The mighty V12. It’s the staple ingredient of any supercar worth talking about, certainly within the last 30 years at least. The old saying ‘no replacement for displacement’ has lost its ring somewhat, as forced induction systems have become far more advanced, allowing smaller capacity engines to produce similar, if not more, power and torque. The BMW 760Li is the only V12 engine in the Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) stable, which is why the German manufacturer has decided a celebration is in order.
It was 1987 when BMW engineers joined two of company’s straight-six engines to a singe crankshaft, forming a 60 degree V12, which displaced 5.0-litres and mustered up 220 kW and 450 Nm of torque. The V12-powered 750iL E32 was followed shortly thereafter by the 850i sportscar, which housed the first example of a V12 engine being paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox on a road car. BMW has offered a V12 engine option on its flagship 7 Series sedan ever since.
So in honour of the 25-year milestone, BMW is launching the 760Li V-12 25th Anniversary Edition. The special edition 760Li retains the current 400 kW and 750 Nm V12 engine, which offers enough grunt to launch the limo from 0 – 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, with top speed limited to 250 km/h.
Exterior highlights include Citrine Black metallic paintwork and a set of custom designed 20-inch alloy wheels from BMW Individual.
Inside, the special 760Li is fitted with: Merino leather with a champagne and custom black piping; black floor mats and rear footrests, also with champagne piping; the door sills, headrests and iDrive controllers are all specially badged with V-12 25 Years Edition; rear-seat entertainment system with its own iDrive controller; Alcantara headliner; BMW Individual piano black wood; shadow gloss exterior trim.
The 760Li 25 Years Edition will be built to order and available in limited numbers. Just 15 have been reserved for the United States, making it one very special 7 Series. The 760Li 25 Years carries a price premium just shy of 14 percent over the standard 760Li.
