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      08-17-2016, 02:58 PM   #1
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Our Alpina B7 First Drive Review

BIMMERPOST NEWS
Alpina B7: The luxury missile
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Alpina B7: The luxury missile

By Jens Meiners, BIMMERPOST Correspondent

Alpina doesn't like speed limits. In 1985, when a discussion on limiting the legendary autobahn was raging through Germany, Alpina's founder and CEO Burkard Bovensiepen created a well-reasoned two-page advertisement that ran in the country's foremost magazines. It was an expensive undertaking, but it added to the national debate - and ultimately may have been an important step to preserve the freedom to choose your own speed on what may be the world's best and safest high-speed road network.

A freedom that can be enjoyed to the fullest over 30 years later, and nowhere better than in Alpina's latest offering: The B7 Biturbo, a 600-horsepower derivative of the new 7-series that surpasses the 750i xDrive by a full 155 horsepower. Maximum torque is rated at 590 lb-ft. And top speed rises from a governed 155 mph to 205 mph - also governed, believe it or not.

Compared to the 750i, not a sluggish car by any means, the B7 moves with noticeably more urgency. It charges to 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill in a mere 3.7 seconds; the engine emits a muffled but aggressive growl, gear changes are more speedy, and the car builds speed with incredible ease. When the road clears up, triple-digit velocities are mere seconds away, and even when you approach the B7's top speed, it remains calm, poised, and sure-footed.

To make sure it remains firmly planted to the road even in the lofty realm of 200-mph-plus velocities, the B7 comes with a front and rear spoiler, both designed to sharply reduce lift; its chassis is lower than the regular 750i's; and it comes with standard all-wheel-steering. That system is great at low speeds, where it reduced the turning circle and increases agility by turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the front wheels, but it's even better at high speeds, where the rear wheels turn the same direction, and that increases stability when you need to execute a quick lane change. At low speeds, the system is tuned more aggressively than on the regular 7-series.

All-wheel drive is standard on the B7, and the torque distribution is rear-biased to preserve the agility of a rear-wheel drive car while adding traction. The large brakes operate without noticeable fade - at least during our testing, and we covered virtually the entire speed range.

The B7 rules on the autobahn, but despite its considerable size and heft it also shines on twisty roads. Alpina has tweaked the steering and the chassis tuning, and as a result, the car truly seems to shrink as you push it through corners. The steering feels more precise than on the 750i, there is virtually no body roll, and it is possible to play a bit with the tail (even though this car is no drifter). And there is a "Sport Plus" mode that sharpens the car's responses further - and is not available on any other 7-series.

Of course, the B7 is still an ultra-luxurious sedan, and when you restrain yourself at the wheel, your passengers will never know they are being chauffeured in one of the fastest cars in the world and perhaps the most capable luxury sedan out there. We like the specific enhancements that give away the B7's special status: There are Alpina logos, the car is fitted with special decor, and even the vertical interior lights on the B pillar feature a "B7" logo. What's more, the electronic instrumentation has been redesigned with blue gauges, and in "Sport" as well as "Sport Plus" mode, speed and selected gear are prominently displayed in large, digital letters. The regular 7's available paddle shifters are replaced by the Alpina Switch-tronic buttons.

Outside, the aero kit is complemented with Alpina stripes can be ordered in silver or gol - and the car is fitted with 20-inch Alpina Classic wheels (21-inch rims are optional), and a large four-tip stainless steel exhaust system. Any color is available, but Alpina Blue and Alpina Green II can't be had on any other 7-series, and we think they look fantastic on the B7.

Prices at $137,995, the B7 Biturbo is currently the most expensive 7-series, but it will receive competition in the form of BMW's own M760i by the turn of the year. That model will be powered by an updated version of BMW's twin-turbocharged V-12. But it won't be quite as fast: It'll be governed at 190 mph. We haven't driven the M760i yet, but we know we love the B7: You can't go wrong with it. And if you order one, do a factory delivery in Germany. After all, Alpina worked to keep the roads free over there.

Alpina B7

Alpina B7



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