The BMW Group is still selling V12-powered cars, but you’ll have to step up to a Rolls-Royce. Should you want the BMW roundel instead of the Spirit of Ecstasy, you’ll have to go back a generation into the 7 Series lineage and get an M760i. This isn’t it, but rather its predecessor, the 760i. Specifically, it’s a long-wheelbase (F02) with the mighty 6.0-liter engine featuring a pair of turbochargers.
The sporty luxobarge was taken to an unrestricted section of the Autobahn where it was subjected to several acceleration tests. If there’s one BMW model built to devour the German highway at high speeds without breaking a sweat and in ultimate comfort, it’s certainly a V12 7 Series. Fans have criticized the company for its decision to skip an M7, but seeing this video, was it really necessary?
With the N74 engine making a generous 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) from just 1,500 rpm, the 760i feels like it has endless resources. Onboard footage shows the fullsize luxury sedan picking up speed in an impressive manner while providing a more than decent soundtrack. In-gear acceleration shows there is no replacement for displacement unless we’re talking EVs with their instant torque delivery an ICE will never match.
The video is also a good opportunity to see how well the fifth-generation 7 Series’ cabin has aged as the dashboard still looks classy, 15 years since the F01/F02 originally went on sale. BMW has moved away from integrating screens into the dashboard, while the days of conventional buttons and knobs are numbered.
Overall, the video is a trip down memory lane to the days when V12 engines were not an endangered species. It’s all about increasingly stricter emissions regulations nowadays, hence why BMW’s larger engines are living on borrowed time. Indeed, you can’t even get a V8 in Europe on the 7 Series anymore while the next 5 Series will only have a V8 in the M5 because the M550i is going away.
Source: AutoTopNL / YouTube
