BMW Alpina Teases a V8 Luxury Saloon Based on the 7 Series

The teaser and the test car

BMW Alpina posted a single photo on social media with the caption "You may have already passed it. The next BMW ALPINA is on the road." It shows a low saloon with split LED headlights and blurred bodywork. Top Gear was also shown the car in camouflage, and Auto Express described it as being in the final stages of testing.

Confirmed details include forged 20-inch multi-spoke wheels, four oval exhaust tips, a unique paint colour and exterior trim, and a modernised Alpina badge. The prototype runs yellow daytime running lights, a nod to the earlier Vision Alpina concept. Auto Express pointed out that in Europe they may only show yellow when the main headlights are on.

Speed, not sport

Alpina calls its new approach "Speed, not Sport". Vice president Oliver Viellechner told Top Gear that "speed has always been baked into the Alpina brand's DNA", adding that "we are not just interested in top speed alone". The engine has its own calibration and accelerator mapping, meant to deliver torque across the rev range without an aggressive feel, and the automatic gearbox and suspension are tuned for comfort. Bespoke tyres carry an extra foam layer to reduce noise and smooth the ride at high speed.

Auto Express expects the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 already used in the M760 xDrive, with more power than in that car. Carscoops suggested an electric version could later borrow the dual-motor drive of the i7 M70, rated at 500 kW (680 PS), but BMW has not confirmed this.

Price and timing

There is no price yet. In the UK, the M Performance versions of the 7 Series already cost more than £160,000 in 2026, and the Alpina will sit above them, Auto Express reported. Carscoops expects the full reveal within weeks and sees the new Alpina bridging the gap between BMW and Rolls-Royce, with Mercedes-Maybach as its main rival.

What it means for you

The car replaces the previous Alpina B7 and keeps its formula of a V8 limousine built for high cruising speeds. Smaller, cheaper Alpina models are unlikely in the short term, so this saloon and the coming X7 will define the brand for the next few years.

Read about the previous Alpina B7 and the history of Alpina.