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Because they can. Image by BMW.

Because they can
There is no sensible reason for the 544bhp, V12-engined BMW 760Li to exist, but it's still fabulous.

   



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

The luxury car market around the world might be suffering, but that hasn't stopped the Bavarians showing us just what they can do if money is no object. While the whole world is turning diesel or hybrid (BMW itself will soon do the latter), the latest car to come with a BMW badge has no less than twelve cylinders and it's fuelled by good ol' petrol. This is the full-fat, high-caffeine 760Li.

In the Metal

The 7 Series is a good-looking car and the 760Li is no exception. There isn't a lot to distinguish the V12 model from the rest of the 7 Series range, but there are a few clues. There is an extra-wide, slightly concave chrome frame - along with contoured bars - in the BMW kidney grille, 19-inch alloy wheels, the V12 badge on the side, an additional chrome bar at the rear and twin tailpipes in rectangular design.

Inside is stainless steel door entry trim, with an illuminated 'V12' model designation; the instrument panel is finished in Nappa leather and has special stitching; the roof lining and sun visors are in Alcantara; and high-quality burr walnut trim features throughout.

What you get for your Money

BMW tells us that you really won't be wanting for much with the 760Li and we should hope so at £94,440 (€226,000 in Ireland). The standard wheelbase 760i won't be coming to this part of the world, so the car we tried was the long wheelbase 760Li, which comes with individually adjustable single seats at the rear, knee-room of 208mm and headroom of 988mm - or enough to make a first-class airplane passenger jealous. Standard equipment includes four-zone air conditioning, BMW 'professional' navigation system, park distance control and automatic soft close on the doors. But after that, you can pretty much add whatever you like, from a TV screen in the rear to an Internet browser.

Driving it

Using every piece of engine tech that BMW has in its locker, the 6.0-litre unit is a revelation. In the 7 Series, you can adjust dampers and suspension to suit whatever type of driving you're in the mood for, ranging from super soft Comfort to firm and agile driver's aid free Sport+. While our first stretch was flat-out on an unrestricted autobahn where the 760Li showed the sort of acceleration from 80mph that we had not thought possible, we then ventured onto some sharp and twisty back roads where the car felt half its size, amazingly agile and all the time accompanied by a hushed but assured V12 soundtrack. The new eight-speed automatic is also a superb partner.

Power delivery from the V12 is just so good, with the 0-62mph sprint taking a scant 4.6 seconds. This is a huge luxury saloon remember, yet it hits 62mph over a second faster than the Ford Focus RS and 0.1 of a second faster than BMW's own M5, yet it puts out 41g/km less CO2 than the latter. That is an incredible achievement.

Driving it

With a fuel economy figure of 21.7mpg on the combined cycle, the consumption isn't hideous, but it's no Smart ForTwo, but we reckon buyers at this level won't be overly concerned with fuel economy.

Summary

BMW's 760Li is certainly one of the finest luxury cars on the market and begs the question: why does BMW seem intent on launching an M7 when this car is so fast yet so poised at the same time? It is a truly magnificent car to drive or to be driven in and while there are likely to be few takers for the V12, it does showcase BMW's engineering talents.

Paddy Comyn - 31 Jul 2009



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2009 BMW 760Li specifications:
Price: £94,440 on-the-road (€226,000 in Ireland).
0-62mph: 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Combined economy: 21.7mpg
Emissions: 299g/km
Kerb weight: 2105kg

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.



2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 

2009 BMW 760Li. Image by BMW.
 






 

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