For 45 years straight, BMW has been assembling the 7 Series at the Dingolfing plant in Germany. Since the E23 era, the flagship luxury sedan has been in continuous production at the German factory, and now, an important milestone has been reached. The two-millionth vehicle has rolled off the assembly line as a purely electric i7 xDrive60 in Carbon Black with a vegan leather interior.
Dingolfing initially kicked off production of the 7er back in 1977 before switching to the E32 in 1986. The E38 came along in 1994, followed by the E65 in 2001 and the F01 in 2008. Codenamed G11, the previous-generation car hit the assembly line for the first time in 2015. While most of them were offered with an optional long wheelbase, the G70 comes in only one size and it’s bigger than any of its predecessors.
To prepare the factory for the G70’s arrival, BMW has invested more than €300 million in recent years. The fullsize saloon drives itself from the moment it leaves the assembly line to the finishing area by automatically receiving guidance from external sensors mounted along the route. It’s the first 7 Series to come in EV form, joining the usual gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid derivatives.
Except for the original E23, all previous 7 Series generations have been offered with a V12 engine. However, that’s not the case anymore as the latest iteration does away with the M760i version. It has been indirectly replaced by the M760e with an electrified inline-six gasoline engine. Come 2023, another M Performance version will join the lineup as the fully electric i7 M70.
To be sold exclusively with dual motors and xDrive, the range-topping 7 Series promises to offer “well over 600 horsepower” and more than 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft). The electric punch will enable the stately EV to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in less than four seconds.
While BMW is still offering sporty versions, ALPINA has announced it won’t come out with a new B7 based on the latest 7 Series.
Source: BMW
