[리스본(포르투갈)=이데일리 박민 기자] “Swap the car! (Let’s exchange it for our car)”
It was a scene you would only see in foreign movies. I was passing through downtown Lisbon, Portugal, riding the new i7 M70 xDrive (hereinafter referred to as the new i7 M70), a purely electric high-performance model of the BMW 7 Series. As I was stopping at a red light, a white sedan from a German brand pulled up next to me, and a black man in the car rolled down the window, gave a thumbs up, and shouted, “Swap the car!” several times. My first impression of the new i7 M70, BMW’s flagship sedan, was a moment that would be enough to explain it from someone else’s perspective, not mine.
BMW New i7 M70 xDrive two-tone color exterior image. (Photo = BMW Korea) The BMW New i7 M70 was first seen at a global media test drive event held in Portugal last September prior to its global launch in October this year. The vehicle is a 2024 model of the 7th generation completely changed model from 2022. As you can see from the car name, ‘i’, which signifies a pure electric model, is added to the ‘7’, which is a large car class (segment), and ‘M’, which is only given to high-performance models, and ’70’, which signifies an engine output of 7000cc or more, are added to it. This is a high-performance electric vehicle. It boasts the most powerful performance among all existing pure electric models of the BMW Group. It is truly the ultimate BMW electric car.
In addition to its overwhelming performance and its business card as the ‘king of electric vehicles,’ the image of being large and luxurious is also an attraction of this vehicle. The two-tone color of Liquid Copper and Sapphire Black exudes grandeur and makes it feel like a Rolls-Royce. This 7 Series is the first time BMW has applied a two-tone model. The vehicle’s dynamic image has also been enhanced with M’s unique side skirts and sleek, elegant design that emphasizes sleekness despite its huge size.
BMW i7 M70 xDrive kidney grille. (Photo = BMW Korea) In fact, the vehicle is a monster electric vehicle that produces a combined maximum output of 659 horsepower and runs at a top speed of 250 km per hour. It is equipped with an electric four-wheel drive system implemented by a rear-wheel motor with a maximum output of 489 horsepower and a front-wheel motor with a maximum output of 258 horsepower. In addition, when the M Launch Control or M Sports Boost function is activated, the maximum torque increases to 1100Nm (112.2kg·m), boasting tremendous acceleration. The time from zero to 100 km/h from a standstill is 3.7 seconds, the shortest among all BMW pure electric models.
On this day, when I drove at a speed of nearly 200 km/h on a Portuguese highway, I was able to experience the unique smoothness of an electric vehicle and the explosive acceleration of an internal combustion engine vehicle at the same time. When rapidly accelerating with boost, a virtual motor sound similar to an internal combustion engine was heard, and when applying the brake and decelerating, a sound effect similar to the RPM increasing by downshifting was heard, so I felt the excitement of driving a high-performance electric vehicle.
BMW New i7 M70 xDrive interior. (Photo = BMW Korea) Even when the speed was increased to the point where you wondered, ‘Can driving be this easy?’, it provided a stable ride without shaking as expected from a large sedan. In addition, thanks to the improved air suspension and weight, the ride quality did not jump even when going over significant bumps, and the driver assistance system (ADAS), including the lane keeping function, also had a high sense of stability, allowing the driver to drive without anxiety even on narrow and curved roads. The ability to block noise such as road and wind noise was excellent.
In addition to the pleasure of driving, the vehicle also has the appeal of a shopper-driven car (a car with a separate driver) in the back seat, as expected from a flagship sedan. The back seat, called the ‘Executive Lounge’, can be transformed into a comfortable space to relax, similar to first class on an airplane, with a single button. ‘Seat reclining’ allows the entire rear seat to be tilted back, and a ‘footrest’ extends from under the feet, allowing the entire body to lie down nearly 180 degrees. In addition, you can watch videos on the 31.3-inch theater screen that extends from the ceiling, making it feel like a high-end movie theater.
The domestic standard driving range of the BMW New i7 M70 on a single charge is 391 km. However, the new MAX RANGE function can increase driving range by up to 25% by limiting power and speed and disabling convenience functions when necessary. The price of the new i7 M70 xDrive is around 230 to 240 million won. It is scheduled to be set as .
A ‘theater screen’ unfolds from the ceiling of the rear seat of the BMW New i7 M70 xDrive. (Photo = Reporter Park Min of Edaily)
