2009 BMW 7-Series

With the new 2009 BMW 7-series comes another option for the privileged few. BMW will offer all-wheel-drive on the luxury sedan starting in late 2009.

BMW has been doing final cold-weather testing of its all-wheel-drive 750i prototype in Rovaniemi, Finland. In late 2009, the option should become available to the public as an ‘xDrive’ version of the 750. This marks the first time all-wheel-drive will be offered on BMW’s flagship sedan. It should be a welcome addition to those in the north tired of driving Audi A8s and Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matics.

The xDrive system offered will feature the same technology as the xDrive system on the X6. That system allows torque to be distributed electronically to each wheel, there is an added feature, however, on the 7-series. The 7-series will get hill descent control for traveling down those treacherous snowy mountain passes. The 2009 BMW 750 with xDrive will be the first sedan in its class to offer this feature.

Expect to pay for ordering xDrive. The option will cost somewhere between $3500 and $4000 when it debuts. Impressively, it only adds 110 lbs to the vehicles already hefty 5700 lb curb weight. BMW also claims fuel economy does not suffer too badly with xDrive added.