What’s in a name, you ask? Speak the word Alpina to any BMW lover and it immediately conjures notions of power and exclusive luxury. With a mandate to improve upon its partner’s alreadyfine-performing BMWs, the respected 50-year-old Bavarian company brings that raw athleticism and sleekness – including more power underthe hood, eye-catching 21-inch 20-spoke wheels and the softest stitched extended Nappa Leather to match its latest Alpina B7 xDrive, the fourth generation based on BMW’s 7 Series.
The package is wrapped in a graceful silhouette, slicked with signature Alpina Blue Paint (oryour choice of 8 other shades) and complete with all the custom details. Read on and prepare to be wooed
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THE PERFORMANCE
Since the two-year BMW-Alpina partnership is all about increasing performance and comfort, the 2012 B7 debuts with superb levels of power thanks to its 500 horsepower twin-turbo V8. Larger turbos and higher-capacity cooling from the charged 4.4 litre engine sees the car squeeze 516 ft lb of torque while a stouter transmission and brake system, plus upgraded suspension, only serve to intensify the car’s strength and poise. Butforall its power, the B7
also manages to be an impressive, smooth-riding and controlled cruising car. Only available with a 6-speed automatic transmission, quick and hiccup-free shifting can be accomplished manually with SWITCH-TRONIC steering wheel shift buttons. For effortless steering (and classic BMW attack on corners), switch to the lowest setting on the B7’s Dynamic Drive system, aptlyknown as Comfortsetting. Foran abruptchange in attitude, the SportorSport-plus chassis mode has the car purring with power while still maintaining an impressive balance of handling and comfort.
Compared to the 7 Series, the B7 rides lower and boasts larger 21-inch wheels (available in all wheel drive only, short- or long-wheelbase versions) but ride comfort is never compromised. As you cruise, the car’s various Active Safety settings, such as Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot and Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection make the drive as secure as can be. This last setting is impressively intuitive: it can identify pedestrians and cyclists as they approach the vehicle in the dark, which prompts a warning signal to flash on the display.
The system is so advanced it can read speed limit signs and issue warnings as the odometer climbs, and even monitors speed in inclement weather – the camera can detectfog or rain and will alert drivers when they are hitting unsafe speeds.
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THE SPECS
VITAL STATS: 750i xDrive Alpina B7 / 750Li xDrive Alpina B7
BASE PRICE:$152,000
DRIVETRAIN: All-wheel drive
EPA CLASSIFICATION: Large
PASSENGER CAPACITY: 5
ENGINE TYPE:Twin Turbocharged Gas V8
DISPLACEMENT: 4.4L/268
SAE NET HORSEPOWER @ RPM: 500 @ 5,500
SAE NET TORQUE @ RPM: 516 @ 3,000-4,750
TRANS TYPE: 6
BRAKE TYPE: Power-assisted
BRAKE ABS SYSTEM: 4-wheel
DISC – FRONT& REAR: Yes
FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 82 L
WHEELBASE: 3070 / 3210
OVERALL LENGTH: 5087 / 5214
WIDTH (MAXWITHOUTMIRRORS): 1902 / 1902
OVERALL HEIGHT: 1485 / 1481
LUGGAGE CAPACITY: 500 L
THE DESIGN DETAILS
From its forceful nose and large kidney grilles to its spit polish-worthy rear-bumper Alpina badge, the car is a commanding, aimposing physical presence. A striking shoulder line and seamlessly integrated door handles elongate and add grace, while the 20-spoke, low-profile 21-inch tires make the B7 a total attention hog when in motion. Unique to the B7 are new exhaust tips, a modified front spoiler and fascia (to incorporate three extra cooling intakes) and an updated rearvalance and spoiler – aerodynamic adjustments that help reduce lift by 30 percent in the front and 57 percent in the rear. Softly pull open the driver’s side door – you won’t miss the icy blue-illuminated window sills – and slide into the multi-contoured, heated and ventilated seats (with optional 12-point massage knobs) to find surfaces finished in softest bespoke leather and rich wood accents in Piano Black Wood or Burl Walnut Wood and gauges backlit in Alpina Blue glow. The instrument cluster – including the 10.3-inch iDrive High Resolution LCD screen features suave Black-Panel Technology, which keeps all displays dark and matte until they come to life in several stages when the ignition is started. Backseat passengers are not forgotten: this sedan has more rear features to please everyone. Climate controlled comfort can be switched from 3-level heat mode to cool while two 9.2-inch monitors and DVD players will keep everyone entertained – a list of sweet consolations when you can’t be the one behind the wheel
