In 1987, BMW took a big step towards being a real premium carmaker with the launch of its first ever V12-powered automobile, the 750iL E32, which was followed shortly after by the 850i that offered the first V12 engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox on a road car.

The 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated V12 unit generated 295hp (300PS) at 5,200 rpm and a peak torque of 450Nm (330 lb·ft) at 4,100 rpm. Ever since, BMW has offered a V12 engine option on its flagship sedan series.

The Bavarian carmaker is now paying homage to the V12’s 25th anniversary with the launch of a limited production version of the current 2013MY 760iL named “V-12 25 Years Edition”.

According to BMW, only 15 of these limited edition models will be offered to US customers on a special order basis only, for delivery in early 2013 at a price of $159,695 including destination and handling.

On the outside, all 15 cars are painted in the BMW Individual exterior finish of Citrine Black metallic and ride on bespoke, 20-inch BMW Individual light-alloy wheels.

Inside, the 25th Anniversary edition is fully trimmed in fine-grained Merino leather upholstery with black piping that’s exclusive to this model. Furthermore, the black floor mats and rear footrests are complimented by contrasting piping in Champagne, while the door sills, headrests and iDrive controllers are all specially badged with “V-12 25 Years Edition”.

Other features include a rear seat entertainment with iDrive control, Alcantara headliner in champagne color, A/B/C pillars in black leather, BMW Individual Piano Black Wood trim for the dashboard, doors and steering wheel, a rear parcel shelf in Anthracite Alcantara and Shadowline exterior trim.

The 760iL “V-12 25 Years Edition” is powered by the same 6.0-liter Twin Turbo V12 found on the regular model. It boasts an output of 535 horsepower and peak torque of 550 lb-ft that good enough for a 0-60 mph (96km/h) in 4.5 seconds and a limited top speed of 130 mph (209km/h), which can be increased to 155 mph (250km/h) with the M Sport Package option.

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