MUNICH, Germany — BMW North America said the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will begin arriving at U.S. dealers late this year, while the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 won't hit the American market until next spring. The production versions of both models will be publicly unveiled next month at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.
Both models feature a two-mode hybrid system that combines a gasoline engine with a pair of electric motors. But the ActiveHybrid X6 crossover has some important differences from the ActiveHybrid 7 sedan.
The ActiveHybrid X6 bundles a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, rated at 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, with two synchronous electric motors, rated at 91 hp and 86 hp, respectively. Maximum combined output is 480 hp and peak torque is 575 lb-ft — figures which BMW says make the ActiveHybrid X6 "the most powerful hybrid vehicle in the world."
The ActiveHybrid X6 is fitted with a seven-speed automatic transmission and BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The vehicle can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 130 mph. BMW claims a 20 percent improvement in average fuel economy, and says the vehicle can run on pure electric power up to 37 mph. Energy is stored in a nickel-metal hydride battery pack.
The ActiveHybrid 7 sedan will be marketed in the U.S., beginning next spring, in standard and long-wheelbase variants.
The ActiveHybrid 7 gets a version of the twin-turbo 4.4 V8 rated at 440 hp and 475 lb-ft, mated to a single synchronous electric motor rated at 20 hp, providing a combined output of 455 hp and 516 lb-ft. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery pack.
BMW says 0-to-60-mph acceleration takes 4.8 seconds, with a 15 percent improvement in average fuel economy. The ActiveHybrid 7 also will feature an automatic stop-start system to help reduce fuel consumption. Top speed is electronically limited to 150 mph.
Inside Line says: The BMW hybrids have been a long time coming, but the initial specs look pretty impressive, at least on paper. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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