Alpina B7 2018 review

You know, when you walk along the path and stumble upon a soft sponge that the council poured around a tree, and in your head it arises: “Wow, the earth is elastic, but it looks just like bitumen ?!”

That's the response you get from people when they think they're looking at a regular BMW 7 Series, only to have their world spice up a little when they see the Alpina B7 badge on the back of that car when you overtake them at the Warp Factor 9000.

And you'll overtake them like a blur because, thanks to the elves at the German tuning studio Alpina, the B7 is unbelievably fast for a five-seat limousine measuring 5.3m long and weighing 2.2 tons. But then the B7 is fast for any type of car of any size, because with its top speed of 330 km/h, this beast will overtake the McLaren 570GT. Yes seriously.

Based on the long wheelbase BMW 750Li, the B7 starts life on the same production line as the regular 7 Series. Alpina then makes so many changes to the engine and chassis that the German government requires the BMW VIN to be replaced with a new one.

Ready to find out more? Well, there's so much to see here that things can get a little weird and sprightly again. Be ready.

With a top speed of 330 km/h, the B7 beast will overtake the McLaren 570GT.

BMW Alpina B7 2018: Bi Turbo
Safety Rating	-
engine's type	4.4 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	9.6l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$274,500

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

This is a good place to start because the B7 looks exactly like the 750Li it's based on until you see the first clear signs that it isn't.

This includes a front fender with Alpina lettering and a trunk spoiler, full-length graphics and 20-spoke wheels with Alpina badging.

It's late 70's, early 80's style at its best (and possibly worst) style, but these special cars can look ironic because that's how BMW Alpina's have been riding since 1975, when the E21-based Alpina A320 1/ 3 has been launched.

The BMW badges remain on the hood and trunk, but instead of the 7 Series ID, there is Alpina B7 BiTurbo.

Most people passed it down the street thinking it was just a big BMW, others were scratching their heads wondering what I had done with my big German limousine, and a handful of people almost fell to their knees in admiration and surprise at seeing such a rare animal. , like this. in wild nature.

All these people had their stories with Alpina - one of them was the third generation of the family that owned Alpina. You become a member of a small and passionate club when you buy this sophisticated brand.

The cabin of the standard B7 is nearly identical to the luxurious interior of the 750Li, except for Alpina embossed stitching on the headrests of the soft leather seats, a virtual instrument cluster, and an Alpina badge on the center console indicating the build number.

B7 is long, low and wide: just under 5.3 m from edge to edge, 1.5 m high and 1.9 m wide. The wheelbase of 3.2m means that the cabin is not just spacious.

The B7 rolls off the production line in Dingolfing in Germany and is then transferred to the Alpina plant in Bokle, where significant changes take place. Read on to find out how the B7 differs from the regular 750Li.

B7 is long, low and wide: just under 5.3 m from edge to edge, 1.5 m high and 1.9 m wide.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10

Alpina takes the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine from the BMW 750Li and rebuilds it by hand. Alpina is equipped with its own turbochargers, air intake system, powerful cooling system and Akrapovic quad exhaust. Power output is 447kW and 800Nm, a whopping 117kW and 150Nm more than the 750Li.

It is interesting to note that the V12 powered 760Li has slightly more power, 448kW, and the same torque output as the B7.

How fast is B7? Fast Supercar - The B7 has a top speed of 330 km/h, allowing it to overtake the McLaren 570 and nearly keep up with the Ferrari F12. That's incredible for a 2.3-ton limousine with three TVs on board. Acceleration to 0 km / h in 100 seconds is also impressive.

In comparison, the 750Li has a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of a not-so-fast 4.7 seconds, but the car is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

The eight-speed automatic shifts gears smoothly, if a little slowly in normal mode, while Sport and Sport+ modes add a sharp and harsh shift.

Finally, the B7 is all-wheel drive and those rear wheels are designed to turn slightly for better cornering ability.

Alpina takes the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine from the BMW 750Li and rebuilds it by hand.

What is it like to drive? 9/10

Who on earth thinks the BMW 750Li isn't fast enough or comfortable enough, even with all its power, luxurious interior and technology? Alpina, that's who.

Upgrading the 4.4-litre V8 with new turbochargers, a beefy cooling system, a different air suspension setup and an Akrapovic exhaust system made this already exceptional car better. Better to drive and better to be behind the wheel.

Even with these 21-inch wheels and low-profile Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (255/35 ZR21 front and 295/30 ZR 21 rear) the ride is incredibly comfortable. I rode it and also had the opportunity to sit back in the back seat and be the chauffeur (our photographer) and the ride was so relaxed and refined that it was hard to believe I was driving on really awful city roads with their cracks and potholes. surfaces.

