BMW 7-Series Hybrid to get lithium-ion batteries and V8

BMW’s CEO Norbert Reithofer has previously said the fifth-generation BMW 7-Series will be offered as a hybrid in 2009. More details have now emerged in light of the 2009 BMW 7-Series debut. Unfortunately, according to the latest findings by CAR, don’t expect the 2009 7-Series hybrid to be cheap or all that fuel-efficient.

Power will come from the 4.4L V8 petrol-electric hybrid engine powered by lithium-ion batteries. According to CAR, the fuel-economy of the 2009 7-Series V8 hybrid won’t match the outstanding 33mpg of the new 2009 diesel-powered 730d. Not to mention it won’t be cheap. Expect to pay a lot more than the twin-turbo 400-hp 750i that goes on sale this November. So why even make an expensive 7-series hybrid that won’t be as efficient as the diesel?

According to Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW board member responsible for R&D and project leader for the new 7-Series, ”Some...
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silver1 - 7/8/2008 4:28:48 PM

-5 Boost

I sure hope this is the last article of this boring 7-Series-Mini Cooper that we have to live with for the next 5-6 years.

"Ultimate Mistake Machine"

EL34 - 7/8/2008 8:39:33 PM

+3 Boost

We're just gettin' warmed up :-\

lexusrox123 - 7/9/2008 3:22:59 PM

0 Boost

krautgod-

agreed. like this hybrid thing...lexus was the first car to have 8 speed tranny (LS460) and the first hybrid w/ V8. hmmmmm.....and bmw isnt copying toyota/lexus???? what the heck , why bother arguing. ppl are too thickheaded

Agent63 - 7/10/2008 8:48:21 AM

+1 Boost

That's true but Honda was the first to have a hybrid produced in a mass level. Who's copying who?

silver1 - 7/8/2008 4:34:02 PM

-2 Boost

This 7-series-Mini Cooper not go get pretty far with those outdated looks looking like a overgrown Chrysler Sebring....

I'm still trying to figure out which way BMW with went on this one, Japan, Korea, or American?

JRobUSC - 7/8/2008 5:15:07 PM

+3 Boost

MichaelTaylor, if it's an LS600h competitor, why should the hybrid 7-Series have to get good gas mileage and perform like a V12? The Lexus doesn't do either of those things. I do appreciate that you hold BMW to a higher standard than you do Lexus though.

daytonaviolet - 7/8/2008 5:44:05 PM

+5 Boost

Frankly, neither one makes much sense.

2JayZee - 7/8/2008 6:13:37 PM

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@ JRob, The V12 in the BMW 760 gets 438hp.... how does the LS600h NOT perform like a V12? It also nets 438hp. Because it does not produce as much HP as the TWIN TURBO V12 in the MB S600?
The LS600h also gets similar gas mileage to its V8 counterpart. 760 gas mileage = 13/20, LS600h gets 21mpg combined cycle.
It is also quiet and smooth. .... you really make no valid point.

JRobUSC - 7/8/2008 6:51:49 PM

+2 Boost

2JayZee, the fact that the LS600h is rated at 438hp doesn't mean anything, I don't care if Lexus rates the LS600h at 100000hp. It performs the same as the LS460 and gets the same fuel economy. All for an extra $32k. Whoopee. I was being sarcastic to MichaelTaylor because he made the comment that he hoped the hybrid 7-Series would do what the LS600h does and "perform like a V12 and get good gas mileage". The LS600h does neither, there's my "valid point".

Source: every single test in every single magazine of the LS600h.

Personally I'd rather BMW made a 7-Series diesel hybrid like Benz is doing, because then it actually WOULD get better performance and fuel economy. Hopefully they're not content just doing what Lexus did and making a hybrid that does neither.

ghosthunter - 7/8/2008 8:21:24 PM

+2 Boost

that "every single magazine" also rated R8, M3 over GTR for the soul factor. i won't be surprised the "soul factor" kicked in again during LS600 test.

just kidding.

truth is, who would race their S600, LS600HL, or 760Li? and for the love of god.. it is a L edition, does it even make sense to talk about handling, 0-60? a civic can out handle most of them, at the end of the day, you cannot fool the law of physics.

nonetheless, it is a good move. a even better move would be Diesel + hybrid + blue tech (that actually cleans NOX). I don't understand the fight between hybrid and diesel. diesel exist as a fuel, and hybrid exist as a method to recycle wasted energy. believe or not, hybrid is going to appear in more cars, at more places because it can be combined with gas, diesel, fuel cell or battery. and toyota, as of today, has the most advanced hybrid technology on the market.

