So far, the 2019 BMW 7 Series facelift was almost always seen with a long wheelbase, but at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, we finally had a look at the “short” BMW G11 7 Series LCI. With a wheelbase of 3.07 meters and a total length of 5.12 meters, the short wheelbase 7 Series is far from being “short”, despite the long wheelbase being 14 centimeters longer.

According to BMW, most customers in Europe opt for the short wheelbase, around 85 percent of them. In other markets, the demand is completely different, which is why the shorter wheelbase in the US and China is no longer offered.

The vehicle at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show not only shows the 7 Series Facelift in the shorter base, but also with an interesting drivetrain and the M Sport Package. The new plug-in hybrid system now includes an in-line 6-cylinder petrol engine that has been adapted on a model-specific basis to produce a peak output of 210 kW/286 hp.

An electric motor with a rated output of 83 kW/113 hp and a rated torque of 265 Nm is paired with the combustion engine. When the driving experience switch is set to SPORT mode, an overall system output of 290 kW/394 hp is available and a maximum system torque of 600 Nm.

Depending on the equipment, the BMW 745e 2019 offers an electric range of 54 to 58 kilometers. The US EPA rating will be available at a later date.

Despite the complex drive, the DIN 745e’s curb weight is just below the two-ton mark, with the plug-in hybrid profiting from the lightweight carbon-fiber body of the 7 Series. A glance at the lightest variant of the BMW 7 Series G11 LCI shows that the additional electric drive is noticeable in terms of weight: the 730d is a full 170 kilograms lighter than the 745e.

The new BMW 745e accelerates in 5.2 seconds from zero to 100 km/h, while the new BMW 745Le takes 5.3 seconds. Meanwhile the new BMW 745Le xDrive reaches the 100 km/h mark from standing in 5.1 seconds. The maximum speed for all three models is electronically cut off at 250 km/h.

The new high-voltage battery for the plug-in hybrid models of the BMW 7 Series now has a gross energy content that has been increased to 12.0 kWh.  In HYBRID mode, the new BMW 745e, the new BMW 745Le and the new BMW 745Le xDrive can travel at a speed of up to 110 km/h – 20 km/h faster than the predecessor models – in purely electric mode. In ELECTRIC mode, the power of the electric motor alone is even sufficient to reach a speed of 140 km/h.

The U.S. is the largest global market for the 7 Series PHEV sedan which will go on sale in April 2019.

 

[Photos: Bimmertoday]