And it's quiet too. Which will suit those who are being driven quickly from the airport to the next meeting in the back, but if you want a loud and angry exhaust sound, then you will not find it in the B7. Sure, the B7 makes a menacing growl outside at full throttle, but this is not a BMW M car that will bark and growl. 

You see, while BMW's M division makes brutal, loud, high-performance versions of its regular cars, Alpina makes comfortable, discreet, high-performance ones.

The ride, even with these 21-inch wheels and low-profile tires, is incredibly comfortable.

The all-wheel drive provides fantastic traction and ensures the grunt doesn't just rip the tires off the rims when you sneeze on the gas pedal.

And while the air suspension is soft and comfortable, the adaptive dampers adjust to the twisty road, providing impressive handling for a heavy, long vehicle.

In reality, however, the B7 is built for long, endless stretches of road, and acceleration over 100 km/h is almost as amazing as going from 0 to 100 km/h, as it wants to hit 200 km/h just after 330 km/h. km/h h maximum speed.

Which, if you don't know or aren't a good lawyer, will send you straight to jail. Yes, B7 is probably too much for Australian roads. Only on the German autobahn will the B7 feel at home.

I felt like I was given a Melbourne Cup winning racehorse for a week, but I could only ride it in my suburban backyard.

How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

The B7 is probably not the car to own if you're worried about fuel prices or emissions, but then the twin-turbo V8 might not be as power hungry as you think, and Alpina says that after combining urban and open-air driving road you should only use 9.6 l/100 km.

My time in the B7 showed me doubling that usage, but it could have had something to do with me disabling the stop-start system and driving in sport mode all the time.

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Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

In this case, you pay more but get more, although the standard features are almost identical.

The B7 is $389,955 and the 750li is about $319,000. At this level, 70 thousand dollars seems like a perfectly reasonable premium for a faster, more powerful, better handling and more comfortable version of the 750 Li.

In this case, you pay more but get more, although the standard features are almost identical. There are adaptive LED headlights, a head-up display, night vision with pedestrian detection, a 10.25-inch touchscreen up front and two screens in the second row for TV and other multimedia features.

There's a reversing camera, satellite navigation, a Harman/Kardon surround sound system and Apple CarPlay. There's leather upholstery, front and rear seat massagers, four-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, front and rear parking sensors, an automatic tailgate, sunblinds for the rear and rear side windows, and a proximity key.

The security features are listed in the section below and the list is also impressive.

The B7's competitors are the Mercedes-AMG S63 which sells for $375,000, the Audi S331,700 for $8 and even the Bentley Flying Spur which almost matches its $389,500 price tag.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

Storage is excellent, with two cupholders and door pockets for rear passengers.

The B7 is a five-seat limousine, although with a fold-down rear center armrest that houses the media control panel, the rear is really designed for two.

The wheelbase of 3.2m means that the cabin space is huge. At 191 cm tall, I can sit in my driver's seat with about 30 cm between my knees and the back of the seat. Those rear doors open wide and the entrance is huge, making getting in and out almost as easy as walking through the doorway. The air suspension also raises and lowers the B7's ride height for better access.

Storage is excellent, with two cup holders and door pockets for rear passengers, as well as space inside the center armrest.

Ahead, the driver and co-pilot have a deep storage box on the center console with an opening lid, two cup holders and door pockets.

The trunk is good, the trunk is 515 liters.

The trunk is good, the trunk is 515 liters.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

2 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 9/10

The Alpina B7 comes with all the safety equipment of the BMW 750Li including AEB, lane keeping assist and lane departure warning, blind spot warning, active cruise control, night vision with object recognition, automatic parking and a surround view camera.

Along with a suite of airbags, as you'd expect, there's traction and stability control and ABS.

750Li and B7 did not receive an ANCAP rating.

Along with a suite of airbags, as you'd expect, there's traction and stability control and ABS.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10

The B7 is covered by a three-year BMW unlimited mileage warranty. Service is recommended every 12 months or 15,000 km. B7 is covered by the BMW Special Vehicles Service Plan, which means services are free for the first three years of the vehicle's life.

Verdict

The BMW Alpina B7 is a special car destined (like all Alpinas) to become a collector's item due to its rarity and exclusivity. I asked Alpina how many modern B7 models there are in Australia and the answer was "less than five", which is as cryptic as most people find the car in general.

The B7 is fast—too fast to drive legally on Australian roads—but it's also eminently comfortable and well-equipped. For Alpina fans who are lucky enough to be behind the wheel, this is going to be a really rare and niche way to be a driver.

Is the BMW Alpina B7 the fastest limousine? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.