BMW goes big with 12 cylinders of fury
The 2017 BMW M760Li packs a plethora of power under the hood with plenty of tech on the inside.
BMW recently launched the new 7 series and now we get to see the M760Li xDrive here at the Geneva Motor Show. This luxury sedan sports a whopping 6.6-liter 12 cylinder engine, good for 610 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.
Under all that plastic lurks a beast of an engine.
The idea of M badging can get a little nebulous at times. While this certainly is more M than your standard 7 series, you still need the optional M driver's package to electronically limit speed to 189 mph instead of the 155 mph on the base model. Hopefully this is a precursor to a full M version of the 7 series.
The M760Li has BMW's new gesture control system, which can control volume and accept or reject phone calls. You can also customize a specific gesture to a specific function in the iDrive infotainment system. New for this model is wireless charging.
xDrive favors the rear tires in normal driving situations, but will distribute the power to all four wheels as the driving situation requires. Huge 19-inch brakes with painted blue calipers hide behind the 20-inch M light alloy wheels. Rear steering is standard.
Larger air intakes, all the better to spin that turbo.
There are some visual cues to the M-ness of the 760Li. Larger air intakes in the front fascia, galvanised cerium gray-colored trim and twin tailpipes are all clues to the exclusivity of this model. And of course it's badged within an inch of its life, with M logos on the side, wheels and steering wheel, and V-12 badges on the C-pillars, iDrive controller, rear center armrest and illuminated in the door sills.
If you want to fly under the radar, you can delete all the special badging and M aerodynamic package at no cost. Dubbed the M760Li Excellence, it substitutes chrome for the gray trim and a less aggressive exhaust note.
No word yet on pricing or availability, but expect the BMW M760Li to cost a pretty penny indeed.