BMW has always been known for its slogan, "The Ultimate Driving Machine," which shows how committed the company is to making high-performance cars that blend luxury, sportiness, and innovation. But what happens when the car goes electric? Does it lose its edge, its soul, or its sense of who it is? Not if you ask BMW, which just showed off the BMW i7 M70 xDrive, its most powerful and fastest electric car to date.
The BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the top model in the new 7 Series line, which will have four different types of engines: gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric. The only one with the sought-after M badge is the i7 M70 xDrive. This means that BMW's performance division worked on it to make it as exciting to drive as any traditional combustion engine.
The i7 M70 xDrive is not just an ordinary i7 with a bigger battery and some visual changes. It is a totally redesigned machine with a unique drive system, chassis, suspension, brakes, and design features that set it apart from the rest of the lineup. It is also the first electric model to have the M Sport Boost function, which lets the electric motors run at full speed for a short time.
How fast is the i7 M70 xDrive, then? Well, BMW says that in Sport mode, it has a system power of up to 485 kW (660 hp) and a system torque of up to 1,015 Nm (748 lb-ft). But when you turn on M Sport Boost or M Launch Control, those numbers go up to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft) and 250 km/h (155 mph), respectively. That means it can go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds. This makes it the fastest BMW M car that runs only on electricity.
But speed means nothing without control, and the i7 M70 xDrive also does well in this area. It has an M-specific adaptive two-axle air suspension with electronically controlled dampers and automatic self-leveling, which gives it the right balance between comfort and agility. It also has an M-specific Executive Drive Pro system that corrects for bumpy roads and makes the car more stable and accurate. BMW M has also tuned the steering, all-wheel drive, and brake systems to give the best feedback and response.
The i7 M70 xDrive also looks like an M model, with unique design features that show off its sporty nature. The front end has a big, cerium-gray metallic kidney grille with vertical slats and thin LED headlights with blue accents. Large air vents made of black mesh and Cerium Grey metallic blades are on the front bumper. Aerodynamically optimized 21-inch jet-black M light-alloy wheels with a unique shape and low-profile tires can be seen on the side profile. At the back, there is a curved diffuser with cerium gray metallic vertical fins and four black chrome trapezoidal exhaust pipes.
