In December last year we tested BMW’s 730d. At the time we said “The BMW 730d is a luxury saloon that serenaded its way into our hearts in 2009 – a position from which it may be difficult to unseat”. So, greeted with the prospect of getting to know the range topping V12-powered 760Li, we were intrigued as to whether its additional accommodation, power and price would make it proportionally better.

At a glance, the most obvious change defining the 760Li BMW is its elongated profile, thanks to the longer rear doors, as well as a redesigned roofline and C-pillar. With a wheelbase extended by 140 mm to 3 210 mm, it’s the longest in its class and the resulting space is to the exclusive benefit of the rear passengers.

Other exterior highlights on the 760Li are subtle, but enough to let passersby know it’s a very special car, especially when wearing the pearlescent Alpine White paintwork of our test car. From the side, there are chrome-plated ‘gills’, with integrated indicator light and ‘V12′ insignia, between the front side panel and front passenger doors, along with 19-inch wheels as standard (20-inch wheels are an available option). From the rear, the range topping 7 has an extra chrome strip spanning the gap between the quad-exhaust tailpipes, which are integrated, flush, into the rear air dam on either side.

It’s the interior, however, where the 760Li excels. BMW use superlatives such as: luxurious; harmony; elegant; exclusive; and stylish, to describe their halo saloon. Yes, the grandest 7 of them all is all of these. The build quality is second to none – although we were puzzled by the centre armrest in the rear that wouldn’t fold away – and the tactile elements only add to the cabin’s top class ambiance.

The 760Li sets itself apart from the moment you open the door with stainless-steel door strips and their illuminated V12 emblem. Burr walnut inlays are set amongst nappa leather finishes that feature meticulous double stitched seams. The roof lining and sun visors are covered in alcantara.

Interior space is generous to say the least and the rear legroom is enough to accommodate the sexiest tallest of super models, while shoulder room is ample for the healthiest of politicians or corporate execs. The rear ‘comfort seats’ are independently adjustable and feature ventilation and heating. To shield rear passengers from the sun, or maybe the paparazzi, electrically operated blinds are fitted to the rear window and passenger side windows. The rear seats in our test car were also fitted with the optional massage function in the backrest, one of the few features not standard on the 760Li.

Packed with a features list as long as the car itself, a few of the features that really stand out are those which you seldom find on other cars. BMW’s Night Vision uses a thermal imaging camera to improve visibility and safety at night. The system also has pedestrian recognition that will alert the driver to a potential accident by analysing the behaviour of the approaching individual. Not exclusive to the 760Li, and not very common in other cars, yet, is the head-up display that conveniently shows speed and navigation information in the driver’s line of sight. Active Cruise Control with Stop/Go function also makes life easier during highway driving. The cruise control system monitors and maintains the following distance between the car in front and, if necessary, will automatically apply the brakes and come to a complete stop. The iDrive infotainment system features a television and each passenger in the rear also has their own 9.2-inch colour monitor through which they can access all multimedia functions via a shared iDrive controller located within the rear armrest. The rear armrest also houses a GSM cordless telephone.

Luxuriously appointed and spec’d then, a 760Li will typically spend most of its working life ferrying presidents, dignitaries and those who enjoy life’s finer things.

It’ll come as no surprise then to hear that the 760Li offers a ride as smooth as the leather its occupants rest on. BMW’s Dynamic Damping Control and Dynamic Drive Control offers excellent comfort and a surprising amount of agility for a 5.21 meter long car that weighs 2.2 tonnes – just watch The Stig. Key ingredients of the big 7′s smooth ride are the self-levelling rear air suspension and the Integral Active Steering that controls adjustment of the steering angle on the rear wheels according to the car’s speed. All but the harshest road imperfections are ironed out and the longer wheelbase is hardly noticeable thanks to the 12.7 meter turning circle, just 0.75 meters more than the new 5 Series, which is 320 mm shorter.

The 760Li’s pièce de résistance is however, its 6,0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine. Developed as a completely new engine from the ground up, the V12 produces peak power of 400 kW at 5 250 r/min. Just as importantly though is the maximum torque of 750 N.m from just 1 500 r/min. Combined with BMW’s first 8-speed automatic transmission, the V12 offers acceleration to rival the 0 – 100 km/h sprint times of BMW’s M5 and M3 models – 760Li is 4.6 seconds, M5 is 4.7 secs and M3 is 4.8 secs. But, while the 760Li is very rapid at any point within the rev-range, it showcases its talent like an olympic athlete in an Armani suit and as a result, its passengers will never break a sweat.

