Detroit 2010: BMW 740i Brings 7-Series to a Slightly More Affordable Level

BMW has officially unveiled a new entry-level version of its flagship 7 series sedan at the Detroit Auto Show. Priced from $71,025, it undercuts the current 750i by roughly $11,000 bringing the 7-Series into a slightly more affordable bracket.

Using BMW’s twin-turbo inline-six cylinder engine, the 740i (and extended-wheelbase 740Li) make 315-hp at 5800 rpm and 330 ft-lbs of torque from 1600-4500 rpm. That’s V8 power from a six-cylinder. No fuel-economy numbers have yet to be released, but expected the 740i to undercut the 750 by a considerable margin.

Both the BMW 740i and BMW 740Li will be available with all 7 Series options including the M Sport, driver assistance, luxury seating, rear entertainment and BMW Individual Composition packages. The 740Li is priced from $75,425.

The 740i and 740Li join the V8 750i/750Li and V12 760Li in BMW’s flagship line in North America.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 11, 2010 … As an exciting example of its EfficientDynamics engineering philosophy, BMW announced the North American debut of the 7 Series with a twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine. Featuring BMW’s award-winning inline-6 engine that produces V-8 power on six-cylinder fuel consumption, the new BMW 740i and BMW 740Li achieve a remarkable balance of power, efficiency, and sporty driving dynamics. Both models will go on sale in the United States as 2011 models in Spring 2010. The M.S.R.P. of the 740i is $71,025 and the long wheelbase 740Li will retail for $75,425 (prices Include $875 Destination and Handling charge).

In 1977, the original BMW 7 Series was launched exclusively with inline-6 propulsion. The United States first met the BMW 7 Series in the 1978 model year as the 733i Sedan. The 733i featured a 3.2-liter inline-6 engine rated at 197 horsepower. The 733i remained on sale in America until it was replaced in 1985 by the BMW 735i Sedan. The 735i, which featured an updated inline-6 engine producing 218 horsepower from 3.4 liters, enjoyed a production run that lasted through the end of the 1992 model year. The 735i was joined by the extended-wheelbase 735iL in May of 1988.

A keystone of BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy is “virtual displacement,” the notion that BMW’s modern engines of smaller displacement can equal or exceed the outputs of traditional engines of larger displacement and more cylinders. This principle is already seen in the BMW 750i model, which features a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine performing at the level of BMW’s previous-generation V12 engine. Virtual displacement provides the power of a larger engine with the fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions signature of a smaller engine. The 2011 BMW 740i and 740Li feature BMW’s internationally acclaimed twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine with up-rated output of 315 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 330 lb-ft of torque from 1600-4500 rpm. All-aluminum construction, High Precision direct fuel injection, Double-VANOS variable camshaft technology, and Brake Energy Regeneration are a few of the technologies used under the BMW EfficientDynamics philosophy to place the 740i and 740Li among the most powerful six-cylinder luxury sedans in the world. Delivering power to the rear wheels is BMW’s 6-speed automatic transmission, well-known for fast, smooth gearshifts and an ability to intelligently adapt to the driver’s style.

Both models will be available with the full complement of well-known 7 Series options and packages, including the M Sport Package, Driver Assistance Package, Luxury Seating Packages, Rear Entertainment Package, and even the BMW Individual Composition Package.