The 563-HP M760e Is BMW M's First Plug-In Hybrid
The top gas-powered version of the new 7 Series pairs a turbocharged inline-six with an electric motor.
There's a lot to talk about with the seventh-generation BMW 7 Series. It has controversial new styling with a huge kidney grille, updated hands-free driver-assist tech, a 31.1-inch rear-seat screen, lots of new luxury features and even a fully electric powertrain. But buried in the 69-page European press release is information about the M760e variant, the first plug-in-hybrid model to come from BMW's M performance division.
Instead of using the 760i's twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 as a starting point, the M760e has a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 375 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque on its own, the same unit that's found in the new 740i. Augmenting that engine is an 18.7-kWh battery pack and a 200-hp electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the eight-speed automatic transmission; BMW says the M760e's electric motor doesn't take up any more space than what's found in the mild-hybrid powerplants of the regular 7 Series.
The two-tone paint is optional.
Total output is 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft, making the M760e nearly as powerful as the old V12-powered M760i. BMW says the all-wheel-drive M760e will hit 62 mph in 4.3 seconds, equalling the 536-hp V8-powered 760i, and it'll hit a top speed of 155 mph. Electric-only range is 50 miles on the European WLTP cycle, and the M760e has stronger 7.4-kW charging capacity that lets the battery go from empty to a full charge in under 3 hours. The M760e also has a sportier suspension tune and an M Sport Boost mode that activates the powertrain's full output when you pull one of the paddles.
Styling differences are pretty minimal. The M760e gets the same M Sport kit that's available on the other 7 Series models, and it comes standard with 21-inch wheels. The one shown here has optional two-tone paint, which is a first for the 7 Series and is available on multiple versions of the new sedan. And the M760e's interior is just as swanky and interesting as the other models, adding a flat-bottomed steering wheel, available carbon-fiber trim, M-specific displays and other accents.
The new 7 Series' interior looks so nice.
If the M is a little too much for you, BMW will also offer a 750e plug-in hybrid. It uses the same engine and motor setup as the M760e but makes 483 hp and 516 lb-ft -- still 94 hp and 74 lb-ft up from the old 745e PHEV. The 750e is a few tenths slower to 62 mph, but it has a slightly longer range. And the M760e won't be the most powerful version of the 7 Series, either. That honor will go to the electric i7 M70 xDrive, which will have 650 horsepower.
BMW says the M760e and 750e plug-in hybrids will go on sale in Europe in early 2023, with the i7 M70 to follow later in the year. A BMW spokesperson told CNET the 750e will come to the US at some point in 2023, with no word on the M760e. And the M760e won't be M's only plug-in hybrid for long: The production version of the Concept XM will pack an electrified V8 with over 700 horsepower.
