The first time you plant your foot in this BMW 7 Series is the point when you realise that this uber-saloon isn’t solely about wafting. A surprisingly characterful growl from the straight-six engine is the giveaway that something else is afoot here.
It’s no BMW M3, but it does lend it an air of interest that these plug-in hybrids frequently avoid.
This, then, is the BMW that will once again take the fight to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Power in this particular M760e comes from the aforementioned 3.0-litre engine, supplemented by a gearbox-mounted electric motor with a 22.1kWh (gross) battery slung under the floor. Although that’s not as big as the X5 50e’s 25.7kWh, the M760e still manages between 46-48 miles on a charge, so it’ll drop into the 8% benefit-in-kind tax bracket. Handy to know if the all-electric BMW i7 sibling doesn’t fit your needs.
As ever with BMW, the strategy here is multiple powertrains, same car. So the 760e on test sits on the same CLAR platform as the i7 and indeed the pure-ICE cars that are available in other parts of the world.
The UK misses out on the diesel and mild-hybrid options like the V8 760i, but a lesser 750e is available here. All cars come as standard with four-wheel drive and air suspension.
