BMW 7-series ActiveHybrid, i8 and 2015 Mini launch this year

BMW is planning to launch the 7-series ActiveHybrid L in India. The ActiveHybrid is a mild hybrid with a small electric motor supporting the V8 engine under the hood. Powering the 7-series ActiveHybrid is the 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine developing 466PS of power developed between 5,500rpm and 6,000rpm and a massive 706Nm of torque developed between 2,000-4,500rpm. This engine is mated to a 20PS electric motor and when used in unison, can propel the car to 100kph from standstill in just 4.9 seconds. A 120 volt lithium-ion battery pack powers the air-conditioning system so it can run even when the car is turned off and does don’t consume and fuel thus improving fuel economy.

Next up is the BMW i8 Hybrid supercar that will further boost BMW’s green image in India. The i8 will become the flagship product from the BMW stable and like the 7-series ActiveHybrid, it will be sold as a CBU. The i8 has been designed with countless hours of aerodynamic studies and the resultant design is a proof of its outcome. The i8 boasts of a incredibly low drag coefficient of 0.26 and is built of lightweight materials keeping in mind its eco-friendly credentials. The i8 has a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine sending 234PS of power to the rear wheels and a 96KW/136PS electric motor powering the front axle. It can do the 0-100kph sprint in just 4.4 seconds and returns close to 50kmpl in the EU driving cycle.

BMW will also refresh the Mini range in India with their 2015 products. This includes the Cooper, Cooper S and Countryman. The Mini isn’t so small anymore though. The new Cooper grows in size and is completely new despite their resemblance to the outgoing models. The new Cooper S gets a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine developing 191PS of power and 280Nm of torque.