The BMW Goldfisch is a SOHC 32-valve V16 6.7-litre prototype automotive piston engine based on the BMW M70 V12 engine. [1]. Discover the story of BMW's mighty V16 engine, developed in just six months for the 7-Series and Rolls-Royce Phantom, but never saw production.
BMW's history with the V16 is far from undocumented. In the 1980s, it developed a 6.7. It is a V16-engined, E32 generation 7 Series.
That's right friends, V16. Sixteen cylinders representing one of Munich's wildest flights of fancy, even if it remains a bittersweet story. BMW's second attempt at a V16-powered 7 Series was kept a secret for 30 years, until now that's it's on display in Essen, Germany.
Most people know the 7 Series as BMW's ultra-luxury flagship, but few realize the company once built an outrageous V16 version of it. The story begins with the E32 generation, introduced in the mid-'80s as a major leap forward in design and technology. In 1990, BMW made a secret one.
That is, until recently, when BMW showed off their secret second try at a V16 7 Series at the 2024 Techno Classica historic car show in Essen, Germany. The first Goldfisch was a very badly broken car. Of course, there were worries about how well the huge 6.7.
Back in the late 1980s, BMW engineers were hard at work creating the ultimate expression of Bavarian luxury, and in their toil, built a 6.6-liter V16 engine. Although promising, this powerhouse. The prototype was painted in a dark shade of gold, so it was affectionately nicknamed Goldfish.
The series-produced 750iL was equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission built by ZF, but the V16.