News Source: topspeed.com

Say hello to the Bavarian’s latest uber-luxury ground-bound missile. Based on the sixth-generation 7 Series,  this velocity limo walks and talks like an M7,  but an M7 it is not. Maybe it’s not quite hardcore enough to bear the M Division nomenclature, but either way, there’s no doubt this thing brings the goods when it comes to going fast. Inside, you’ll find a capacious cabin space dripping in luxury and technology, while the exterior is subtle and refined. But the real centerpiece lies under the hood, where you’ll find BMW’s  most powerful production V-12 ever created.

In fact, the M760Li xDrive offers with the first 12-cylinder engine with M Performance twin-turbo power adders, which is more than appropriate for BMW’s latest flagship luxury sedan.  So then - this thing promises to deliver world-class style and comfort, bleeding-edge tech, and eye-widening performance. Let’s see what makes it tick.

One look at the M760Li xDrive, and you’d be forgiven for confusing it with a regular ‘ole 7 Series. It still has the same proportions, character lines, and enormously long wheelbase. Get closer, however, and you’ll start to notice a few differences, most of which can be summed up in four simple words – Cerium Grey-colored trim.

Let’s start up front, where we find a tweaked fascia with larger air intakes in the lower bumper, outlined in Cerium Grey. Cerium Grey can also be found complementing the glossy black in that characteristic kidney grille, which uses active shudders to either cool the engine or enhance aero efficiency.

Moving to the profile, we find more Cerium Grey along the lower door edges. The side-view mirrors caps and door handle trim are both new, and there’s discrete badging announcing the car’s cylinder count on the C-pillars. In the corners, you’ll find exclusive double-spoke “760M” alloy wheels, measuring in at 20 inches and finished in (you guessed it) Cerium Grey.

In back is a unique black surround for the exhaust, which uses an “exclusive V-12 geometry” for a dual-pipe, quad-tip look. Finally, the trunk handle strip was updated, there are L-shaped LED taillights, and an M-specific rear spoiler finishes it off.

Odds are owners will spend most (if not all) their time in one of the two rear seating positions, where space and amenities are about as abundant as they come. Materials include top-shelf wood, high-gloss metal, and creamy leather. Brushed-aluminum doorsills illuminated with “V12” greet passengers upon ingress and egress.

Of course, things aren’t exactly barebones in front, either. Drivers will enjoy piano black trim around the selector lever and iDrive Controller on the center tunnel, also sporting the ubiquitous “V12” logo. The new M-branded steering wheel is wrapped in leather and gets multifunction buttons set in Pearl Gloss Chrome inlays. The pedals are made from stainless steel and get rubber inserts for slip-free inputs.

The iDrive 5.0 infotainment operating system ties together all the gizmos, offering both a touchscreen and traditional physical buttons. Of course, being a new 7 Series, there’s also Gesture Control, which uses 3D sensors to read hand movements for things like audio and phone operation. This system is also configurable for custom gesture controls if desired.

As you might expect, navigation is standard, with BMW’s ConnectedDrive Services SIM card and Advanced Real Time Traffic Information fitted to get you to that next board meeting on time. BMW also provides over-the-air nav updates for three years after purchase, and drivers can activate automatic traffic sign readers for real-time updates to BMW’s map profiles.

A next-gen heads-up display is also standard, displaying info like road speed, speed limits, system messages, navigation, and infotainment menus onto the windshield, keeping the driver’s eyes on the road. New for this model is a 75-percent larger projection area for the full color graphics.

Let’s get straight to the meat of the matter – the M760Li xDrive uses a 6.6-liter, twin-turbo, all-aluminum V-12 to produce 600 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 590 pound-feet of torque at an astoundingly low 1,500 rpm (BMW says those numbers are “preliminary,” so it’s entirely possible we’ll get even more output when this thing goes on sale). A sprint to 62 mph is estimated at 3.9 seconds, with a top speed that’s electronically limited to 155 mph. Delete the nannie, and I’d expect at least 190 mph at the top end.

In the industry, 600 horsepower usually falls under the technical classification of “a lot,” but for all intents and purposes, this powerplant doesn’t sound like some thrashy, barely-controlled monster. It uses a closed-deck construction with bolts connecting the cylinder head to the bed plate of the crankcase, maximizing stability on the cylinder liners. There are double bolts on the main bearings and threaded support bushes to reduce lateral force stress on the crankcase. The aluminum pistons use an iron coating, and there are forged connecting rods and a forged crankshaft.

There’s also a smart, six-cylinder pendulum-side oil pump keeping it all lubed, and a digital readout on oil levels is sent to the instrument cluster, replacing the traditional manual dipstick.

BMW’s High Precision Injection places the injectors centrally on the cylinder head, spraying dino juice at up to 2,900 psi. There’s also Double-VANOS continuously variable cam timing.

Placed just outside the cylinder banks, you’ll find twin mono-scroll turbochargers, which breathe boost into twin air-to-water intercoolers. Mounted directly on the intake manifold, the intercoolers keep the charge as chilly as possible without too many twists and turns on the way to the cylinders.

Making the noise is a large-diameter, nearly straight exhaust, which comes with a “flap activation system” for your choice of either quiet cruising or sonorous V-12 blasts.

M Performance tuned the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission for optimum shift patterns specific to the V-12. It offers zero converter slip outside of gear changes, and comes with Launch Control and a manual shift mode (paddles are located on the steering wheel).

In Bimmer parlance, xDrive basically means AWD. The system uses fully variable torque distribution between the front and rear axle, but as you might expect, it comes biased towards the rear for nippier handling.