Executive sedan standard-bearers

THERE WAS a play on the number seven last week by SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., local distributor of BMW vehicles. Surely, the company is hoping the number proves auspicious. Consider that the seventh generation of the BMW 7 was unveiled on the night of March 27. Not only that; its alter-ego — an all-electric iteration appropriately called the i7 — was simultaneously revealed.

The importance of the nameplate cannot be overstated. It is the flagship model of BMW, the pinnacle sedan that now again seeks to embody the best the German car maker has to offer. The 7 also comes at a crucial time when the country — and, verily, the world — continues to come out of the doldrums caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. No less than San Miguel Corp. President and COO Ramon Ang came to the launch and delivered a speech. Also in attendance were BMW Group officials led by Asia Managing Director Lars Nielsen and Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director Preeti Gupta, who had flown in from Singapore.

Mr. Ang spoke of the “special significance” of the launch. “It represents the changing face of luxury, and how a century-old heritage brand such as BMW has constantly evolved as we progress into the future. Luxury is not just about comfort, convenience, and status. Rather, it has become more about experience, value, and emotion,” he declared.

BMW Philippines is coming off a year of growth as it registered sales of 1,160 units in 2022 — up from 920 the previous period. Still, SMC Asia Cars Distribution Corp. President Spencer Yu remains very pragmatic. “We’re lucky last year that we had the cars, and our competitors did not,” he told members of the media a day after the launch. “This year is anyone’s guess.”

Replying to a question from “Velocity,” Mr. Yu said that while the firm forecasts growth, year-to-date numbers versus the same period in 2022 are down — a byproduct of a “perfect storm” of logistics issues and such. But things are happily starting to turn, which gave BMW Philippines and the BMW Group Asia the confidence to pull the trigger on the 7 in the first place.

The latest all-new version of the 7, as it should, further pushes the notion of luxury. It is, after all, the flagship nameplate of the German luxury car maker. In a release, BMW said that the 7 “focuses on the individual and (his/her) personal attitudes, needs and emotions. In addition to presence, elegance and exclusive premium quality, there is a progressive approach characterized by innovations that directly enhance the user experience, provide wide-ranging connectivity, and set benchmarks in sustainable production.”

BMW Philippines chose to bring in the in-line-six-powered 7 — specifically, the 735i Pure Excellence trim. A TwinPower Turbo with three liters of swept volume resides under the long hood. The gas-sipping power plant is complemented with a 48V mild hybrid system. The output numbers are a generous 286hp and 425Nm, and these are accessed through an eight-speed Steptronic Sport Automatic transmission which is said to hurtle the 7 from a standstill to 100kph in 6.7 seconds.

The mild hybrid system “(enables) more comfortable operation of the auto start/stop function (and) generates torque of 200Nm and an output boost of up to 9kW (12hp), depending on the driving situation.”

“The all-new BMW 7 Series is our most important product introduction to date. It is the sum of true innovation in design, comfort, technology, and overall performance. This sedan redefines luxury motoring and brings it to greater heights. As always, this model is our blueprint for what the future of BMW will look like, which will be very exciting,” Mr. Yu continued.

Speaking of the future, it is perhaps embodied even more decisively in the first-ever i7, which takes its place with the iX and iX3, BMW’s all-electric options available here. The i7 banners the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, comprised of “highly integrated drive units at the front and rear axles that bring together the electric motor, power electronics and transmission within a single, very compact housing, plus the accompanying charging technology and high-voltage battery.” The BMW 735i Pure Excellence is priced at P8.99 million and comes with a comprehensive five-year warranty.

The i7 xDrive60 boasts of an electrically excited synchronous motor, which dispenses with the use of permanent magnets — opting, rather, for a “precisely controllable electrical feed that sets the rotor in motion rather than fixed permanent magnets.” This means that “critical rare earth metals” are not used, consistent with BMW’s globally declared aspiration for sustainability.

