At the international media launch of the new 2017 BMW M760Li, we had the opportunity to chat with Markus Lechner, BMW engineer in charged of the engine/powertrain of the high-performance 7 Series. The new M Performance Automobile is the jewel of the 7 Series family and not only because of its exclusive looks, but also because it packs one of the best engines BMW has to offer today.
The BMW M760Li xDrive comes with a variety of changes over the standard 7 Series, chief of which is the mighty 6.6 liter TwinPower turbocharged V12 that develops a monstrous 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, in case you need to, ya know, tow the moon. All of that power and torque is sent through the familiar ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic, though it has an M-specific tune to it to make shifts slightly more aggressive.
Performance figures are equally astonishing, as the sprint from 0-60 mph comes in just 3.9 seconds, which is far faster than a vehicle as big and heavy as the 7 Series should be able to go. The M760Li’s top speed is a governed 155 mph but, with the M Driver’s Package that top speed bumps up to 189 mph. Those kind of performance figures put the M760Li in BMW M4 territory.
We’ve recently tested the M760Li both on the track and backroad near Palm Springs, and we came back impressed. Here is the video with the BMW engineer walking us through the changes of the M760Li compared to the standard limousine.
[fvplayer src=”https://vimeo.com/205288198″ width=”640″ height=”360″ splash=”https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/620015734_1280x720.jpg?r=pad” caption=”Markus Lechner, Lead Engine/Powertrain, talks about the BMW M760Li xDrive”]
