The Last BMW With a V12 Has Now Been Built
Twelve fully loaded M760i xDrive sedans were produced to commemorate the occasion.
BMW has built its last-ever V12-powered car, bringing to a close 35 years of production. The car to send the iconic engine into the sunset is a 2022 BMW M760i xDrive sedan known as "The Final V12." Just 12 were built, complete with every option available, unique wheels, and special "V12" badging, as reported by CarBuzz.
We initially reported BMW's plans to cease V12 production back in January of this year. Emissions regulations and the quest for better fuel economy conspired to bring about the end of the V12 at BMW. In 2019, the Bavarian automaker pledged to produce the engines until the end of production for the sixth-generation 7 Series. That was initially planned for 2023, but the timeline sped up in the intervening years.
The 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 was good for 600 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque in the final model. That pushed the luxury sedan from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. That's just as quick as many supercars of the 2010s era.
BMW's V12 first entered production in 1987, with the M70 V12 delivering 295 horsepower and 332 torques. It debuted in the 750i and 750iL, later appearing in the 850i and 850Ci luxury coupe. It was revised over the years, gaining twin-turbos in its later guise for more power and greater efficiency.
Outside of the 7 Series and 8 Series models, BMW also built the V12 for the devastatingly-quick McLaren F1. A racing version of that engine later ended up transplanted into a BMW X5 in a secret skunkworks project, with hilarious results.
Rolls-Royce models are currently powered by BMW-built V12s, using a 6.75-liter version of the N74 engine. While production continues, the writing is on the wall. Rolls-Royce has committed to phasing out internal combustion power by 2030, and we could see the V12 replaced with a smaller engine even sooner than that.
For those who love German luxury and smooth V12 power, the Mercedes-Maybach is the last car standing.
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