i7's Boost Paddle

[DroMike]

In the USA, the 2023 i7 gets 536HP and will do 0-60MPH in 4.3 seconds. It can be purchased in one of two "designs":

1. "Luxury" with chrome exterior trim and a 2-spoke steering wheel; or

2. "M Sport" which provides a Shadowline exterior trim, and the M Sport 3-spoke steering with a (10-second countdown) "Booster" paddle.

I thought I read somewhere that pressing the Booster paddle in the "M Sport" design will avail oneself of "all the [horse]power" the i7 can give.

If I opt for the chrome "Luxury" design wouldn't I still get the 536 HP and 4.3 second 0-60MPH time should I simply floor it, even though I don't have the "Boost" paddle?

[DroMike]

Well, in lieu of any other answers, at least BARD weighed in from the below Q&A; so perhaps I'm all set. :-)

Q: Do I need the eDrive Boost Paddles to access all 536 HP from the 2023 BMW i7 luxury design?

A: No, you do not need the eDrive Boost Paddles to access all 536 horsepower from the 2023 BMW i7 luxury design. The eDrive Boost Paddles are a $1,950 option that allows you to temporarily increase the car's power output by up to 100 horsepower. This can be useful for passing or merging on the highway, but it is not necessary to access the car's full power.

If you do not want to spend the extra money on the eDrive Boost Paddles, you can still access all of the i7's power by putting the car in Sport mode and driving smoothly and gradually.

Here are some additional details about the eDrive Boost Paddles:

The paddles are located behind the steering wheel.
When you pull on a paddle, the car's power output increases by up to 100 horsepower for a short period of time.
The paddles can be used in any driving mode, but they are most effective in Sport mode.
The eDrive Boost Paddles are a nice option to have, but they are not essential for accessing the i7's full power.

[sward]

Does this mean that the car normally has around 436 horsepower or does the boost give a total of 636 horsepower?

[seans]

Originally Posted by DroMike

In the USA, the 2023 i7 gets 536HP and will do 0-60MPH in 4.3 seconds. It can be purchased in one of two "designs":

1. "Luxury" with chrome exterior trim and a 2-spoke steering wheel; or

2. "M Sport" which provides a Shadowline exterior trim, and the M Sport 3-spoke steering with a (10-second countdown) "Booster" paddle.

I thought I read somewhere that pressing the Booster paddle in the "M Sport" design will avail oneself of "all the [horse]power" the i7 can give.

If I opt for the chrome "Luxury" design wouldn't I still get the 536 HP and 4.3 second 0-60MPH time should I simply floor it, even though I don't have the "Boost" paddle?

Perhaps more accurately, the BOOST paddle seems to temporarily engage some variant of SPORT mode.
After pressing the paddle, a countdown starts, the car lowers, and the throttle response becomes quite sensitive as compared to Efficient mode.
A car without the paddle option will still get the same base power; you'll just need to change to SPORT mode either by voice or through a series of buttons and taps.

Originally Posted by sward

Does this mean that the car normally has around 436 horsepower or does the boost give a total of 636 horsepower?

Neither.
It's all just related to marketing and software changes to the **low end** throttle response. (see attached graphs)
The car is registered with a specification of 536HP. Full stop.
If anything, SPORT mode is ever-so-slightly detuned at the low end in comparison to BOOST mode.

You don't magically get more by pressing the paddle; you however get access to a more aggressively powerful acceleration at lower speeds. After about 65km/h (40mph), the acceleration between SPORT and the BOOST paddle modes are mathematically identical (see attached graphs).

In my experience with the x60, the paddle effectively serves as an "M" button you find in M-cars that instantly activates SPORT mode. Please see the acceleration curves released by BMW for the x60 and M70 below to help you understand how **little** the boost button affects performance when compared to SPORT mode: it's just a convenient way to invoke SPORT mode in anticipation of some "spirited" driving.

[DroMike]

Thanks for the explanation and chart, seans. I (the OP) only posted to discern whether or not people like me who prefer the chrome ("luxury") design as opposed to the blackout ("M Sport) design will ultimately not feel cheated if they merely want to ramp up to freeway speeds from a cloverleaf ramp or pass someone in a hurry.

While I admit that the power-boost paddle with the digital countdown is pretty sexy, you seem to indicate there will be no substantial difference if one is able to timely select the Sport mode.

Honestly, I just wish I could get the chrome/luxury model WITH the 3-spoke/power-boost steering wheel; best of both worlds to me!

[seans]

I fully agree. If there is a difference between SPORT mode and the BOOST paddle, I sincerely can't feel it.

Alas ... go with the chromed version

[DroMike]

Originally Posted by seans

I fully agree. If there is a difference between SPORT mode and the BOOST paddle, I sincerely can't feel it.

Alas ... go with the chromed version

OK, ya twisted my arm just the right amount! haha