BMW M760Li xDrive: Prices, specs and reviews

BMW has launched a new version of its flagship 7-Series saloon and it's the most powerful production car the company has ever made.

Called the M760Li xDrive, the luxury saloon is powered by a turbocharged 6.6-litre 12-cylinder engine that produces 602bhp and 590lb-ft of torque – 10bhp and 74lb-ft more than the firm's hardcore M5 Competition saloon.

Power is sent to the xDrive all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed Steptronic sports gearbox. The transmission has been fettled by M Performance to offer faster gearshifts tailored for the V12 engine.

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The bodywork has been revised to provide better cooling, including larger air intakes on the front bumper to direct cold air towards the brakes. There are also M and V12 badges located on the C-pillars and boot lid, as well as light M Performance 20ins alloy wheels.

An exclusive M-badged steering wheel comes as standard, as do illuminated V12 logos on the doorsill plates that give a sportier look to the interior. The instrument cluster is model specific, with the M-branded speedometer now reading a maximum speed of 205mph.

The German car giant has packed the high-performance 7-Series with technology, including a touchscreen display powered by its iDrive system that can be controlled using gestures. Drivers can use hand gestures to change radio stations and accept phone calls without touching a button.

"Curiously it lacks any identifiers to remind you that you’ve spent £132,230 on an M Performance BMW", says Evo, adding that a set of sports seats "wouldn't go amiss" and there's a bit too much chrome effect plastics in the cabin.

It may be the firm's most powerful production car, but buyers will be disappointed if they expect a "snarling V12", the magazine continues. Nevertheless, it's "almost silent and effortless" as the eight-speed gearbox glides through the ratios with "little intrusion".

Top Gear says the luxury saloon is "a 7-Series first and an M car second".

The power from the Rolls-Royce derived engine is "colossal", the site adds, but it is so quiet "you could almost be driving a Tesla". The engine doesn't "bark into life" or "rumble on the overrun" like an AMG V8, neither.

The all-wheel drive system, brilliantly set up by BMW's engineers, "does its usual good work" and while the xDrive may be a heavy car, it feels "well balanced and capable when you pick up the pace".

Prices for the M760Li xDrive start at £132,230, says Evo, making it around £68,000 more than a regular 7-Series and an extra £63,000 over the mid-level iPerformance.