BMW will soon kill the V12 engine.
BMW is offering a small three-cylinder engine to power its 1 Series compact hatchback. The M760Li’s twin-turbo, 6.6-liter V12 seems like a dinosaur in today’s downsizing trend. Mercedes-AMG is removing its twelve-cylinder engine (although the engine will continue to be available in Maybach models), while Audi will do the same with the new-gen W12. BMW’s Group Chief Technology Officer Klaus Froelich recently stated that the V12 is no longer available because it is too costly to upgrade to comply with stricter emission regulations.
As the BMW Group does not sell many V12s, approximately 5,000 cars, including Rolls-Royces, are ordered each year with the 6.6-liter. The prohibitive price tag of the M760i in the United States is the main reason for low sales. It costs $157,700. In the United States, the base 7 Series cost $86,450 740i. The gap between the entry-level 7er model and the flagship 7er is even wider in Germany’s domestic market. The 730d starts at EUR88,400, while the top-of-the-line 740i starts at EUR174,000.
It is an engineering marvel, offering a wealth of power through nearly all rpm and speeds exceeding 186 mph (300 km/h). Video of a newly-restored M760i long-wheelbase being tested in acceleration tests on an unrestricted section the Autobahn, where the V12 is legal to run its course.
It can go from 0 to 60 mph (100 km/h) in 3.91 seconds, and from 0 to 120 mph (0-200 km/h) within 13.54 seconds. This is remarkable considering the weight and size of the luxobarge. It pulls like a train, even in the last gear, is why BMW will be unable to replace the V12.
Although fuel economy is not an issue for anyone interested in purchasing this car, it is still fascinating to see how the digital cluster displays the distance dropped by 1 km every few seconds. Although the V12 is very thirsty, a full-size luxury sedan is able to cover the quarter mile in just 11.90 seconds, it is no longer a problem.