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.
The inside of the i7 M70 xDrive is just as amazing, with a large, high-end cabin that is both comfortable and full of technology. The driver and front passenger sit in sports seats that are automatically adjustable, have a memory function, and can heat, cool, and massage. Merino leather with contrast stitching and holes is used to cover the seats. Also made of leather with contrast stitching are the dashboard, door panels, and center armrest. The wheel is made of M leather and has buttons that can do more than one thing and shift keys. The instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch digital screen that shows important information like speed, range, battery state, and driving modes. The infotainment system has a 14.9-inch tablet display that runs on BMW Operating System 8 and works with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
The BMW i7 electric car also has a lot of room in the back for passengers, who can enjoy individual seats with heating, cooling, and massage functions, as well as entertainment screens on the front seatbacks. The rear center console has a tablet that can be taken out and used to handle things like the temperature, lights, audio, and navigation. The trunk can hold 420 liters (14.8 cubic feet); folding down the back seats can hold even more.
The i7 M70 xDrive is fast, fun to drive, fuel-efficient, and good for the environment. It has a 101.7 kWh battery, which gives it an early EPA range estimate of 295 miles on a single charge. The battery is also made to be able to handle high temperatures and a lot of charging processes. This makes sure that it will last a long time and work well. The battery can be charged with an AC charger at up to 22 kW or a DC fast charger at up to 195 kW. This means that it can add up to 170 kilometers (106 miles) to its range at a high-power charging point in just ten minutes.
The i7 M70 xDrive also has a number of modern driver assistance systems that make the car safer and easier to use. These include Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Lane Change Assistant, Lane Keeping Assistant with active side impact protection, Parking Assistant Plus with Reversing Assistant, Surround View, and Remote 3D View. The BMW Drive Recorder feature on the i7 M70 xDrive lets you record video from different camera angles around the car and save it on a USB stick.
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The BMW i7 M70 xDrive is a big deal for BMW M because it shows that electric mobility and speed don't have to be mutually exclusive. It has the luxury and ease of a 7 Series sedan and the power and handling of an M model, so it's the best of both worlds.
It's a car that's good for both the head and the heart because it's fun to drive and reduces pollution and fuel use simultaneously. "The Ultimate Electric Driving Machine" is a good name for this car. And right now, I think the BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the best electric luxury car on the market.
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