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.