Is it the end for the 7 Series V12 Engine?

The trend of BMW decisions when it comes to engines are getting smaller and smaller, as evidenced by the current four and six-cylinder units replacing the larger ones. However, only one car in the fleet still carries a large engine: 6.0 liter V12 under the hood of the flagship 760Li. Same engine is used in the Rolls Royce Ghost. Dubbed N74, the 6.0 liter is a twin-turbocharged V12 DOHC piston engine which replaced the N73 naturally-aspirated predecessor. The V12 twin-turbo outputs 535 horsepower @ 5250 rpm and 750 Nm (550 lb-ft) of torque at 5000 rpm.

For many years, the V12 engine has been part of the BMW 7 Series history. However, CarAdvice reports that it might bid its farewell soon. In an interview with the same publication, BMW Australia product and pricing manager Christoph Priemel says there were no guarantees the sixth-generation 7 Series – due in 2016 – would still use the V12 powerplant.

“The planning for whether the V12 engine will be kept, that’s not decided yet,” said Priemel.

Furthermore, he added that “there’s certainly some focuses where [the car’s planners] set targets in the sense of where emissions should go or what technology should be introduced, but whether it [the 7 Series V12] will be continued or not, the final call has not been made.”

Because of its high price, the 760Li is not among the highest sellers in the BMW fleet despite its power.