The electric all-wheel-drive sedan boasts two motors. The one motivating the rear wheels outputs 230 kW/313hp; the one spinning the front submits 190 kW/258 hp. Maximum system output peaks at 400kW/544hp and 745Nm. This, says BMW, translates to a sprightly standstill-to-100kph time of 4.7 seconds. The WLTP-tested power consumption rate is 18.4kWh-19.6kWh per 100 kilometers, for a range of 590 to 625 kilometers — nothing to sneeze at. Its electronically limited top speed is 240kph.

The 7 receives another interpretation of BMW’s signature elements, it’s twin circular headlights and (sometimes controversial) kidney grille. In a speech, Mr. Nielsen said that the company wanted to give its specific lines a more distinct look. For instance, the aforementioned grille of the 7 no longer looks similar to the 5 Series.

The front fascia of the 7 Series comes as standard with Adaptive LED Headlights with High-beam Assistance. The lighting arrays are clearly divided into two areas: a slim strip of lights higher up collects the daytime driving lights, sidelights, and turn indicators; low-beam and high-beam headlights are in the dark lower units “chiseled deep into the front apron.”

On its side, the 7 Series, reports BMW, boasts “virtually flush-fitted side windows with invisible seals.” Long doors (with soft-close function) of the executive mover makes for easier ingress and egress for the rear passengers. To the rear, the 7 also reflects a divided surface structure, featuring thin LEDs.

Meanwhile, the i7, according to Mr. Yu, “not only fulfills (BMW Philippines’) promise of further stimulating the premium car segment by bringing more electrified options to the Philippines, it is also the most future-forward car BMW has ever made.”

Its version of the kidney grille dispenses with openings as it does not have an engine to cool, is fully enclosed to optimize airflow. It also sports the logo of the BMW i sub-brand. Telltale blue touches, like in the surrounds of the BMW emblem, further indicate its fully electric nature.

Along with a complement of digital accoutrements and tech showpieces, the 7 models debut the so-called BMW Interaction Bar “as a new breed of control/operation and design element.” Extending the width of the instrument panel and into the door panel trim, this crystalline surface structure with backlighting incorporates touch-sensitive control panels for adjusting the ventilation and climate control, activating the hazard lights, and opening the glove compartment.

The BMW i7 xDrive60 Pure Excellence BEV, priced at P10.39 million, tucks in a five-year BMW factory warranty, eight-year high-voltage battery warranty, and six-year BMW Service Inclusive warranty. For now, the model is made available at “authorized BMW i retailers,” namely RSA Motors Libis and RSA Motors Greenhills.

In an exclusive interview with this writer, Mr. Nielsen spoke about the lingering “issues when it comes to supplies such as semiconductors.” The global challenge, largely brought about by the pandemic and its deleterious effects, is something many industries are still grappling with.

“This is something we cannot rule out,” he continued. “We still have a waiting time for deliveries of the i7 in several markets — less so for the petrol version. But, in general, we’ve had a lot of success for the new 7 Series. We’re starting to get them right on time, as customers are obviously demanding it.”

The key, he said, is to stagger the model release. “We have a staggered rollout. We don’t roll out in a market, and have no supply. That makes very little sense. Spencer (Yu) can confirm that he has cars on the way.” Interestingly, the i7 has not launched in all markets under BMW Group Asia.

So why the Philippines?

“We already have electric vehicles in the Philippines, so we see that it’s working,” maintained the executive. “Number two, the Philippine government has stated that it wants this. There’s a way forward. This, we know from around the world, is a key component of ensuring success. No single brand is capable of building up a market like this; that doesn’t work. (Authorities have to be) hand-in-hand with the industry to make life as easy as possible for the customers.

“We’re seeing now, compared to Europe and certain parts of the US previously, the ramp-up pace in Southeast Asia is now running very fast. In Europe it took years; here we’re talking in some places about a year — getting legislation in place, building infrastructure. That’s very important in this context.”