[Auto] 650-HP 2024 BMW i7 M70 Is a Swanky Luxobarge That Is BMW's Most Powerful EV

[SH3LBONA @ CSBD]

 

650-HP 2024 BMW i7 M70 Is a Swanky Luxobarge That Is BMW's Most Powerful EV
 

• The 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive is a new range topper for the automaker's electric lineup, with two electric motors cranking out 650 horsepower.
• The M70 features black trim on the exterior and can be decked out in flashy two-tone paint.
• The launch control setting boosts torque to a peak 811 pound-feet, helping this opulent behemoth leap to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, according to BMW.

BMW's electric lineup has a new top dog. The 2024 i7 M70 xDrive, debuting at the Shanghai auto show, will become BMW's most powerful EV when it launches in the second half of this year. The luxury sedan's two electric motors combine for 650 horsepower, superseding the 536-hp i40 M50—which BMW says is the M division's global best-seller—and 610-hp iX M60. The M-specific 483-hp rear unit will also become BMW's most powerful electric motor.

The M70's peak torque output of 811 pound-feet is available only in the launch control setting or when using the M Sport Boost function. BMW claims the M70 can rocket to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, making it the automaker's quickest EV. Drivers will have to make do with a still ludicrous 748 pound-feet of torque in Sport mode, and top speed is governed to 155 mph.

The chassis has been tuned by the M division, with the high-performance i7 riding on M-specific adaptive air suspension with electronically controlled dampers. The body has been stiffened, while rear-wheel steering and active roll stabilization should help the large sedan feel relatively nimble. The four-piston fixed-caliper front brakes and single-piston floating-caliper rear brakes are painted blue and adorned with an M logo, or they can be colored black with an optional package. The M70 rides on unique 21-inch wheels, but they can be swapped out for 20-inch wheels shod in performance tires.