It’s been missing for nearly a year, but there is finally a V8 engine back under the hood of BMW’s luxury flagship. The latest addition to the 7 Series even brings back the M badge, though don’t be confused by the name on the boot lid. It wears the name of the last BMW V12, but it does not sport that engine.
That won’t stop the car from being brutally quick, though.
If Mercedes Has A V8, Then BMW Simply Must
Welcome back to the S68 – the same BMW 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that you’ll find under the hood of the latest BMW M5, the X5M, and even the Land Rover Defender Octa.
Yes, this is largely the same engine that BMW used in the pre-facelift 760i, but it’s not exactly the same. When BMW dropped the i and made this the M760, it also gave the engine some updates.
In the 2027 BMW M760 xDrive, the 4.4-liter V8 makes about 570 horsepower. BMW hasn’t revealed the full specs just yet, but that’s still a solid increase over the 536 hp of the pre-facelift 760i. Europeans might not find that figure impressive, since the M760e makes 612 horsepower, but that is a 3.0-liter I6 PHEV. BMW doesn’t think American buyers are interested in that model.
Some of the changes are obvious: it wears the slightly larger front air intake and air curtains of the M760e. It also has a small front spoiler and M grille logo. Expect a more M cabin, including a red stripe on the steering wheel and maybe even some extra bolstering in the seats.
Other M-tweaked 7 Series models come with Adaptive M Chassis control and active roll stabilization. They also have slightly more powerful M Sport brakes. Expect those details to make it to the new car as well. The end result will be sharper tuning than other 7 Series models, including the old 760i.
Will This Be The Quickest New 7?
2027 BMW M760Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
Because this car wears an M badge, it will get some other performance-focused improvements. We’d tell you what they are, but BMW has been very strange about this car’s reveal. It showed the car to journalists with only the most basic information, and it won’t comment on anything else.
Yes, it wears the same number as the V12-powered M760Li BMW offered until the last generation 7 departed in 2022. No, it does not make that car’s 600 horsepower. But while the V12 isn’t exactly gone, it’s reserved for Rolls-Royce. For now, that’s exclusive. The new car should be able to crack the four-second mark from zero to 60 mph. That’s quicker than the V12, but matching the 650 hp and 811 pound-feet of the electric i7 M70 is going to be tough.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
2027 BMW M760Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
It’s not a surprise BMW is bringing back a 7 Series V8. Not only has Mercedes-Benz just given its S-Class a brand-new V8, but BMW actually said when it revealed the latest facelift that a V8 would show up sometime in 2027.
Do buyers of sedans like these care about the fuel economy of an EV or the I6 PHEV? Probably not. But we’re surprised that they care about the sound of a V8, too. We would have expected the EV’s massive torque to be more of a thrill in a serene luxury barge. One thing we do know is that they won’t care about filling the tank.
Expect more details, including pricing, closer to the super-sedan going on sale next year.
