BMW Reaches Into Letter Bag, Hauls Out I7 M70 XDrive

Remember that old Price is Right game in which the contestant would blindly reach into a bag and haul out numbers (or strikes) in an effort to guess the price of a car? It increasingly seems like that’s the tack for BMW’s naming system, particularly with some of their newer models – such as the just-announced i7 M70 xDrive.

Described as the “range-topping model of the new BMW 7 Series line-up,” it is an all-electric sedan said to whip itself into a 60-mph froth in roughly 3.7 seconds. This is courtesy of motors that tag team to produce a system total of 660 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque. The latter is on tap during launch control maneuvers or Sport Boost mode, though it is apparently still well over 700 lb-ft in other settings. All-wheel drive is part of the deal.

Located in the sedan’s underbody, the battery packs 101.7 kWh of usable energy and a stated range of between 303 – 348 miles depending on drive mode. Of course, those numbers are calculated using the overly optimistic WLTP standard, so a sub-300-mile figure is realistic for this country. The system is capable of drinking from a 200 kW fire hose, provided it is plugged into a sufficiently robust Level 3 fast charger. This is said to replenish about 100 miles of range in roughly 10 minutes. Your experience may vary (often greatly).

There is a new Max Range driving mode which is too depressing to describe, so we’ll focus on the likes of M-specific features such as adaptive two-axle air suspension with electronically controlled dampers and so-called M Sport brakes. Ever seeking to fine-tune the sensations of electric performance, BMW has created something called IconicSounds in order to provide an ‘acoustic accompaniment’ in concert with driving behavior. We’ve sampled these in the past; some sound like the Millennium Falcon entering hyperdrive while others are simply bizarre and annoying. We’ll reserve judgment on this one until testing.

Variants of the BMW Individual two-tone finish are on tap for anyone who wishes to stand out on Rodeo Drive, along with contour lighting for that grille shown above and plenty of other M-Line embellishments. Inside one will find an updated version of iDrive, M-specific content in the curved display, and extended functionality of the satnav through cloud-based services. 

The car’s global reveal will take place at this year’s Auto Shanghai motor show, set to begin tomorrow. Figure an opening bid of $150,000 and an options list able to push its sticker near $200,000.

[Images: BMW]

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