The 2013 BMW 7 Series or the 7 Series Life Cycle Impulse (LCI), as BMW likes to call it, has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 92.90 lakhs (ex-showroom Pan-India).
The luxury liner is offered with both diesel and petrol engines. The entry level BMW 730Ld will be locally assembled at the company's Chennai plant while the petrol cars will be imported as Completely Built-up Units (CBU).
Being the most successful 7 Series, the fifth generation model gets a mid-life refresh to reinforce its strong position. The subtly revised front fascia gets fully adaptive LED headlamps. The turn indicators are integrated into the ORVMs for improved visibility.
The car sits 8mm lower than the outgoing model and the wheelbase is 5.5" longer than before. The rear has a thin chrome strip running along the bumper.
The high quality interior continues to use finest materials and is angled towards the diver to offer top class ergonomics. The front seats are slightly redesigned. The iDrive multimedia infotainment system gets an upgrade and now offers 3D navigation. The new 7er comes with a 1,200 watt Bang & Olufsen surround sound system with optional rear seat entertainment package which includes individual 23.3" screen and iDrive controller.
The cabin is quieter than before thanks to the improvements made to the NVH package. The ambient lighting provides an elegant atmosphere.
Propulsive power can be picked from a choice of one diesel and three petrol engines. The 3.0 litre TwinPower turbo diesel engine delivers 258 bhp/ 560 Nm of torque which is higher than the outgoing model. The petrol lineup includes the 320 bhp 3.0 litre V6 (740Li), 450 bhp 4.4L V8 (750Li) and the 544 bhp 6.0L V12 (760Li). A 8-Speed automatic transmission transmits the power.
The 7 Series is loaded up to the brim with safety technologies such as the Active Protection which tightens up the seat belts, closes the windows and sunroofs to reduce the risk of injury during a collision. Attention Assist monitors the drivers reaction and suggests him to take a break in case he is tired and distracted. Inclusion of usual features like multiple airbags, ABS, traction control, etc goes without saying.
The car boasts of a Start/Stop system, brake energy recuperation, 50:50 weight distribution, individual cool box, folding tables for the rear seat occupants, climate control with recirculation filters, fogging and solar sensors and four zone air layering.
The luxury executive saloon is available in 11 exterior color options - Alpine White (non-metallic), Black Sapphire, Cashmere Silver, Glacier Silver, Havana, Imperial Blue Brilliant Effect, Midnight Blue, Milano Beige, Sophisto Grey, Space Grey and Mineral White. The leather upholstery color options are Barrique Red, Black, Ivory White, Oyster, Saddle Brown light and Veneto Beige.
Prices of the 2013 BMW 7 Series (ex-showroom Pan-India)
- BMW 730Ld - Rs. 92.90 lakhs
- BMW 740Li - Rs. 1.12 crore
- BMW 750Li - Rs. 1.29 crore
- BMW 760Li - Rs. 1.73 crore
