2017 BMW M760Li xDrive coming to Australia

FOR less than the cost of a brand-new Honda NSX, BMW Australia will sell you its largest, fastest and most powerful luxury sedan ever – the $419,000 M760Li xDrive.

While not quite the M7 you may have been hoping for, the M760Li is based on the long-wheelbase BMW 7 Series and is the largest member of BMW’s M Performance family. It’s big under the bonnet, too, with a twin-turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 – shared with Rolls-Royce – supplying a gargantuan 448kW and 800Nm.

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And while a BMW M4 Competition will sprint to 100km/h in four seconds flat, the mammoth M760Li pips it to the post with a 0-100km/h of 3.7 seconds. How? Besides its M4-shaming power and torque outputs, the M760Li takes power to all four wheels rather than just the rear axle. Traction off the line is substantial as a result, and a variable torque split endows the M760Li with more than a modicum of dynamic prowess.

It’s also the first time BMW has offered all-wheel drive on a non-SUV product in Australia.

An eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters sits between the engine and the AWD underpinnings, and features an M Performance-specific calibration to make the best use of the V12’s power. Meanwhile, an M Sports exhaust plays a sportier tune through quad tailpipes. Fuel economy is a respectable (considering the power and weight of the M760Li) 12.6L/100km.

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A sports-tuned active air suspension works to contain body movements while also delivering the cossetting ride that’s expected of a 7 Series, with damper valving varying from soft to firm depending on the drive mode selected. Braking hardware hasn’t been neglected by M Performance, either, with 19-inch rotors pinched by M Sport brake calipers. Lightweight 20-inch alloys are unique to the model, and feature staggered widths with 245-section tyres and the front and 275-section rubber at the rear.

Externally, the M760Li differs from the V8-powered 750Li through its M aerodynamic bodykit, blue-painted calipers, exhaust outlets, V12 badging and Cerium Grey exterior trim.

Luxuries such as soft-close doors, a head-up display, four-zone climate control, a panoramic glass sunroof, laser headlamps, two rear entertainment screens and BMW’s lastest iDrive infotainment package are standard, and BMW Individual Merino leather upholstery is accompanied by high-pile carpet, black wood trim and an anthracite headliner..

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Heated and cooled massage front seats are fitted up front, and the M760Li xDrive gets the Executive Rear Seating package as standard. That package deletes the conventional three-seater rear bench in favour of two individual electrically adjustable seats, with heating, cooling and massage functions included. The front passenger seat can also be folded forward to make a footrest for the rear left passenger which, in conjunction with the full-length centre console, transforms the inside of the M760Li into a business-class cabin.

Want a more first-class experience? The M760Li xDrive can be had in “Model V12 Excellence” trim at no extra cost, which brings polished 20-inch alloy wheels, a unique front and rear bumper, black brake calipers, chrome trim, more wood throughout the cabin, and extra thick floor mats.

Priced from $419,000 before on-road costs, it’s the most expensive BMW money can buy. Want one? It will be available for sale here from about May.