The transition to electrification has always weighed heavier on carmakers with a performance heritage. Electric cars can move very fast in a straight line. But the challenge has been harnessing all the forward momentum, and building a chassis that can control it and make it move the way a driver wants it. In other words, an EV with good handling. And when it comes to handling, BMW is one of the best there is.
I can say with confidence that all BMWs have good handling, in varying degrees of course. Maybe except the 2-Series Active Tourer from 2014. Even the flagship 7-Series model, its biggest sedan, has always been a good driver’s car. The F01 generation remains one of my favorite BMWs ever. So what happens when the flagship model becomes electrified? And not only that, gets the M treatment?
The result is the i7 M70—a menacing four-door with a mammoth 660hp and 1,100Nm of torque. It can hit 100kph in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 250kph, and I’m about to drive it around the Portugal countryside.
Before me and my colleague Brent Co from Autoindustriya set off, we are given a quick walkaround by a BMW specialist. There is not enough time in today’s schedule to explain all the features of a 7-Series, but beyond the power train there are two highlights:
The first is the Theatre Screen, a 31-inch 8k display for the rear passengers’ viewing pleasure. Select the Threatre mode on one of the 7’s door-mounted touchscreen controls, and the blinds immediately go up, then the Threatre Screen display folds down dramatically. Then it acts like the smart TV in your home. Choose between Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, etc.
Combined with the Harman Kardon audio system, the i7 M70 becomes a home theater inside. I’m not exaggerating. I play the opening scenes of OG The Lord of the Rings on Amazon Prime, and the dialogue and battle sounds never sounded better. There was even a notable center channel similar to high-end home theater setups.
The next feature kind of blew our minds. Select the Lounge position on the touchscreen controls and the right rear seat behind the front passenger extends. The front passenger seat will move all the way forward until there’s no more space for a person in front, and the rear seat will elongate and rise, same as in airline business seats. There’s even a small foot rest at the back of the front passenger seat.
The 7-Series has never lacked creature comforts, but these new features take things to a new level. Our market doesn’t get these features by default because of their expected additional cost, but there’s always the possibility of an indent order. And BMW says the Lounge feature can be included with any 7-Series model, not just the ones at the top of the range.
I drive first and follow the navigation system to our lunch destination. The first part of the drive is a highway portion, then some twisties leading to a seaside restaurant.
I immediately notice a familiar 7-Series trait—it shrinks. The 7s, well the ones I was lucky enough to drive anyway, have the ability to feel smaller than they are. The response and tuning is such that you don’t feel like you’re driving a 2.5-ton sedan.
I see stretches of open expressway ahead of me, and so I find out what 660hp of electrified power feels like. A firm press of the accelerator (I guess we can’t call them gas pedals anymore) easily brings the car to 160kph like it was just a hundred. The car doesn’t shake or feel unsteady.
I toggle the Sport mode and the i70’s displays turn an angry—but still dignified—red. “Show me what you got,” I say in my mind, and give it more, um, gas (juice?). I can almost feel the i70 smirk as it explodes in a surge of power—and we are already cruising at 120kph. In a span of a few seconds the speedometer climbs to 180kph. The i7 feels completely composed. Might as well. I go faster just to see what 200kph feels like in this home theater on wheels. I feel a bit more vibration but still feel completely in control.
In the rear seat, Brent is trying out the lounge seat and Theatre Screen. He didn’t seem to be bothered by my speed runs.
Many cars, even in our market, can reach 200kph—although few can reach it this rapidly. Other vehicles have reclining ottomans. And most vans can be fitted with big screens in the back for entertainment. But the i7 M70 can do all of that effortlessly, and still deliver the presence and stature a flagship sedan commands. This is nothing short of a technological and luxury tour de force.
At this point I can already recommend the i7 to anyone in the market for a premium flagship. But we reach the twisties and the i7 shows that electrification and significant weight haven’t affected its BMW-ness.
There’s still the sensation of heft when you’re taking turns and corners. But the i7 lets you feel totally in control. On tight two-way roads, with a bus on one side and a cliff on the other side, I can input tiny movements and the i7 reads my mind. Active body control systems minimize roll, keeping the car relatively stable.
BMW also told me it worked on tuning the throttle input of the i7 and the other electrified models in its lineup, given the different power curve of electric motors versus internal combustion engines. The i models are programmed to recognize that a strong pedal application demands rapid acceleration, while more linear pedal pressure means a more gradual speed increase.
On narrow twisty roads I could fettle the throttle properly and get the expected response. I realize how difficult this can be, given electric motors don’t have highs and lows like internal combustion engines—they’re always 100%.
My driving time with the i7 ends, and I hand over the keys (figuratively, since the i cars use a smartphone app to unlock them) to Brent. Maybe there’s one more important question left to answer: Did the controversial looks grow on me?
When I first saw this Aurora Diamond Green color in the parking facility, it was love at first sight. I was even more delighted when we were assigned this unit; there were other colors available for the media test drive in Portugal.
Do I like looking at the humongous grille? Personally I still prefer the more svelte classic grilles. But if I wanted to arrive in something commanding, I would want to be seen in an i7. It’s big, imposing, and it doesn’t give a damn.
Electrification no doubt has its challenges, especially for performance-oriented car brands. But a successful transition is all a matter of engineering and experience. Cars are still four-wheeled machines designed to transport people, no matter the power source. With the i7 M70, BMW has proven it has nothing to prove.
