cut out at 100km/h under light throttle is impressive.

Clearly the car has been built for autobahn cruising but it has the potential to pique the interest of Australian drivers (or passengers) who do a lot of freeway driving. Once up to speed, the car is very rapid, and has enough battery backup to coast for about five minutes on electricity before the petrol engine intervenes to recharge the Li-Ion battery.

Sitting at the top of the motor vehicle food chain in BMW's range, the 7 Series suspension is well sorted, offering a creamy smooth ride when operating in 'comfort' modes. It's an extremely quiet car too, but the Driving Dynamics Control button also offers a 'hybrid' mode as part of the ECO PRO setting, switching off all unnecessary ancillary car functions and promoting progressive driving with dainty tips, such as "ease off the gas".

Of course there are also 'sport' and 'sport+' settings which expose a more assertive attitude; the steering gets a little heavier, the gearing more aggressive, throttle response sharpens up and the suspension becomes a firmer.

The result will satisfy those who enjoy a spirited drive, and though our car would have been lugging around almost two and a half tonnes of mass, it still handled well. The abundant torque certainly added to the experience – overtaking is a doddle – and on demanding mountain roads the ActiveHybrid 7 was agile enough to hustle along at a satisfying pace. Despite some body roll when the car was being guided through sharp corners, it maintained a good hold on the road and was predictable even when grip levels waned.

BMW's ActiveHybrid 7 raises an eyebrow in a dynamic sense and, despite the sometimes woolly steering, this is certainly not the low-powered or soft-edged hybrid car I was half expecting. Indeed, there's no way a regular Mercedes-Benz S-Class would have been able to keep up the pace set by this car on high altitude alpine passes.

A few quibbles should be pointed out, such as the placement of the lithium-ion battery system behind the rear seat, which eats into boot space somewhat (in the 3 Series hybrid it's under the floor) and the cream-coloured leather dashboard created distracting reflections on the windscreen. The car's length is also problematic when parking – even with sensors, reversing cameras and front-side cameras it's a cumbersome car. The regenerative brakes are also a little touchy at low speeds, but there's a lot to like about this Bavarian luxo-barge and these drawbacks don't dent the car's appeal.

When the ActiveHybrid 7 arrives in Australia early in 2013, it will join one of the top-selling BMW 7 Series in Australia, the 740i ($211,500) with which it shares its petrol engine. You will pay a $10,500 premium for the hybridisation technology, so while it's highly unlikely to be a top seller, the big hybrid is nevertheless an attention-grabbing alternative to diesel-powered luxury limousines, and one that could readily find favour with drivers who want guilt-free performance.

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