A high-performance version of the 7 series luxury sedan is BMW Alpina B7.

Produced from 2007-08, the first B7 sedan was based on the shorter-wheelbase version of the 4th generation BMW 7 Series.

History

Alpina was founded in 1965 by Burkard Bovensiepen as Burkard Bovensiepen KG in southern company, and Alpina cars competed efficiently during 1968-1977.

In 1970, Alpina won European Touring car championship, and later recognized by TUV, an automobile manufacturer.

Although Alpina-built cars could be bought and serviced at local BMW dealerships, it was registered under the Alpina label instead of BMW.

In 2007, BMW permitted Alpina to manufacture a high-performance 7-series and at present, B7 edition of Alpina cars are offered only in American markets.

2007-2008 B7 Alpina

2007 B7 was offered in the 7 series as standard wheelbase only. Some of the special features of Alpina include 21-in wheels, Alpina-badged 3-spoke steering column with Switch-Tronic auto-manual buttons, Alcantara headliner, and unique blue-background gauges.

The rear-wheel drive 2007 Alpina was equipped with a supercharged 4.4-L V8 engine that delivered 500 hp at 5500 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque at 4250 rpm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Alpina, for the first time, installed new radial supercharger that had been specially designed by expert engineers to work with variable valve timing of V8 engine to enhance the performance.

In performance testing, it went from a standstill to sixty mph in a scant five seconds and hit a top speed of 186 miles per hour.

The EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 2007 edition are 14 mpg in city and 21 mpg on highways.


B7 is known for its luxurious interior and impressive power; 2008 B7 remains unchanged.

2009-2010

BMW B7 bi-turbo raised the bar in the high-performance luxury sedan segments. The twin-turbo B7 accelerated from zero to sixty mph in just 4.7 seconds and its top speed is electronically limited to 174 mph.

2011 Alpina

2011 Alpina is offered in either short or long wheelbase length versions and it comes with the choice of all-wheel and rear-wheel drive variants.

BMW claims that this car is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in a quick 4.5 seconds and top speed is limited to 177 mph.

The EPA-fuel economy ratings of 2011 B7 are 14 mpg in city, 20 mpg on highways, resulting in combined mileage of 16 mpg for all-wheel drive models, while rear-wheel drive versions deliver 14/22/17 mpg.

Pricing

The MSRP of 2007 B7 was tagged at $53,721 and in 2008, the MSRP went up to $61,770.

The base price of 2011 edition is around $122,000.

Alpina Pictures Collection

B7 Exterior	Alpina Front View	B7 Interior