V8 returns to the 7 Series: BMW confirms M760, Alpina teases its own V8
BMW is bringing a pure V8 back to its luxury sedan with the M760 xDrive in 2027. Alpina is teasing an updated eight-cylinder in parallel, likely for its first model under BMW control.
Archive image · Photo: Matti Blume / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
BMW is returning to a classic V8 at the top of its range. At a press presentation in the United States, BMW officially confirmed the M760 xDrive name for the updated 7 Series, trade site BimmerToday reported on Oct. 14. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 makes 578 PS (570 hp), and BMWBLOG says the sedan does 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The M760 replaces the 760i and, unlike that model, will also be sold in Germany and Europe. Torque and price have not been announced.
Separately, BMW Alpina posted a V8 engine block on Instagram, saying the V8 refined by Alpina engineers “lays the foundation for the unmistakable BMW ALPINA driving character.” The brand gave no technical details. BMWBLOG and BimmerToday expect the first production model under BMW to be an Alpina 7 Series, code-named G72, due in 2027, with an Alpina version of the X7 to follow. Whether Alpina's engine is based on the M760's V8 has not been confirmed.
Alpina's 60-year era as an independent manufacturer ended in late 2025, and the BMW Group has run the brand since. Under BMW, Alpina is to be positioned as a luxury brand between BMW and Rolls-Royce, BimmerToday reported. BMWBLOG sees the Alpina 7 Series as a rival to the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, below the Rolls-Royce Ghost. According to BMWBLOG, Alpina CEO Oliver Viellechner has said a pure V8 without a plug will be a core part of the lineup.