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2014 BMW 740Ld xDrive does diesel in a big way

Slowly but surely, BMW is expanding its lineup of diesel-powered models here in the United States. In addition to the 328d sedan and wagon, 535d sedan and X5 xDrive35d crossover, we now have this, the BMW 740Ld xDrive (not to mention the refreshed 2015 X3 xDrive28d that also makes its debut here in Chicago). As its name - and the photos above - suggest, this means BMW is offering diesel power in its flagship, long-wheelbase 7 Series sedan, set to directly compete with the likes of the excellent Audi A8 TDI.
Under the hood is BMW's familiar 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline-six, delivering 255 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, all of which is sent to the road via the company's xDrive all-wheel-drive system and ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. That torque thrust is available straight away from 1,500 rpm, and BMW says the 740Ld xDrive will sprint to 60 miles per hour in a very respectable 6.1 seconds. Official fuel economy estimates haven't been released yet, but we expect the car to net highway fuel economy ratings in the mid-30 range.
The 740Ld xDrive arrives in BMW showrooms this spring, priced from $82,500, not including $925 for destination. We're pretty stoked to drive it. But in the meantime, have a look at fresh images of the big sedan live from the Chicago Auto Show, above.

Recharge Wrap-up: EVSR returns to Mt. Washington, China Mulls $16 Billion For EV Charging

Foxconn and electric carmaker BAIC are partnering to provide an electric car rental service in China. Slated to kick off next month in Beijing, Hangzhou and Jiangsu province, the company, called Henyu, will offer the EV rentals by the hour. Henyu hopes to offer 5,000, to 10,000 electric rental cars within a year, and wants to become the largest EV rental group in China. The company will also deploy BAIC's E150EV to ten cities for rental outside of Beijing. Read more at Want China Times. Hoping to convince more people to make the switch to electric cars, China is considering investing $16 billion to install charging facilities. Anonymous sources have said that an announcement about the program will be made soon. China has already announced and implemented various measures, such as incentives and tax breaks, to encourage more people to drive emissions free and improve urban air quality. China aims to have 30 percent of its government vehicle purchases be EVs by 2016, with higher targets after that. There's more from Bloomberg. BMW is launching a campaign to highlight technology features from the i8 to be used in other BMW vehicles. Called BMW Innovations, the program will include television ads showing how the i8's full-color heads-up display, LED headlight technology and Surround View Camera System are making their way into cars such as the 3 Series, 5 Series and X3, respectively. BMW Innovations also includes digital and social media campaigns, as well as hands-on technology presentations at dealerships. See the new ads below, and learn more in the press release. EVSR is set to return to Mt. Washington for the Alternate Energy Summit. It is the team's first time back since EVSR set the electric vehicle record at the Climb to the Clouds hill climb earlier this year. EVSR will run the cars up the hill again, and it will hold a workshop about electric racing, called "Redefining Motorsports - A How-To Guide for Creating a Revolution in Speed." The Alternative Energy Summit takes place on September 13 and 14 as part of National Drive Electric Week, and is free to the public. Read more in the press release, below. BMW Debuts BMW Innovations Campaign Showcasing Key Technology Features. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – August 27, 2014... BMW of North America will introduce a new campaign, BMW Innovations, which will highlight how the range of BMW vehicles share several key technology features with the visionary BMW i8, a plug-in hybrid high-performance vehicle.

2016 BMW 7 Series spied for the first time ever

Ladies and gentlemen, Bimmerphiles and automotive voyeurs of all stripes: here is your next-generation BMW 7 Series. Captured in photographs for the first time ever while doing a spot of cold-weather testing in Sweden, this newly slim 7er will most likely debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015 and launch in the 2016 model year.
Sources indicate that BMW is targeting a much lighter curb weight for the 7 Series, and will use learnings gained with the i3 and i8 development to add carbon fiber-reinforced plastics in the construction. In return we'd expect the new model - which uses the internal model designation "G11" - to offer improvements in handling, acceleration and fuel economy. As with the current 7 Series lineup, expect the engine range to include turbocharged inline-six engines, one or more V8s and a V12 option.
It's fair to say that, with the car's debut still years down the road, that BMW will work to launch with an impressive suite of in-car technology, too. A completely new version of iDrive shouldn't be ruled out. These shots mark the beginning of a long journey to 2015, and we expect to have loads more information to share in the coming months and years, so stay tuned.