The BMW 7 Series is the flagship series of the German automaker's line of luxury automobiles since its introduction in 1978. The current 7 Series lineup for the U.S. market features BMW's classic rear-wheel drive 750i and 750Li models and its top-end 760Li which has a sticker price starting at $136,000. The 7 series offers many options including a choice of eleven engine types in Europe and three in the United States.

Going into 2010, BMW's 750i and 750Li models continue to be powered by its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine introduced by the company in 2009 as part of a complete redesign of the Series 7. The engine offers 400 hp and 450 lbs/feet of torque and is paired with a quick-shifting eight-speed real wheel drive automatic transmission system. The engine powers both the standard and long-wheel base models of the popular 750 series. Prior to the introduction of the new engines in 2009, BMW's 750i and 750Li models were powered by a 360-hp 4.8-liter V8 engine.

Meanwhile, BMW has decided to juice up the engine on the 760Li. Starting with model year 2010, the BMW 760Li will feature a twin turbocharged 544-hp 6.0-liter V12 engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine replaces the previous 438hp 6.0-liter V12s which powered the 760Li model continuously since 2003. The engine makes the BMW 760Li the only luxury sedan at this price point to feature a V12 engine.

Starting this spring, BMW will also start shipping its new 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 featuring a High Precision Direct Injection, 4.4 liter V8 engine with a 3-phase synchronous electric motor. The engine is the world's first V8 gasoline powered engine with two turbochargers for added power. The ActiveHybrid 7 has a combined output of 455 hp, an 8-speed automatic transmission and a maximum torque of 516 lbs/feet. The engine by itself delivers around 440 hp while the electric motor generates a boost of approximately 15 hp and a peak torque of 155 lbs/feet. The hybrid engine saves on gas but the car cannot accelerate solely on battery power.