Alpina B7
Specs, engines and history
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By Felix Hartmann, Automotive Technology & EV Contributor
- Built
- 2016–2022
- Top power
- 447 kW (608 PS)
Which Alpina B7 to choose
Our verdict · Felix Hartmann
- For the best performance: a facelifted car from July 2019, with full torque from 2,000 rpm and 0–100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.
- For right-hand-drive markets: the rear-wheel-drive version, which is 0.6 seconds slower to 100 km/h.
- For the lowest running costs among B7s: the later F01 generation, rated at 9.9 litres per 100 km by German Wikipedia.
- For rarity: the Canadian Exclusive Edition, with 21 cars built.
The fastest saloons on the site are compared in our car rankings.
Alpina is a Bavarian maker of high-performance cars based on BMW models. Burkard Bovensiepen founded Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen KG on 1 January 1965 in Kaufbeuren with eight employees; the roots go back to 1962, when he developed a twin Weber carburettor kit for the BMW 1500. By 1970 the company had moved to Buchloe, and its touring cars won the European Touring Car Championship that year. Since 1983 the German authorities have recognised Alpina as a car manufacturer rather than a tuner, so its cars are registered as Alpinas. On 10 March 2022 BMW announced that it was taking over the Alpina brand.
The Alpina B7 is the company's version of the BMW 7 Series. The model in the catalogue is the B7 Bi-Turbo of the G11/G12 generation, presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016 and built until September 2022. Its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 447 kW (608 PS) and 800 Nm, and Alpina tested it at 330 km/h. It was built on BMW's 7 Series line in Dingolfing and finished at Alpina's plant in Buchloe.
Specs by version
Verified Manufacturer and type-approval data from our catalog · Sources and methodology
In short
- G12 B7 Bi-Turbo: 2016–2022, facelift unveiled on 11 February 2019; production ended in September 2022.
- 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 (N63M30) with 447 kW (608 PS) and 800 Nm, ZF eight-speed automatic, xDrive all-wheel drive.
- 0–100 km/h in 3.6 seconds after the facelift; top speed 330 km/h (310 km/h limit in North America).
- In Germany the facelifted long-wheelbase B7 started at €154,800 in 2019.
Alpina B7 (G11/G12) at a glance
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Production | 2016–2022 (Bi-Turbo Allrad 03/2016–08/2018; facelift 07/2019–09/2022) |
| Base car | BMW 7 Series G11/G12 |
| Assembly | BMW Dingolfing; final assembly at Alpina, Buchloe |
| Body | four-door saloon; long wheelbase only after the facelift |
| Engine | 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 (N63M30), 1.4 bar boost |
| Power | 447 kW (608 PS) |
| Torque | 800 Nm |
| Gearbox | ZF eight-speed automatic with Alpina software |
| Drive | xDrive all-wheel drive; rear-wheel drive for right-hand-drive cars |
| 0–100 km/h | 3.7 s; 3.6 s after the 2019 facelift |
| Top speed | 330 km/h (tested) |
| Brakes | Brembo, 395 mm front and 370 mm rear discs |
Three generations of the Alpina B7
German Wikipedia lists three generations of the modern B7, each based on the 7 Series of its time.
| Generation | Base | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–100 km/h | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B7 (E65/E66) | BMW 7 Series E65/E66 | 2001–2008 | 4.4 V8 | 368 kW (500 PS) | 700 Nm | 4.9 s | 300 km/h |
| B7 Bi-Turbo (F01/F02) | BMW 7 Series F01/F02 | 2009–2015 | 4.4 V8 twin-turbo | 373 kW (507 PS), later 397 kW (540 PS) | 700, later 730 Nm | 4.7, later 4.6 s | 302, later 312 km/h |
| B7 Bi-Turbo (G11/G12) | BMW 7 Series G11/G12 | 2016–2022 | 4.4 V8 twin-turbo | 447 kW (608 PS) | 800 Nm | 3.7, later 3.6 s | 330 km/h |
The E65 version weighed 1,960 kg, or 2,065 kg as a long-wheelbase car, and used 12.8 litres per 100 km. The F01 dropped from 12.0 to 9.9 litres per 100 km during its life and switched from a six-speed to an eight-speed automatic. German registrations show how rare these cars were: only ten new F01-based B7s were registered in Germany in 2012. The BMW on which the latest car is based is covered in our guide to the BMW 7 Series G11/G12.
