BMW 7 Series 740e iPerformance - prices and specs revealed

BMW has revealed the prices, specifications and further powertrain details for the 740e and 740Le xDrive hybrid models. 

The standard-wheelbase version of the luxury hybrid starts at £68,330 and rises to £74,880 for the long-wheelbase, all-wheel-drive variant. 

Standard kit includes LED headlights, gesture control for BMW's iDrive system, high-end ConnectedDrive navigation system and inductive smartphone charging. Among the options are ventilation and massage systems for the seats, the 'Ambient Air' interior scent package and an upmarket Bowers & Wilkins Diamond sound system. The car also gets special graphics in its instrument cluster.

The new hybrid 7 Series, which made its debut at the Geneva motor show earlier this year, is marked out by its eDrive badges on the rear pillars and BMW i logo on the front side panels, as well as the charging port for the battery in the front near-side wing.

Dubbed the 740e iPerformance, the plug-in hybrid features the same drivetrain as the already launched X5 xDrive40e, mating a 254bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, giving combined peak outputs of 322bhp and 369lb ft. The official combined economy figure is 134.5mpg, with CO2 emissions of 49g/km.

The 740e will be available in both standard and long-wheelbase forms and also as an all-wheel drive xDrive variant. In this form, the 740e returns a claimed 117.7mpg and emits 54g/km of CO2. All models get an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard as well as automatically self-levelling two-axle air suspension and Dynamic Damper Control. BMW's Integral Active Steering four-wheel steering system is available as an option.

The 740e iPerformance can travel up to 25 miles on electric power alone (dropping to 23 miles in the xDrive version) and sprint to 62mph in 5.4sec - the long-wheelbase xDrive version is 0.1sec faster.