zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
The 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive Is BMW's Most Powerful EV Ever
The 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive Is BMW's Most Powerful EV Ever-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:17

Image for article titled The 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive Is BMW's Most Powerful EV Ever

on sale today, but it’s got one of the best interiors in the business, and now, according to an announcement made by BMW on Monday, it’s earned itself some performance chops, too, with the introduction of the 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive.

As usual, that name is a veritable cornucopia of alphanumerics, but what it means is that this particular comes packing a not-insubstantial 650 hp and up to 811 lb-ft of torque, which BMW claims is good for a 0-60 sprint of just 3.5 seconds. Is it Tesla Plaid or Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance quick? No, but it’s also not exactly slow either.

Rear three quarter view of the 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive in the fog next to a concrete structure

The downside of having is that unless you pack a crap ton of batteries into it, the range isn’t going to be stellar, and that’s the case here. Preliminary range estimates from the EPA peg the i7 M70's range at just 295 miles. Is it terrible? No. Is it plenty for 99 percent of people 99 percent of the time? Probably. Is it going to give some potential buyers pause? You bet your ass it is.

BMW claims that the rear drive unit in the M70 xDrive has a remarkable 25.5-percent increase in power density over the unit found in the i7 xDrive60 and that this is currently the most powerful electric motor in BMW’s arsenal. The increase in efficiency comes from a six-phase motor design with dual inverters. Most EV motors are three-phase, so doubling the number of phases in the motor’s windings allows for more oomph. That oomph is handy because the M70 xDrive features launch control.

Front view at night of the headlights and illuminated grille of the 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive

Other notable features include the latest and greatest version of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system, aka iDrive 8.5. This brings, among other things, navigation with charging-optimized route guidance as well as a new menu structure within iDrive. The new menus work with a function called Quick Select, which BMW says will make navigating the system easier.

Lastly, BMW is offering the M70 xDrive in a bunch of new BMW Individual paint schemes, including some “Frozen” matte finishes. The launch color scheme for this car is one of the BMW Individual options, and frankly, it rules. BMW calls it “BMW Individual Liquid Copper metallic for the lower section of the body and Saphire Black metallic for the upper section,” and it’s how we’d have ours.

BMW is making the official global debut of the i7 M70 xDrive at the Shanghai auto show, with plans for it to enter production in the second half of 2023. Pricing will be released closer to that on-sale date, but expect it to be a heaping helping more than the $120,295 starting price of the xDrive60 version and, because this bad boy is built in Germany, don’t expect federal tax subsidies either.

Side view of a 2024 BMW i7 M70 xDrive in front of a concrete structure

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $36,000, Will This Supercharged 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe Blow Away the Competition?
At $36,000, Will This Supercharged 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe Blow Away the Competition?
The ad for today’s BMW Z4 M Coupe presents the car as mechanically sound (and supercharged), but aesthetically challenged, suffering from hail damage. Let’s see if the divots also put a damper on the price. In certain societies, being stout is a declaration of affluence. The we looked at...
Jul 12, 2026
Nobody Likes Paying More Than Sticker Price, For Some Reason
Nobody Likes Paying More Than Sticker Price, For Some Reason
GfK is a market research firm that recently released new data showing that some 31 percent of new car buyers who paid more than sticker said they would tell others not to use their dealership, and that some 29 percent of buyers who bought over sticker said that they...
Jul 12, 2026
At $28,990, Will This ‘Phantom Black’ 2014 Audi S4 Stand a Ghost of a Chance?
At $28,990, Will This ‘Phantom Black’ 2014 Audi S4 Stand a Ghost of a Chance?
Today’s S4 comes in an interesting color combination of Phantom Black over a two-tone black and copper interior. That’s all well and good, but it’s what’s underneath the aesthetics that makes this Audi fun. Let’s see if its price tag ruins the party. Ford’s F-Series has topped the sales...
Jul 12, 2026
The 2024 BMW XM Label Red Is the Most Powerful Production BMW Ever With 738 HP
The 2024 BMW XM Label Red Is the Most Powerful Production BMW Ever With 738 HP
BMW’s flagship M performance vehicle is now an SUV, and while that may rankle more than a few people’s cankles, it’s just the world we live in. and offering up a pretty wild interior that marks a huge deviation from BMW’s typically spartan cockpits. Things are about to get...
Jul 12, 2026
At $10,000, Is This 1989 Ford F-150 4x4 a Square Deal?
At $10,000, Is This 1989 Ford F-150 4x4 a Square Deal?
Due to their simple, no-nonsense nature, old trucks like today’s Ford F-150 are still perfectly viable for everyday work and play. Let’s see how this nicely equipped long bed works when we consider its asking price. When it comes to precipitation, hail is the worst. I mean, Gene Kelly...
Jul 12, 2026
The 2024 Kia Seltos Starts at Just Over $26,000
The 2024 Kia Seltos Starts at Just Over $26,000
Unlike most automakers, is in a unique position. The brand still sells cars and crossovers that start under $30,000. There are nine in total. One of them, the , has gotten updated for the 2024 model year. Including a $1,325 destination charge, the updated ‘24 Kia Seltos starts at...
Jul 12, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved