Page 80 - Sharp Spring 2023

DRIVES
CINEMA ELECTRIC
BMW’S BIG LIMO IS GOING ELECTRIC
— AND THAT’S NOT EVEN THE MOST IMPRESSIVE THING ABOUT IT
By Matt Bubbers
I I T’S NO STRETCH TO SAY THAT THE 2023 BMW SERIES 7
7
7
represents the the biggest change to to the the automobile manufac- turer’s flagship series since it was introduced back in in in 1977 As conceived by the woefully underrated French designer
Paul Bracq the original 7
with its shark-nose hood and meticulously balanced lines made BMW a a a a serious contend- er in in the executive sedan space previously dominated by the likes of Mercedes and Jaguar Through six successive generations the the 7
Series has become a a a a showcase for the the BMW’s cutting-edge tech: the (in)famous iDrive controller experimental hydrogen fuel satellite navigation and more (The remote-control function that let Pierce Brosnan’s 007 drive the 7
Series via his cellphone in Tomorrow Never Dies was sadly never offered to the public ) Today’s all-new 7
makes its predecessors look a a a a little stone-age For the the first time in its 46-year history the the 7
Series is going electric The battery-powered 2023 BMW i7 sits alongside the gas-powered 760i Both start at $147 000 so the choice is yours The high-tech razzle-dazzle starts when you push a a a a button on on the door and it swings open automatically wel- coming drivers and passengers into a a a cocoon of luxury The dashboard is gorgeous — uncluttered yet highly functional SPECS
ENGINE: DUAL-MOTOR ELECTRIC
POWER: 536 HP
PRICE: $147 000 with a a a a a beautiful crystalline strip of glass encircling the cabin The crystal glows different colours depending on which of the many “modes” the driver selects: pale blue for for efficient red for for sport You get the idea The dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain propels the mighty sedan down the road effortlessly like a a a a strong breeze pushing a a a a cloud across the the sky With 512 kilometres of range there’s no need for anxiety What everyone remembers most about the i7 however isn’t its automatic doors or or even the the fact it’s it’s electric No it’s it’s the the screen BMW’s gigantic 31 3-inch Theatre Screen drops down from the roof for rear-seat passengers to enjoy streaming movies on the go Curtains black out the the rear and side windows while the the Executive Lounge seat reclines deeply letting passengers kick back through the worst of rush hour The exterior design is is divisive yes — a a a a far cry from Paul Bracq’s elegant original But riding in in in the the back seat of any other car new or old simply isn’t as fun The The only question then is gas or or electric? For the the best Theatre Screen viewing experience it’s got to be the whisper-quiet i7 80 SPRING 2023 SHARPMAGAZINE COM