BMW 7-Series Engines Revealed

Justin Berkowitz
by Justin Berkowitz

While the 4th is an American day of celebration, it's a day of national shame, disgust, and disappointment for our British friends across the Atlantic (Jeremy Clarkson, in particular, is said to be spending the day sobbing and eating some kind of pie with meat, rather than apples). To help combat their dreadful feelings, BMW of UK has put out a press release on the just revealed new uberlux 7-Series sedan. Not surprisingly, it will holster the new twin-turbo V8 engine (badged 750i in The Land of Hope and Glory). The 740i name returns, denoting the sublime 3.0-liter twin turbo six from the 335i, making 326hp– as much power as the last gen 745i V8. The force-fed six will rocket the 740i to 60 in six seconds. Naturally, the "Biggest Losers of 1777" will get a straight-six diesel 7, stumping-up 245 hp and returning some 32 mpg. BMW UK estimates the six-pot oil burner will account for 85 percent of 7-Series UK sales. With a 0 – 60mph time of 7.2 seconds, why not? So, is BMW ready to bring a six cylinder 7-Series to America? Uh, no. But ours (like theirs) will come with enough gizmos to make an S-Class nervous: optional four-wheel steering (!), side view cameras, variable damping suspension, night vision, and something called "post warranty heart attack." On sale in the UK in November; anticipate a similar date for us Yankees.

Justin Berkowitz
Justin Berkowitz

Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.

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  • Psarhjinian Psarhjinian on Jul 04, 2008

    I'd really like a return to sanity in BMW's model numbers. How about using "T" for turbo. 730Ti instead of 740i 330Ti instead of 335i 330i instead of 328i This would make things a little messy if they ever do detuned (330Ei?), hybrid (330Hi) or twincharged (330STi) engines, but hey, at least it'd make sense.

  • Macca Macca on Jul 04, 2008

    By the way, that's a second-gen (P11) Infiniti G20 - known around the world as the Nissan Primera. Similar C-pillar window kink, but that's no BMW. I know - I used to own one.

  • The number 3 The number 3 on Jul 04, 2008

    Damnit where's the 12 pot?? I know fuel prices are high and all that, but Mercedes has two V12s and even a naturally aspirated V8 in their S-Class that beats the 750i in terms of raw horsepower; Even Audi's got a W12 for the A8. Maybe BMW's going the Lexus way by adding a battery to the twin turbo V8 and greenwashing it. Or maybe they just don't want to overpower the upcoming RR4. Nonetheless a flagship luxury sedan just doesn't feel right without a big 12 cylinder.

  • JJ JJ on Jul 05, 2008
    Nonetheless a flagship luxury sedan just doesn’t feel right without a big 12 cylinder. I'm fairly sure they will offer a V12 ultimately. These 3 engines are just the first to be introduced, but in true German Luxo-brand fashion more will no doubt follow, gaining a little more publicity. The current 7 is on sale in Europe as a 730i, 730d, 740i, 745d, 750i or 760i... I'm guessing that at least a twin-turbo I6 diesel will follow since they killed the V8 diesel...and then probably a normally aspirated I6 petrol version as a base model, a V12 just for the sake of having a V12 option and maybe a normally aspirated V8 to offer two V8s. Maybe the latter will be sacrificed on behalve of a V8 hybrid combination, Although it would make a lot more sense to me to offer an I6 hybrid, but then the 'Mericans have to accept the fact that an I6 is perfectly adequate for a 7 series... On a side note, I think hybrids are a fraude in terms of being eco-friendly...In that respect you might want to take a look at this, presented by that sobbing Brit (I've posted this link before, but many probably haven't seen it) Prius BMW M3 ecofriendlyness
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