It was at the last Geneva Motor Show that we got to know the Mercedes-AMG S65 Final Edition and the name of this special edition couldn't be more appropriate — it's the model that marks the historic end of the V12 engines in the models of the star brand.
If we except some (increasingly less) super or hyper sports cars, and even luxury cars, like the Rolls-Royce, only BMW remains as the only… “conventional” manufacturer that still has a V12 in its portfolio.
THE BMW M760Li , as the top of the range, it comes equipped with an engine of… top, a noble V12 with 6.6 l, twin turbo, capable of delivering 585 hp of power. The German brand even has more powerful engines and with fewer cylinders available, but the balance, smoothness and sound of a V12, we have to admit, seems to suit a big top saloon like the Series 7 is.
His arch-rivals' decision to do away with this type of powertrain could motivate BMW to follow suit, but Michael Bayer, head of the powertrain division at BMW, told Top Gear that the V12 engines would keep up. -are in the 7 Series… at least until the end of the current generation.
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This means another four years of V12, until 2023. After that? Hard to predict… It's possible to make the V12 compliant with future emissions standards, despite the difficulty of the mission, according to Bayer.
V12, choose… popular
For now, BMW even indicates a good reason to keep the V12 in the Series 7 — it's a… popular engine. Since the M760Li was announced it has generated immense interest, translating into many orders, keeping the production line dedicated to V12 engines at full capacity.
Let's blame or thank Middle Eastern customers and… Chinese. In the case of China, it is curious, since these F-segment saloons usually come equipped with only 2.0 l engines, which pay much less tax — the engine capacity is also taxed there. Truth be told, the Chinese customer is traditionally more concerned with the status these saloons give than with the engine that drives them.
However, there are more and more Chinese customers who don't mind paying a sum equivalent to a super sports car, with hefty taxes, and having the top of the tops — a six-cylinder or even a V8 are not enough, when they have the V12 available. .
The V12 engines on BMW seem to be safe… for now.
Source: Top Gear