BMW India teases next-gen 7 Series ahead of Auto Expo debut

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BMW India has released a new video showing a glimpse of their lineup for the Auto Expo 2016. The next-generation 7 Series will make its India debut at the biennial event along with the next-gen X1 and the 3 Series facelift.

BMW 7 Series: The next-gen 7 Series has typical BMW design, but the car is completely new underneath. For starts, the flagship sedan is 130 kilograms lighters than the outgoing model, with heavy usage of carbon fibre and aluminium in construction.

The 7 Series uses active air ride suspension that adjusts to the road conditions providing a comfortable ride. Speaking of comforts, the cabin gets tons of features including the laser headlamps, recliner for the rear seats, music system with wifi and gesture control and full parking assist. The Indian version will have two engine options – both with the V6 configuration and displacement of around 3,000cc. The diesel engine will be tuned to produce around 261bhp while the petrol will deliver 321bhp to the rear wheels. BMW is expected to launch the next-gen 7 Series at the Auto Expo to compete with the Mercedes S-Class and the Audi A8.

BMW X1: Based on the UKL platform of the Mini, the second generation X1 will use the primary front-wheel drive architecture. The car is longer and taller than the current model with a larger wheelbase, liberating more space inside the cabin. Also, unlike the current model that looks like an estate, this one actually looks like compact SUV.

The X1 will continue to use the same 2.0-litre diesel engine, tuned to produce 189bhp. The eight-speed ZF gearbox transmission will continue to power the wheels though BMW might now introduce the xDrive AWD variant at the time of the launch. The X1 should be displayed at the Expo, although the launch will be around April.

BMW 3 Series facelift: Launched in 2012, the 3 Series has been on sale in India for over three years. The car has already received a mid-facelift in the European market and the same will be launched in India next month.

Apart from the cosmetics, BMW might also introduce the 3.0-litre V6 petrol variant of sedan with a power rating of 321bhp. The 2.0-litre diesel will continue under the 320d variants with slightly better performance, courtesy tuning.