Can electricity replace turbos?
02 Feb 2023
Sometimes it's the most unassuming of cars that deliver the greatest kick, the widest smiles. Case in point, my recent drive of BMW's frankly gargantuan and thoroughly updated X7 in Palm Springs. Clearly no poster child for agility, performance or lithe changes in direction, the X7 casts such a large shadow. Still, once the road opens up, I mash down on the throttle. I half expect a strong surge, followed by a long climb up the rev band. But what I get instead is rapid initial delivery of torque, followed by the surge and wail of one of the sweetest straight-six motors I've driven in a long time. Wow, BMW's new electrified turbo straight-six is special. And far from having a corrupting effect and spoiling things, the electric boost only adds to the overall driving pleasure. It's only 12hp, but it's the 200Nm that delivers the real kick. Torque from near-zero RPM; remember, this is the electric torque we are talking about. Can't wait to drive this engine once it's installed under the bonnet of the new M340i launching here soon; it should be epic.
