The Manhart MH7 400D Is A Diesel 7-Series With Gold Bits And Serious Clout

German tuner Manhart has come up with something that - despite its appearances - is quite sensible. This is the MH7 400D, so-called because it’s a BMW 7-series diesel packing 400bhp. Oh, and 583lb ft of torque.

Specifically, it’s based on a 740d - the more powerful 750d with its bonkers quad-turbo inline-six was discontinued a couple of years ago. The 400D exceeds that car’s power and torque figures while being a whole lot less complicated.

The extra shove comes from an in-house ECU fiddle and a “Manhart Turbo Performance kit,” which includes an unspecified turbocharger upgrade. The eight-speed automatic gearbox has also been uprated, but again, Manhart hasn’t said exactly what has been done. The exhaust, meanwhile, has been left alone, although if you must, there are options available.

The same goes for the brakes and the cabin - on this show car, they’ve been left alone. The stock air suspension is retained too, albeit with new coupling rods allowing for a ride height drop of 20-30mm.

See also: Manhart’s Golf GTI Has 286bhp, Big Wheels And A Starlight Headlining

To make the most of the new stance, the 400D gets Manhart Venturi wheels measuring a whopping 22 inches in diameter front and rear. These wear 265mm wide tyres at the front and 295mm fatties at the rear, and are pushed right to the edges of the arches using 15mm H&R spacers.

Further helping this stand out from the average oil-burning 7er is a new front splitter and a boot spoiler, both made from carbon fibre. You probably didn’t spot those, though, as you were likely distracted by the usual Manhart festooning of gold stripes and lettering. Subtle the 400D is not.

There are reasons to omit the decal pack on the grounds of both taste and cost - it’ll set you back €1099. For both carbon bits, you’ll need to shell out a total of €5635, while the wheels are €4890. The air suspension tweaks are reasonably affordable at €499, while the under-bonnet stuff weighs in at €6999.