BMW 740e iPerformance revealed ahead of Geneva debut

BMW’s new hybrid 7-series, dubbed the 740e iPerformance, has been revealed ahead of its official debut at the Geneva motor show.

The 740e iPerformance features the same drivetrain as the X5 xDrive40e. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol unit capable of 254bhp is mated to an electric motor, resulting in a combined power output of 322bhp and 51.01kgm of torque.

Available in both standard and long-wheelbase forms, the 740e also gets an all-wheel drive xDrive variant. All models get an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.

The 740e iPerformance can travel up to 40.23km on electric power alone (dropping to 37.01km in the xDrive variant). It can go from 0-100kph in 5.6 seconds; the long-wheelbase version is 0.1seconds slower while the xDrive variant is 0.1seconds faster.

The hybrid 7-Series gets sat-nav, BMW’s range of connected infotainment services, a digital display key, LED headlights and a phone charger as standard. It also gets special graphics in its instrument cluster. The car features BMW’s Auto eDrive function which allows drivers to choose how the 740e operates and features modes for pure electric driving and performance. Drivers can also select from the regular Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport modes too.

BMW claims that the 740e can be charged in less than four hours from a domestic socket, or in under three hours from a wall charger.

The hybrid 7-series is expected to go on sale in international markets later this year. It is one of three BMW hybrid models to launch in the last one year, with the 330e and 225xe being revealed in November 2015. They join the X5 xDrive40e, the i3 and the i8 in BMW’s growing hybrid and electric model range.