85bmw745i - 7/10/2008 2:29:40 AM

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You are a retard MT if you think the ls600h has more brutal acceleration than the S600. You are on crack for real. The S600 blows the hell out of the ls600h. Admit it. I you could at least admit facts and admit that even the mighty lexus company isn't perfect people would respect you, but ignorant fictional comments like the one above are just flat out rubbish. Yes the ls600 accelerates about as good as a 745i of an s500 but nowhere near the v12 offering from BMW and CERTAINLY not better than the S600, which blows the doors off of the BMW V12, and even though I am a BMW man, I can at least admit the truth.

t_bone - 7/8/2008 6:02:53 PM

+5 Boost

I was thinking this was a really dumb move, but then I realized the typical 7-series buyer isn't going to be worried about $7 gas.

Still doesn't mean I have to like it, though. A 150hp diesel powerplant coupled with a rip-roaring 600ft/lb AWD electric system would be more my style.

Rupert - 7/8/2008 7:26:16 PM

+4 Boost

What a sensible idea...

(if we were in 1995 I would add 'Not' to the end of that sentence)

EL34 - 7/8/2008 8:40:57 PM

+1 Boost

Looks like the Lexus LS is now competing with Lincoln and Cadillac :-D

sector - 7/8/2008 10:47:17 PM

0 Boost

turtle + moustache = 7-series

Bored - 7/8/2008 10:53:01 PM

+1 Boost

I'm just curious to see if BMW will give it an outrageous six figure price like the LS600h?

My guess is that the LS will be due at least for a freshening at the time of the BMW release. Once the Mercedes-Benz S4000 BlueTec Hybrid comes to market as well: 3-way smackdown comparo tests!

lexusrox123 - 7/9/2008 3:27:20 PM

0 Boost

i wonder how bwm;s first hybrid will turn out...

Rupert - 7/9/2008 7:00:28 AM

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Has anyone else noticed that the new 7 has the rear lights from a Mitsubishi Carisma?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Mitsubishi_Carisma_GDI_Heck.JPG/800px-Mitsubishi_Carisma_GDI_Heck.JPG

0to60 - 7/9/2008 8:45:51 AM

+2 Boost

I think its crazy that both Lexus and BMW believes there huge tankers need to be labeled a hybrid yet have a 0-60 time of around 5.5 seconds. For what? I think if a person wants to go that fast in such a large car, they shouldnt opt for the hybrid. Why not make the hybrid version the small version and give it less power (lets say 0-60 in around upper 6 to low 7's arena) to thus allow it to have decent fuel economy. And again, if a person wants to go 0-60 in 5 seconds, let them pay for the gas! Get the non hybrid version!!!

0to60 - 7/9/2008 10:58:18 AM

+1 Boost

So there is a hefty price to pay in order to do the right thing and make our environment cleaner since that is the only thing these accomplish!

85bmw745i - 7/10/2008 2:32:33 AM

+1 Boost

I agree 0-60. Why all of that power, no-one would use it, well except me merging onto a busy freeway lol

qckshftr - 7/9/2008 9:20:49 AM

+2 Boost

Guys! Has anyone read the information released about the new 750i/li? The Twin Turbo 4.4-liter V-8 will have not only 400hp with a range of 5500 to 6400 rpm, but also the 450-lb-ft torque peak is ALMOST IDENTICAL to the previous 760li's V-12! Better fuel economy, with a heck of a lot of torque... That's not a bad thing, in this day and age!!! Now imagine if they put a Twin Turbo V-10 or V-12 into this thing... M7 anyone???

sector - 7/9/2008 11:28:43 AM

0 Boost

all that power is useless when you look like you're hitching ride on the back of a turtle.

HokkaidoWind - 7/14/2008 2:31:38 AM

+1 Boost

7-Series is growing up.