BMW 730i
About a month after the first reports
about BMW preparing an entry-level, four-cylinder gasoline version for their
new 7-Series sedan emerged, the Germans quietly launched their new 730i.
A report from Paultan said that the
model appeared on BMW’s consumer website in Turkey, but we also found it in
China. While BMW has been quiet about its availability, we suspect that it will
eventually be offered in other select markets around the world.
The new 730i’s 2.0-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder gasoline mill has an 82 mm bore and 94.6 mm stroke, which means
it’s based on the B48 family of engines found in a number of models in the BMW
Group, ranging from the MINI Cooper JCW to the latest BMW 225i and 330i in Europe,
as well as the upcoming 740e PHEV – sans the electric motor.
In this application, the four banger
delivers 258 PS between 5,000 and 6,500 rpm, and 400 Nm of
peak torque from 1,550 to 4,400 rpm, and is paired to a standard 8-speed automatic
transmission driving the rear wheels. It accelerates the 730i to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and the long wheelbase 730Li in 6.3 seconds, with both
versions topping out at 250 km/h.