BMW has put a V8 back in the 7 Series. The 2027 M760 xDrive uses a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with about 570 hp, according to BMWBLOG. That's up from the 536 hp of the 760i it replaces, and all-wheel drive is standard.
The V8 had gone missing. When BMW showed the facelifted 7 Series in April, the lineup had only six-cylinder and electric powertrains, and BMW said a V8 M Performance model would follow in 2027. The Supercar Blog reports the M760 reaches the US in the first half of next year. Unlike the 760i, it will also be sold in Europe, Motor1 notes.
The name shift matters. The M760 is an M Performance model, a step below a full M car, and it joins the 603-hp M760e plug-in hybrid and the electric i7 M70 as the third M Performance 7 Series. The "i" is gone from the badge because BMW now reserves that letter for electric cars.
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It also looks the part. BMWBLOG says the M760 gets the front styling of the M Sport Pro package, 22-inch wheels, M mirror caps with M stripes, and an M760 badge. Out back, the exhaust tips are actually visible, which is rare on a modern BMW, and the diffuser is sportier than on a regular 7 Series. Inside, there's an M steering wheel with a 12 o'clock marker.
Don't expect the old 12 cylinders. The last car with this name, the previous generation's M760i xDrive, used a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 rated at 601 hp and 590 lb-ft. The new car has four fewer cylinders and slightly less power.
BMW hasn't released torque, performance, or pricing yet. The Supercar Blog expects it to cost more than $126,000, and Motor1 notes the outgoing 760i was priced at $117,395. A second V8 7 Series is also coming, from the new BMW Alpina brand, which both outlets say will get its own tune of the engine.
Visible tailpipes on a 7 Series: good idea? Vote on WhipJury.
Sources:
Output, the old 760i and V12 figures, the M Performance lineup, styling, and the Alpina model: BMWBLOG
European sales, the dropped "i," the 760i price, and the Alpina model: Motor1
US timing and expected price: The Supercar Blog
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Ethan Llamas (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Jeffrey Wiley has spent more time than he'd like to admit thinking about what makes a car look right. He writes about automotive design, car culture, and the opinions people have strong feelings about. He lives in north Georgia.
