BMW 12-Cylinder engine celebrates 25 years

BMW is celebrating their 25th anniversary of their V12 engine. First seen in 1987, on the BMW 750i , this 5.0 liter unit produced 300 hp and 450 Nm torque. It was an immediate success which brought in numerous orders for the company totally 3000 in pre order bookings ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

BMW 750i ushered in the first V12 engine, work on which started in 1972 when BMW studied the feasibility of having two six cylinder engines to help in bringing out a 12 cylinder engine.

The prototype was completed in 1974 and weighed 315 kgs which was far too heavy to be fitted in a production vehicle. Development work continued on bringing out a lighter engine though such a venture had to be brought to a halt following energy crisis. It was again in 1982 that BMW took op the venture of developing a 12 cylinder engine once again and it was decided to build a new engine instead of trying to bring together two existing 6 cylinder units.

It is this that led to development of 5.0 liter engine. This engine has over the years evolved as a powerful lightweight engine which by 1994 produced 326 hp. Eight years later when seen in the 760i, the 6.0 liter V12 engine produced 445 hp while today this 6.0 liter engine unit is capable of 544 hp and 750 Nm torque.