BMW ActiveHybrid 7 to be launched in India tomorrow

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is going to be launched in India tomorrow. Globally unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the luxury saloon will be the first hybrid car from the German manufacturer’s line-up to be sold in India. 

The ActiveHybrid 7 is visually identical to the regular 7 Series and only the ‘Active Hybrid 7’ badges set the two apart. The front of the car gets the trademark kidney grille, adaptive LED headlamps with chrome accents and large air vents in the lower bumper. The body has been aerodynamically designed to channel the air flow over the body efficiently and reduce drag. Short overhangs and a long bonnet accentuate the car’s sporty yet luxurious appeal.

Being a luxury sedan, the ActiveHybrid 7 comes with an extravagant list of creature comforts like keyless entry and ignition, front and rear parking sensors, four-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, a rear-view camera, a navigation system and a 10-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a USB/iPod integration system.

The BMW 7 Series ActiveHybrid is expected to be offered with a 3.0-litre in-line six engine from the 740Li which produces 315bhp and 450Nm of torque. Despite its two tonne plus weight, the engine is powerful enough to propel the car from standstill to 100kmph in just 5.7 seconds. Top speed has been restricted to 250kmph. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a ZF eight speed Steptronic gearbox. 

The 7 Series ActiveHybrid is a car for the environment conscious people, though the presence of a hybrid system hasn’t exactly made it more eco-friendly. The 7 Series ActiveHybrid can barely travel three to four kilometres on pure electric power and the fuel economy in the European combined cycle of 14.7kmpl is just 2kmpl over what the regular 7 Series will manage. Weight is the 7 Series ActiveHybrid’s biggest enemy as the advantages of the hybrid system get negated by the car’s immense weight. 

We expect the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 to be positioned between the 750Li and the top-end 760Li sedans. BMW will have the upper hand in the hybrid segment once it launches the ActiveHybrid 7 tomorrow as no other car manufacturer sells a hybrid sedan in this segment. Stay tuned to know more about the car.