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By Lee Nian Tjoe, in Munich, Germany
Four years ago, BMW got together with Daimler and General Motors to create a petrol-electric hybrid system, something Toyota did alone several years earlier.
The first BMW to emerge from that joint venture is a hybrid X6. But it will not be unleashed until year end.
Meanwhile, it has unveiled the ActiveHybrid 7, which uses a somewhat different system developed with Daimler and tyre-maker Continental. The Mercedes camp has the S400 Hybrid.
The system in the 7-series is a "mild" hybrid. This means the electric motor helps but never replaces the twin-turbo V8 to move the car. It also adds 100kg to the vehicle weight.
Even so, it is said to offer almost 20 per cent more efficient fuel consumption than a 750Li, a model that shares its 4.4-litre V8 petrol power plant.
And it will outpace a Porsche 911 and Aston Martin DB9 with ease.
We have the Americans to thank for this car as it is targeted at them. Tiger Woods wannabes will be happy to know that the boot still accommodates four golf bags after losing 50 litres to the batteries which, by the way, are lithium-ion cells.
These are more advanced than the nickel metal-hydride batteries used in the majority of hybrids, including BMW's upcoming hybrid X6.
It is noteworthy that this Beemer is the first petrol-electric hybrid to have a turbocharged engine. It is also the first eight-speed automatic to feature start-stop function, another fuel-saving feature.
In the drive, this 7-series is more of a muscle car than a hush-hush hybrid. Despite its size, it is more fun to hustle than the smaller Lexus GS Hybrid.
| BMW ACTIVEHYBRID 7 |
Price: Not applicable
Engine: 4,395cc 32-valve V8 with electric motor
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic with manual select
Power: 465bhp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 700Nm at 2,000-5,500rpm
0-100kmh: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 250kmh (electronically limited)
Fuel consumption: 9.4 litres/100km (city-highway) |
Throttle response is sharp with the electric motor giving an extra boost when you need it. Steering is meaty and precise.
Only the brakes, which have the added duty of charging the batteries when applied, feel a little snatchy.
Unfortunately, BMW says it is technically impossible to make a right-hand-drive version. It is a pity because this car is anything but a conventional petrol-electric hybrid.
Chances are the manufacturer's future "green" offerings will feature less extravagant engines, deliver the same thrills and yet are more frugal. More importantly for us, it will build them for right-hand- drive markets as well.
stlife@sph.com.sg
The writer is editor of Torque, a motoring monthly published by SPH Magazines.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
For more The Straits Times stories, click here.
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