Engine and gearbox
Alpina reworked BMW's 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, here coded N63M30. It runs 1.4 bar of boost with a 10.0:1 compression ratio, and the engine is hand-assembled in Buchloe before it is fitted on the BMW line.
| Version | Power | Torque | 0–100 km/h | 0–200 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B7 Bi-Turbo (2016–2019) | 447 kW (608 PS) at 6,250 rpm | 800 Nm at 3,000–5,000 rpm | 3.7 s | 12.5 s |
| B7 facelift (2019–2022) | 447 kW (608 PS) at 5,500–6,500 rpm | 800 Nm from 2,000 rpm | 3.6 s | 11.7 s |
| B7 right-hand drive, rear-wheel drive | 447 kW (608 PS) | 800 Nm | 4.2 s | — |
| B7 for China | 415 kW (564 PS), 4.0 V8 | 750 Nm | 3.8 s | — |
The facelift kept the peak output but spread it over a wider rev band, with full torque available 1,000 rpm earlier. The ZF eight-speed automatic has Alpina's own software and a reinforced torque converter; shifting is by buttons on the steering wheel, with paddles as an option. Alpina was the first maker to put shift buttons on the steering wheel, with its Switch-Tronic system. The xDrive all-wheel drive has a strong rear bias. Right-hand-drive cars, offered from 2017, are rear-wheel drive only.
Chassis, brakes and wheels
The B7 uses air suspension with BMW's Active Comfort Drive and Road Preview, Active Roll Stabilisation and Integral Active Steering with rear-axle steering. The ride height changes by 20 mm: the car lowers itself above 225 km/h and can be raised for ground clearance at low speed.
Standard wheels are 20 inches, 8.5J at the front and 10J at the rear, with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres; 21-inch forged wheels are optional. Alpina uses conventional tyres and claims a saving of 2.5 kg of unsprung weight per wheel. The Brembo brakes have 395 mm discs at the front and 370 mm at the rear.
Facelift, prices and the end of production
Alpina unveiled the facelift on 11 February 2019 and showed it at the Geneva Motor Show that March; deliveries began in July 2019. The German site Autonotizen reported that the updated B7 was offered only as a long-wheelbase car and started at €154,800 in Germany in February 2019.
In Europe the B7 was sold only through Alpina dealers, while in the United States BMW dealers sold it. BMW Canada offered an Exclusive Edition from 2018 with black chrome trim and black 21-inch wheels, limited to 21 cars in three colours. Production ended in September 2022, and German Wikipedia notes that no successor was planned at the time.
Alpina and BMW
Alpina's production is closely tied to BMW's. The B7 shared the Dingolfing line with the 7 Series. The V8 was hand-built in Buchloe, installed at BMW and then finished at Alpina. BMW's 2022 announcement brought the Alpina brand into the BMW Group. The story of the parent company is told in our history of BMW, and the older 7 Series generations in our article on the BMW 7 Series E23, E32 and E38.
Alpina's racing years ran from 1968 to 1977, and the company withdrew from motorsport officially in 1988. Earlier Alpina specials were built in small numbers, for example 533 cars of the B6 2.8 and 97 of the B12 5.0.
Photo gallery
Alpina B7 in our rankings
- No. 5 of 68 · Most torque: sedans (800 Nm)
- No. 10 of 149 · Most powerful sedans (447 kW)
- No. 46 of 368 · Most torque: cars (800 Nm · top 15%)
- No. 48 of 312 · Most powerful cars of the 2010s (447 kW · top 16%)
- No. 140 of 859 · Most powerful cars (447 kW · top 17%)
- No. 24 of 124 · Most powerful German cars (447 kW · top 20%)
More powerful than 93% of ranked sedans in the 1CARS catalog (No. 10 of 149).
FAQ
How fast is the Alpina B7?
The G12 B7 was tested at 330 km/h and reaches 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds after the 2019 facelift; North American cars are limited to 310 km/h.
What engine does the Alpina B7 have?
A 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 based on BMW's N63, with 447 kW (608 PS) and 800 Nm.
Is the Alpina B7 a BMW?
It is based on the BMW 7 Series and built on BMW's line in Dingolfing, but Alpina is recognised as a separate car manufacturer and the cars are registered as Alpinas.
When did the Alpina B7 end?
Production of the G12 B7 ended in September 2022.
How much did the Alpina B7 cost?
In Germany the facelifted long-wheelbase B7 started at €154,800 in 2019.
Data sources
Data checked by an editor against the sources below.
