A new report indicates BMW’s Chinese division is preparing to launch an entry-level version of the long-wheelbase 7 Series powered by a four-cylinder engine.
Malaysian website PaulTan reports the base 7 — which will be dubbed 730Li — will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine called B48 internally. Borrowed from the 3 Series, the turbo four will send approximately 252 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy and performance figures weren’t leaked.
The 730Li won’t be as well-equipped as a V12-powered 760Li, but that doesn’t mean it will be a stripped-down, bare-bones machine. BMW is mainly bringing it to the market so that private buyers and fleet operators can circumvent the stiff tariffs that the Chinese authorities slap on passenger cars powered by large-displacement engines.
BMW hasn’t revealed whether or not it’s preparing to introduce the first-ever four-cylinder-powered 7. If the rumor turns out to be true, the 730Li will be presented to the public in March of 2016 and it will go on sale across China shortly after. It’s not too far-fetched to speculate the downsized 7 won’t be offered in Europe and in the United States, where demand for a large sedan powered by a relatively small engine is low at best.
Note: Short-wheelbase 750i pictured. Photos by Drew Johnson.
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