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First Drive: BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.

First Drive: BMW 760Li
Twenty five years after the first V12-engined BMW 7 Series we get behind the wheel of the latest 760Li model.

   



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| First Drive | Munich, Germany | BMW 760Li |

Overall rating: 4 4 4 4 4

Facelifted earlier in the year, the last of the new BMW 7 Series models finally joins the line-up. Fitted with a 5.0-litre V12 engine the 760Li features a sumptuous cabin, modern design and surprising performance. The 730d will always be the big seller in the UK, but where money is no object this flagship of excess and engineering will always present a serious case for itself.

Key Facts

Model tested: BMW 760Li
Pricing: £101,805
Engine: 5.0-litre, turbocharged 12-cylinder petrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Audi A8L, Jaguar XJL, Mercedes-Benz S 600L
CO2 emissions: 314g/km
Economy: 21.1mpg
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 4.6 seconds
Power: 544hp at 5,250rpm
Torque: 750Nm at 1,500rpm

In the Metal: 4 4 4 4 4

Despite a recent facelift, not much has changed on the latest BMW 7 Series - the double kidney grille and Hofmeister kink in the rear window line ensure it's recognisably a BMW, but the 760Li remains one of the more modern shapes in the sector. The L stands for long wheelbase, and this flagship is differentiated by the V12 badging between the wing and front door plus the set of squared-off tailpipes. Otherwise, from the outside at least, the 760Li is business as usual.

Open the door and you'll notice some more badging on the sills and an interior that's still modern and inviting. Swathes of piano black wood slice boldly through various leather trimmed surfaces, though we'd prefer the contrasting switchgear in the cream suede roof-lining to match their surroundings. Of course there's plenty of room in the rear to stretch out thanks to the extra 140mm between the wheels, plus plenty of controls for the back seats, audio and climate systems.

Driving it: 4 4 4 4 4

If you must sit up front, rather than be chauffeured around from the sumptuous rear, then you'll be pleasantly surprised by the experience behind the wheel. Despite being a luxurious saloon, supposedly designed for comfortable transportation first and foremost, it actually proves quite an engaging steer for the driver too.

At the heart of the experience is the turbocharged 5.0-litre V12 engine, pumping out a massive 544hp and 750Nm of torque. The latter figure is the important one, especially when you consider that it all arrives at only 1,500rpm - and continues all the way up to 5,000rpm. The result is instant acceleration, no matter which of the eight gears you or the automatic gearbox have selected, and a 0-62mph time of only 4.6 seconds. To put that in some perspective the twin-turbocharged V8-engined M5 only knocks two tenths off that benchmark time.

Most of the time it's near silent, the massive V12 idling with little to no vibration or aural accompaniment. Even mid-throttle openings don't upset the unit's decorum, and building speed is easy enough that rear passengers will likely have no idea at what autobahn-storming pace they're travelling. Unless of course you drop your right foot into the carpet, whereupon the V12 snarls towards the top of its rev range, the active exhaust flaps piping the glorious sound to both occupants and marvelling bystanders. Refined and subtle throughout, it nevertheless adds a slightly harder edge to the proceedings.

And while something like a BMW M5 is undoubtedly more agile, the gap between them on a twisting road might not be the chasm you'd expect. Thanks to standard fit air suspension, Dynamic Damper Control, Driving Experience Control and Dynamic Drive roll stabilisation, the level of body control has no problems with this car's considerable kerb weight. The Integral Active Steering system even feeds back effectively through the oversized rim and you really can drive the 760Li with confidence - the way it shrinks around the driver confirming BMW's penchant for motoring clichés.

Of course it's not all plain sailing - and we refer you back to the rear seats here. Ride comfort isn't as cosseting as in an S-Class, with the 760Li thumping noisily into road imperfections (probably due in part to the run-flat rubber fitted as standard). And the sheer pace of the V12 can prove difficult to rein-in; on occasion we found ourselves having to thoughtfully modulate the throttle in a bid to keep our acceleration rates at acceptable levels.

What you get for your Money: 3 3 3 3 3

Any car that costs over £100,000 has to work hard to justify the stars in this section, and it's no different for the 760Li. Economy from that 5.0-litre turbocharged V12 isn't great (and indeed it's the only 7 Series to do without the firm's ECOPro system) and CO2 emissions unsurprisingly ensure you'll be paying top-whack for road tax.

But of course it's no worse than any of its direct rivals in this respect, and it should certainly be judged against its peers. And as with those other executive limousines the 760Li is impeccably well-equipped; it's positively loaded with standard specification.

Worth Noting

BMW first installed a V12 into its flagship 7 Series 25 years ago, but it could all have been so different. Concerned that rival manufacturer Mercedes-Benz might beat it to market with a V12-engined executive saloon of its own, the BMW board decided that a V16 be developed in parallel, just in case. As it turns out, Mercedes didn't unveil a V12 S-Class until 1991, so the original 1987 750i 'made do' with only 12 cylinders under the bonnet, and a precedent was set.

Summary

It's a likeable car the BMW 7 Series, especially in V12 760Li form. There's acres of room, performance is supercar rivalling, equipment levels are stratospheric and the fit and finish are to be envied. But the biggest thorn in its side is the 730Ld, a car that can do all of the above except rival a supercar for speed - yet costs around £40,000 less and will undoubtedly prove cheaper to run. Of course if you have £100,000 to spend on a car then those costs matter little, and as an example of excess and engineering the V12 760Li is worthy of attention.


Graeme Lambert - 31 Oct 2012



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2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.



2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2012 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 






 

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