New BMW M760Li xDrive flagship unveiled

BMW fans over the globe have been crying themselves hoarse for some time now for a purebred M7, a blue-blooded M variant to BMW’s flagship 7 Series. BMW have never given them one, but now they can have this instead, the new BMW M760Li xDrive. While not exactly a full-fledged M car, but more of an M Performance variant much like the M235i and X4 M40i, it’s the closest thing we’re going to get to a proper M7 for now. It is a fair deal though, because this new car packs enough ammo to even rival proper sportscars on most parameters.

Let’s get the numbers out of the way first. Powering this behemoth is a massive 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V12 putting out 600PS at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 800Nm at 1,500rpm, mated to a faster, M-tuned 8-speed automatic and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system modified to have a rear bias. This prodigious power is good enough to propel the M760Li xDrive V12 to 100kmph in 3.9sec - 0.8sec faster than the current range-topping 750i M Sport - before reaching a limited top speed of 250kmph.

For comparison, a Porsche 911 takes 4.6 seconds to complete the same sprint, although has a higher top speed at 295kmph. That said, the M760Li xDrive isn’t actually the fastest and most powerful 7-Series you can buy from a BMW dealership abroad, as that title goes to the Alpina B7 xDrive introduced earlier this week and which has a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 delivering 608PS and 800Nm for a 0-100kmph time of 3.7 seconds.

All M760Li xDrive feature an eight-speed automatic gearbox complete with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, and there’s even a launch control function to optimise acceleration away from the line. Suspension is the same ‘Executive Drive Pro’ suite as on the standard 7-series, uprated for the M-Performance variant. So you get air springs with Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive to reduce roll and increase comfort, or tighten things up when you need to fling yourself down a backlane. It also features cameras that actively scan the road ahead and precondition the suspension settings.

Visually, the M760Li xDrive can be distinguished from its more sedate 7 Series siblings by its 20″ wheels M light-alloy wheels in matte Cerium Grey metallic. That same Cerium Grey finish extends onto the kidney grille frame and the fronts of the grille bars, along with the front apron strip, the strips on the exterior door handles, Air Breathers, side door trim elements and boot lid handle, all add color accents.

Inside, we get Fineline black fine wood interior trim strips with high-gloss metal effect team up with high-quality deep-pile floor mats in the rear compartment and an Alcantara Anthracite headliner to generate a luxurious ambiance. Exclusive Nappa leather trim covers the seat surfaces, seat side sections, head restraints, door cards, center armrests and side armrests to round off the elegant atmosphere in tasteful style. The steering wheel has been redesigned too, resembling a sporting evolution of the 7 Series’ wheel. All of the same interior technologies on the standard 7er are present, including Gesture Control and inductive charging for mobile phones.

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For customers looking to downplay the aggressive performance for something classier, the V12 Excellence option is also available as a no cost option. The package replaces the wheels with 20-inch BMW Individual light-alloy wheels in W-spoke 646 design with mixed-size tyres.

When launched, the BMW M760Li xDrive will internationally go up against the likes of the Audi S8 and the more expensive Mercedes-AMG S65. No word yet on when it will land in India, though.