BMW to launch the 7 Series ActiveHybrid in India on July 23

BMW has officially confirmed that 7 Series ActiveHybrid will be launched in the Indian market on July 23. The 7 Series ActiveHybrid is the first 7 Series car ever to be offered with a hybrid system. The car was unveiled globally at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and the car to be sold here will get the 2014 updates. 

The 7 Series ActiveHybrid is expected to be offered with a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine, which produces 320bhp and 450Nm of torque. This twin-turbocharged unit works in conjunction with an electric motor which on its own is good for 55hp and 210Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through the ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. 

This kind of power figures is enough to propel the car from a standstill to 100kmph in just 5.7 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 250kmph. In the European cycle, BMW claims that the 7 Series ActiveHybrid returns 14.7kmpl, which is just 2kmpl more than what the 740Li manages. 

Back in 2006, Honda was the first car manufacturer to sell a hybrid car in the Indian market. But, being a CBU, the Civic Hybrid failed to make a mark due to its high price tag and was eventually phased out in 2010. The Indian hybrid market is still in its nascent stage and the Toyota Prius and the Camry-hybrid are the only two hybrid cars you can currently buy. 

While the concept of selling hybrid cars in the lower end of the car market might not have been successful in India, positioning one in the luxury segment does make a lot of sense. We expect the 7 Series ActiveHybrid to be priced in the range of Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.8 crore which will slot it in between the 750Li and the V12-powered 760Li. According to the manufacturer’s plans for India, the 7 Series ActiveHybrid will be followed by the i8 supercar and the 2014 Mini range.