BMW to end V12 production after 35 years

UPDATE: A spokesperson for BMW Australia has told Wheels the last V12-powered BMW M760Li will be delivered this year.

“We can confirm that a V12 variant will not be offered in the next-generation BMW 7 Series," a representative for the company said in a statement.

The final-edition variant will remain exclusive to the US market and won't be offered to Australian buyers.

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BMW has announced it will end production of its V12 engine in June.

Just days after development director Frank Weber confirmed BMW would continue to develop six-cylinder and V8 engines, the company has announced it is killing off its V12 engine after 35 years of continuous production.

US buyers will be offered some of the last 12 M760i vehicles to be made, with unique badging, wheels, and a custom-made desk trophy to commemorate their purchase.

With more than 80 colours to choose from the BMW Individual catalogue, it’s easy for each of the 12 owners to have a one-of-one paint job for their special-edition model.

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After more than three decades of evolution, the 448kW/850Nm 6.6-litre N74 twin-turbo V12 found in the 2022 BMW G12 760Li xDrive is roughly double the performance of BMW’s first 12-cylinder engine.

BMW introduced the 5.0-litre M70 V12 in the E32 750iL back in 1987, producing 220kW and 450Nm – big numbers for the era, considering a Holden VL Commodore 5.0-litre V8 of the same year was putting out 122kW and 323Nm.

The M70 gave birth to the S70, thanks to the engineers at BMW M, with the now 5.6-litre V12 making 279kW and 550Nm in the E31 850CSi.

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The S70/2 became arguably the best-known BMW V12, making its way into the back of the McLaren F1, and producing 461kW and 650Nm.

BMW produced the M73 between 1993 and 2002 – powering James Bond’s E38 750iL in the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies – as well as making its way into the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph.

The N73 was the first production V12 to use direct injection, with two versions of the engine being made between 2003 and 2016 to fit both the E65/E66 7 Series and the Rolls-Royce Phantom. It was also the first production V12 to accept both petrol and hydrogen, with the BMW Hydrogen 7 made between 2005 and 2007.

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The final V12 to be made by BMW is the N74, produced from 2008 until now, and also fitted to the multiple 7 Series models, as well as selected Rolls-Royce models.

While the 12-cylinder engine will no longer be produced for BMW vehicles, Rolls-Royce is expected to continue to offer the V12 in some markets until the luxury brand moves to all-electric powertrains by 2030.