BMW has certainly shaken things up with the newest iteration of its 7-Series luxury sedan. The design, as we’ve discussed before, is well, interesting, and already arriving at dealers. Now, the German automaker announced three more plug-in hybrids in the series — two coming to the U.S., including a new M-brand hybrid, and one an unexpected, yet efficient diesel plug-in hybrid for overseas.
First up is the new 750e xDrive. The 750e will be powered by a 3.0-liter I6 that makes 313 horsepower — paired with two electric motors for a total combined system output of 490 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Though BMW says that 490 hp is with a temporary boost of an unknown length. With a floor-mounted 18.7 kWh battery, BMW says the 750e has an all-electric range of 48-54 miles. Keep in mind that’s on the European WLTP cycle. EPA estimates are usually 11 percent lower than those figures, so they’ll change once final EPA figures are completed.
The bigger and more interesting news is the upcoming performance M model coming to the States. Enter the new M760e xDrive. BMW says this is the first performance car from their M division that uses a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. And its a hell of an interesting drivetrain setup.
In its before times, the 760 badges meant a huge V12 sat under the hood. With the changing times, though, that’s just not a thing anymore. Lift the hood of the M760e and you’ll be staring at 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight six. The engine alone makes 380 hp. M paired it with an electric motor for a total combined output of 571 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to get the M760e to 60 in just 4.3 seconds. And when you’re not blasting down the highway, BMW says the M760e has an all-electric driving range of 48-53 miles. But again that’s on the WLTP cycle.
The third 7-series model is even more interesting and efficient. Called the 740d xDrive, it uses a 3.0-liter straight-six diesel with a 48V mild hybrid setup. Unfortunately, we aren’t getting it in the U.S. A diesel plug-in hybrid luxury sedan probably wouldn’t sell at all, but it would be cool to have, regardless.
BMW’s 750e is set to come to the U.S. in the second half of 2023. The M760e will come at a later date that BMW has yet to specify. While the 7-Series looks might not be for everyone, the automaker says market research has shown that people want a luxury sedan with an unconventional, yet unique and efficient engine setup. We’ll have to wait and see if their research was right.