Unlike the BMW X5 M we tested recently, the 760Li’s V12 is surprisingly frugal, with a claimed combined consumption figure of 13 l/100km. Not that fuel economy would be of concern to the typical 760 buyer, but our real world average of 15.2 l/100km seems good, relative to the car’s performance and weight.

Svelte and sophisticated, the BMW 760Li is a car that delivers opulence reserved for a privileged few and is best enjoyed with a chauffeur at the helm. True grace and pace.

What We Like….

• The power.
• The luxury.
• The refined ride.

What We Would Like…

• A chauffeur as standard.
• A function to automatically and remotely close the boot, the same way in which it can be opened.
• Adjustable side bolsters on the rear seats for more lateral support.

Plato, the famous Greek philosopher, once said “The excessive increase of anything causes a reaction in the opposite direction”. The BMW X5 M wasn’t around in 400 B.C., but if it was, it surely would have been the muse upon which Plato would have based his quote.

In fact, in order to make sense of the BMW X5 M one has to take a philosophical approach to it.

The BMW X5 M is unquestionably excessive. An aggressively styled front bumper and bodykit, enormous 20-inch wheels and the most powerful engine currently in BMW’s range, give the X5 M its head turning presence. Interesting then that this can all be summed up in one compact symbol, ‘M’ – hmm, maybe Plato was onto something. BMW’s range-topping Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) is 4.8 meters long, 2.1 meters wide and 1.9 meters high. Thankfully then, it comes with park distance control and a reversing camera, complete with a bird’s eye view function, because every parking spot suddenly looks anorexic when piloting this behemoth.

The interior is typical BMW – minimalist in its design and precise in its execution. The only hints that you are piloting one of the most powerful BMW’s ever produced, are the subtle ‘M’ badges on the gear selector, at the base of the steering wheel and within the rev counter on the dashboard. Oh yes, and that tiny ‘M’ button on the steering wheel, which is responsible for ‘popping the cork’ on the V8 every time you activate it. The interior also features carbon fibre inserts on the doors and across the dashboard, but for us the interior is not as special as one may expect in the flagship X5 model.

As expected, the ride is firm, but nevertheless a number of luxuries ensure you are comfortable, including electrically adjustable and heated front seats, an infotainment system accessible via the easy-to-use iDrive controller, excellent sound quality from the radio/CD/MP3-player and loads of space for you and friends or family, plus all their luggage. There is also a head-up display (HUD) that, when in M-mode, displays speed, gear and engine revs in one concise display in the driver’s field of vision. The height to which the tailgate opens can also be set for instances where it may knock against a garage door or low roof. Roaming the urban jungle then, the X5 M makes light work of the daily grind. The school run, business meetings and weekly shopping at the mall, are all in a day’s work for the ‘big M’.

You may have noticed, however, that we haven’t referenced the X5 M’s awesome power in the above context. This is because, despite the 408 kW and 680 N.m of head bobbing power available to you, it’s well and truly irrelevant around town. The X5 M is in fact so bloody quick off the line, and at any point in the rev range, that unless you’ve got enough clear tarmac ahead, which isn’t very often these days, enjoying the explosive power is nigh on impossible. To add to the frustrated M driver in you, while you study the traffic ahead like a hawk, waiting patiently for a gap in which to revel in the ‘gloriousness’ of your chariot, your wallet will be experiencing cold sweats as the fuel gauge drops ever closer to empty.

But before we wax lyrical about the effects of the ‘M’agical button on the steering wheel, we must mention that it is programmable via the iDrive controller between the front seats. A combination of settings can be chosen to suit your preference for the electronic damping control (EDC), the dynamic stability control (DSC) and the engine’s ‘Power Mode’.

The X5 M comes standard with self-levelling air suspension on the rear axle, as well as EDC and active anti-roll control. It also rides 10 mm lower to the ground than a standard X5. For performance driving, the ‘Sport’ EDC setting provides stiffer suspension damping and sharpens steering response. The DSC can be left in its fully activated default setting, turned off completely, or set to M Dynamic Mode (MDM) where the wheels will be allowed some slipping and sliding, but the system will still step in to save your bacon should you run out of talent. Finally, changing the Power Mode from its default ‘Efficiency’ setting – relaxed throttle response and early gear changes to save fuel – to the ‘Power’ setting, livens up the throttle while opening flaps in the exhaust system to let everyone know you’re about to get a move on.

And move the X5 M does. The figures are quite astounding on paper and, on the road, translate to a laugh from the driver that is excited, evil and slightly nervous all at the same time. From a standing start the ‘M’ean machine reaches 100 km/h in a claimed 4.7 seconds. This is quite amazing when you realise the V8 has 2.3 tonnes to motivate. In-gear acceleration is equally as impressive, with the 80 – 120 km/h sprint requiring just 4.3 seconds in fourth gear. As a benchmark, the BMW M3 Coupe achieves the same 0 – 100 km/h sprint time, but is 0.6 seconds slower from 80 – 120 km/h despite a 725 kg weight advantage!

