2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: BMW Joins the Hybrid Ranks

STORY TOOLS
Digg this	del.icio.us

MUNICH, Germany — Not content with launching one of the most advanced passenger cars of all time, BMW has already prepared a hybrid version of its new fifth-generation 7 Series. The new upmarket sedan, revealed here officially for the first time, is set to make its first public appearance next week at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, alongside a concept car heralding the new X1 compact SUV. It is tentatively known as the 7 Series ActiveHybrid.

Details about the new hybrid are scarce, although BMW hints the new model won't go on sale until October 2009, some four months after Mercedes-Benz plans to place its new S400 BlueHybrid into showrooms around Europe.

The two cars were developed in a joint venture between BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Yet despite sharing common technology such as advanced lithium ion battery, the 7 Series ActiveHybrid and S400 BlueHybrid rely on different gasoline engines and gearboxes.

At the heart of the 7 Series ActiveHybrid is a newly developed drivetrain that combines BMW's twin turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine, delivering 407 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, with an AC electric motor capable of serving up 20 hp and 155 lb-ft.

BMW is holding back on performance claims until closer to the 7 Series ActiveHybrid's introduction. Based on outright acceleration, it would appear to have the better of the S400 BlueHybrid, which uses a less powerful 279-hp 3.5-liter V6. Officials also say it returns 15 percent better fuel consumption than the new 750i. As on the standard model, the 7 Series ActiveHybrid gets brake regeneration and stop/start systems.

Unlike Mercedes-Benz, which has packaged the S400 BlueHybrid's lithium-ion battery under the hood at the base of the windshield, BMW has chosen to place the 7 Series ActiveHybrid's similarly sized unit in a compartment under the trunk, in the place usually taken up by the 7 Series' lead-acid battery. This means there are no compromises in overall interior or trunk space.

While it is yet to be officially confirmed, BMW is planning to place the new hybrid system in the upcoming entry-level Rolls-Royce, which shares much of its mechanical architecture with the new 7 Series.

What this means to you: Europe has finally discovered the hybrid...but don't expect either car in North America for at least another 12 months, at the very earliest. — Andreas Stahl, Correspondent