Review: BMW 740 Le xDrive iPerformance

Double heart or fig leaf?

The goal at BMW is clear: the former e-pioneer wants to emancipate his i-fleet and, in addition to the BEV i3 and the hybrid athlete i8, also electrify the other models. The BMW 740e plays the role of the whispering Saubermann in the BMW luxury class. Among them are 530e and 330e. There is now at least one electrified BMW in almost every series. The customer decides whether this is just a fig leaf for fleet consumption or, as in the case of the 740e (with the long surname), a serious business alternative with a double heart.

AutoHub has measured twice the heartbeat of the BMW 740 Le xDrive iPerformance.

Optical? Above all, a large sedan. Hardly distinguishable from the internal combustion engine or the auto-ignition counterpart. Only the small i emblems, the blue shades in the kidney, in the eyes and the e-drive emblem on the C-pillar are indications of what is special under the hood. This is where the strongest four-cylinder that BMW has ever put into production shares, the opulent space under the long hood with an 83 kW electric motor. The two-liter turbo gasoline engine heads 258 PS and together they throw a system performance of 326 PS into the car seat for the favor of the regulars' table.

The permanently excited synchronous motor is not an alibi in the sevens to be able to park in front of the organic supermarket with a clear conscience. It is a symbol of change and a pillar in daily operations. Thanks to its 250 Nm, which act on the 8 automatic transmission from standstill and a 9.2 kWh (gross) large traction battery, realistic 30 kilometers are possible in purely electrical mode. The usable capacity of the battery is 7.4 kWh, the electrical standard consumption value is specified with 12.5 to 13.3 kWh on 100 kilometers. For certification, BMW has experienced a standard value of "up to 48km" (depending on the model) and in the still valid NEDC standard consumption, BMW also indicates gasoline consumption of 2 to 2.5 liters. Depending on the equipment, tires and wheelbase.

The charging socket of the 740 Le iPerformance is located in the front left fender, is charged using a Mennekes plug, with a maximum of 3.7 kWh.

Boarding - Depart. And silently. It plays a little fascination with Tesla's Model S in the first test kilometers, only that this sevens plays in a completely different league in terms of quality, material and workmanship. But also when starting and with the electric range. But a comparison is forbidden here anyway. The BMW 740  Le xDrive iPerformance (yes, that's really its full name) as a plug-in hybrid is a bridge builder. A boss limousine for people who like to drive themselves, but never much. At least not in one piece.

The 286 PS petrol engine balances the 7 series, which is designed for lightweight construction, gently and effortlessly to the front, but as soon as the combustion engine starts its work, the strong impression of comfort disappears massively. He rumbles, he burns clearly audible, with high injection pressure and massive efficiency, he keeps his fossil fuel supply and makes no secret of it. Safe - together with the electric motor, the driving values ​​are impressive. 5.3 seconds to 100 km / h - that's decent.

Not only nerds drive electrically

BMW calls 105.400 € for the top hybrid model. It is hardly a coincidence that it is on the level of 740 Ld XDrive (104.300) and 740 Li xDrive (101.900), and still slightly above it. That may confuse classic-minded drivers. Only four-cylinder and still more than 100.000 €.

The seven remains, even as a PHEV, what it always was. A driving car for people who made it. Only with the option of silent, purely electric sliding. Those who can charge at home and in the office, meaningfully ecologically sustainable, could take the first step towards "Mobile without fossil fuel" with the 740 Le xDrive. Admittedly, the target group for this is very sharply defined. The driving pleasure and the technological fascination for it are all the greater.

All photos are mine # BMWRT18 Road trip