The X5 M (and X6 M) are the first M cars to be launched exclusively with an automatic transmission. Purists may scoff, but trust us when we say the 6-Speed ‘M Sports Automatic’ transmission complements the driving experience of the ‘Super SAV’ far more than a manual ever would. You’ve got a number of options when working with the ‘box. Either from the electronic gear selector lever or, through aluminium shift paddles on the steering wheel (pull the right gearshift paddle to shift up and the left gearshift paddle to shift down).

Realistically though, you never really need to initiate a manual change, up or down, as the gearbox is so well behaved. Launching in manual mode proved a bit more ‘work’ than in the fully automatic sport setting. This is because with the revs climbing so fast in first gear, it proved slightly distracting to watch the road ahead and time the shift accurately before hitting the rev limiter, all while our heads were pinned to the headrest and fighting to stop our eyes rolling back in their sockets. Left to its own devices the gearbox will ensure blisteringly quick acceleration.

Barreling down the road, you are struck with the amazing turn of speed and true bulk of the X5 M right about the time you touch the brakes and begin to start thinking about turning into a corner. The brakes on our test unit lacked initial bite and required more pedal travel than we expected, but this didn’t hinder braking performance. Even when worked hard, the brakes (395 mm front and 385 mm rear) delivered consistent performance and never began to fade.

As you usher the big SAV into the turn, there is limited body roll for a vehicle of its size. The adaptive air suspension at the rear, coupled with the EDC and xDrive all-wheel-drive system equates to a flat cornering experience by SUV standards. Dynamic Performance Control, in addition to the xDrive system, allows torque to be distributed between the rear wheels and the result is strong drive out of turns. Grip is ultimately the responsibility of the enormous 275/40 R20 tyres at the front and 315/35 R20 at the rear, which elicit a squeal as they’re crushed between the road and take on the weight from the big M car.

There is no doubt that threading the X5 M through a set of corners can be done at an alarming rate. However, we never felt entirely comfortable doing so, as the M’s weight is ever present and can’t be hidden from the laws of physics. Performance driving in the X5 M is like playing with a pitbull, everyone’s having fun until something or someone goes a little too far and then you’d better have an escape route.

As Plato could have told you, the increased on-road agility has compromised the off-road agility in the case of the X5 M. With low profile tyres, damaging the sidewalls becomes a real threat and a potentially expensive one at that. Coupled with the stiffer than standard suspension, the wide surface area of the tyres, so welcomed on tar, becomes somewhat of a draw back on the dirt, as the SAV tends to float or wander over the lose surface. The 20-inch diameter tyres do however offer the benefit of ironing out potholes and corrugations, as they roll over rather than through them. Bottom line, the X5 M will do dirt, but we suggest being mindful of the routes you choose.

It should be quite clear then, that the increased performance of X5 M shrinks the time, distance and space through which it travels. It also evaporates premium unleaded at an astounding rate, while shrinking your wallet in direct proportion. The power from the almighty V8 will inflate your ego, but taming the beast at high speed may curb your confidence. Which ever way you look at it, the X5 M inspires dichotomous thinking that we’d have to say proves Plato right. However, there is still no logical argument for the X5 M. As the most powerful SAV/SUV of them all, whether you like it or not, it has to be admired for its brazen attitude, performance and the way in which it comes together so competently.

What We Like…

• Panoramic sunroof as standard.
• Awesome power and road presence.
• Space saver spare in the boot. (It’s actually bigger than most sedans).

What We Would Like…

• Improved fuel economy (Yes, we know it’s the price of power).
• More sound from the exhaust in M-mode.

Ever heard of Nowack Motors? Neither had we until we stumbled upon news of their BMW tuning efforts at Autoblog.nl. We’re the first to admit that our comprehension of the Dutch language lacks talent, however we’ve done our best to extract some details for you.

The first tuning package created by the company is focussed on BMW’s X5 and X6 M models. Basically Nowack’s N700 package includes several new parts and an ECU upgrade, which increases power output from the standard twin-turbo, 408 kW 4,4-litre V8 to 525 kW and 845 N.m of torque. Top speed is a guaranteed 330 km/h.

To achieve these monumental figures, Nowack Motors reprogrammed the ECU, optimised the air flow with high performance air filters, modified the exhaust system, improved the pistons and camshafts, modified the cylinder heads and increased the turbo pressure.

To add a touch of bling, Nowack offers optional extras such as 22-inch wheels, a full leather interior and the installation of various in-car entertainment systems.