Confirming a recent rumor, BMW has introduced an entry-level version of the 7 Series powered by a four-cylinder engine in China and in Turkey.
Called 730i, the sedan is fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo four that’s also found under the hood of the 225i and the MINI John Cooper Works. It has been tuned to generate 258 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque, and it’s bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The four-cylinder sends the short-wheelbase 730i from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds when it spins the rear wheels. Selecting all-wheel drive and a long-wheelbase body lowers the zero-to-62 time to 6.3 seconds, which is a fairly respectable statistic when the sedan’s size and weight are taken into account. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Fuel economy checks in at over 40 mpg.
The 730i is evidently not as well equipped as a range-topping 7, but that doesn’t mean it’s a stripped-down, bare-bones machine; don’t look for steel wheels and black bumpers. BMW is mainly bringing it to the market so that private buyers and fleet operators can circumvent the stiff tariffs that authorities in China and in Turkey slap on passenger cars powered by large-displacement engines.
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 small engine is low at best.
Note: BMW 750i pictured. Photos by Drew Johnson.
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