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BMW India has launched its new 2019 7-Series sedan in six variants and it has also driven in the BMW X7 SUV for the first time. The 7-Series sedan's prices vary between Rs 1.22 crores and Rs 2.42 crores. Four of them are locally assembled at the company's plant in Chennai, while two are imported as completely built units, including a plug-in hybrid.
The BMW X7 SUV comes in two variants, the xDrive 30D Signature (diesel) and the xDrive 40i.
The BMW 7 Series sedan and the BMW X7 carry the company's new design language, which to put it mildly is a big and bold. The signature kidney grille on these BMWs is the largest it has ever been in the company's history. The design team, led by Adrian Van Hooydonk, is now moving to edgier designs for the Bimmers.
While the BMW 7-Series sedan is not unfamiliar in India, the BMW X7 SUV is making its debut in India this year. It is a 6-seat SUV (three-row seating) which is pretty large in size, but the overall design masks its size well.
It comes with two engine choices in India. The xDrive 40i model (which is imported as a CBU) comes with a 3-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that puts out 340 bhp of power and 450 Nm of torque. It has an 8-speed automatic transmission and BMW's xDrive four-wheel drive system.
The diesel model is the xDrive 30d which has a six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine that puts out 265 bhp of power and 620 Nm of torque, with the 8-speed automatic and xDrive system. For a luxury SUV, these figures are pretty powerful numbers.
Features include, electrically folding seats, an optional panoramic sunroof with LED lighting and optional laser headlamps instead of the LED package. It features five-zone automatic climate control (including separate adjustments for the third row).
It competes with the Mercedes GLS and Range Rover Sport in India.
The dominant feature on the 7 now is the grille. It looks like it can eat a few small animals for breakfast. The new design has transformed the 7-Series from the stately car it was to a more menacing looking one. The rear too has a completely new look with LED lighting running right across the boot.
BMW is introducing a hybrid model, which has an electric motor paired to the petrol engine. It is a plug-in hybrid (charged by a standard 220 volt plug or a fast charger), which can actually get the car to run in electric-only mode for 53 Km. With the petrol motor running, it charges on the go, so plugging in is not really necessary.
Combined with the petrol motor, power output is 384 bhp with 600 Nm of torque. But that's not it's USP. It has a claimed mileage figure of 39.5 Kmpl, which is about as much as what some commuter bikes give in India!
The 7-Series comes in an M-version too, which is for super-car enthusiasts. The M760 Li xDrive has a 6.6 litre, 12-cylinder engine that puts out 609 bhp of power and 850 Nm of torque.
With its variant range, the 7-Series competes with Mercedes S-Class and its AMG range.
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