It started at 4 a.m
This time it should go from the British to the Spanish capital, as sparingly as possible. To avoid London’s rush hour traffic, Achilles and his passenger left at 4am for the Eurotunnel to catch the train to France.
The latest generation of the BMW 7 Series will also be available as an electric i7 for the first time.
In-line six-cylinder diesel with 265 hp
Achilles’ 730d is a pre-facelift model that he says he bought used for less than €30,000. The Briton was particularly taken with the engine: the three-liter in-line six-cylinder diesel with the abbreviation B57 initially delivered 265 hp and 620 Nm of torque (later 286 hp and 650 Nm) in the 7-series, which are delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW specifies the consumption as 4.5 to 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers.
Far too much to get from London to Madrid on one tankful. Before leaving, the BMW’s 78-litre tank was filled to the brim with diesel. According to Achilles’ calculations, they had to achieve an average consumption of just 3.67 liters per 100 kilometers (64.1 mpg) to get to Madrid without refueling (including buffer).
The BMW was not specially prepared
The entire route was completed in “Eco Pro Individual” driving mode and a speed limiter was set at 100 km/h. Then it was important to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration and to drive as smoothly as possible.
At its peak, the 7 Series consumed just 3.49 liters/100 km
On the route across France at a maximum of 100 km/h, consumption continued to tumble. First to 3.92 liters per 100 kilometers (60 mpg), and at peak times the 7 Series, which weighs around two tons, consumed just 3.49 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (67.4 mpg). While the driver and front passenger needed a break to recharge their batteries, the BMW drove on stoically.
In the end, the 7 Series had a remaining range of over 150 km
After a 22.5-hour drive, Achilles and his passenger reached Madrid at 3:30 a.m. (Spanish time). The trip meter read 1026.5 miles, which corresponds to 1652 kilometers. Mission London-Madrid with one tank: successful!
E-car: Top 5 ranges according to WLTP
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Mercedes EQS (WLTP range up to 785 km) |
RRP from EUR 107,327, savings: up to EUR 6,235 |
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Tesla Model S Long Range (WLTP range up to 663 km) |
RRP from EUR 101,990.00 |
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BMW iX (WLTP range up to 630 km) |
RRP from EUR 77,300, savings: up to EUR 13,386 |
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Ford Mustang Mach-E (WLTP range up to 610 km) |
RRP from EUR 56,500, savings: up to EUR 10,291 |
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BMW i4 (WLTP range up to 591 km) |
RRP from EUR 59,200, savings: up to EUR 12,090 |
What is even more impressive is that the 730d did not reach the Spanish capital with the last drop of diesel, but even showed a remaining range of around 155 kilometers (96 miles). Theoretically, even 1800 kilometers would have been possible with just one tank filling.
