Twelve-cylinders have long been the car of the well-off. Always have, always will. That’s because of the all the added cost and complexity they entail, not to mention the hit in efficiency.
In the current market it isn’t politically correct to own one, but manufacturers like BMW, Bentley and Rolls-Royce defy trends by pressing on with them (for now at least). Today BMW is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its first twelve-cylinder model. To commemorate the occasion the company is introducing a special edition model of its range-topping BMW 760Li. Since the 1987 original, the 750/760Li has been the top-shelf 7-Series, and by extension, the most luxurious and expensive model in the company’s lineup.
Dubbed the V-12 25 Years Edition, only 15 will be sold in the United States, available by special order. The price tag will ring in at $159,695. So what does that get you exactly? For one, an unchanged version of BMW’s 6.0-liter Twin Turbo V12 under the hood. It makes 535 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are good for a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds on the way to an electronically-limited top-speed of…130 mph? Nearly $160K and they limit it to that?
A M Sport (be prepared to shell out more) boosts it to 155 mph. The standard car should get an 155 mph limiter as well. But, we digress. What makes the “V-12 25 Years Edition” different is its interior. There is BMW Individual Champagne Full Merino Leather with black piping, along with specially-badged door sills, headrests and iDrive controllers.Other features include: rear seat entertainment with iDrive controls, alcantara headliner in champagne (sides of headliner in black), A/B/C pillars in black leather, a rear parcel shelf in Anthracite Alcantara. piano black wood accents, Shadowline exterior tim and 20 inch “Individual” 301 wheels with performance tires. Sound worth $159,695? Then get in touch with your BMW Center – only 15 models will be sold.
