Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Incredible 2011 BMW Alpina B7

You only need to have a couple of freeway ramps, and maybe a couple miles of open road over which to physical exercise the BMW Alpina B7, prior to you start thinking this may well be the greatest 7-series ever.

I've logged a great deal of time in a 7-series, including a cross-country run in our now-departed long-termer, a 2009 750Li. And after spending a weekend logging about 500 miles inside Alpina B7, I've no reservations about calling it the greatest 7-series yet.

The aero modifications are subtle adequate that the B7 retains the air of elegance and refinement necessary inside a flagship sedan. There's no hint of boy racer here, even though this beast will blow the doors off all but a couple of hot rods on the road right now.

What really separates the Alpina-tuned 7 from the standard 7 is the energy and torque coming from the twin-turbo four.4-liter V8. Upgraded turbos provide a 100-hp increase from the common car, and the energy is prodigious, on par with BMW's 6.0-liter V12. On wet pavement, the 21-inch rubber was tortured attempting to come across grip. And I really like the steering-wheel-mounted buttons for manually shifting the six-speed automatic. I didn't locate myself using them really a lot, but it's nice, at occasions, to be in a position to drop down a gear and hold it even though taking a corner or creating a pass.

With all the performance packed into this vehicle, you sacrifice nothing in the way of luxury. You get all the normal 7-series touches inside. The 20-spoke wheels and the big-lip spoiler on the trunk, along with the Alpina badges, give notice that this is something just a little different from your regular seven.

2011 BMW Alpina B7

Base Price: $123,875

As Tested: $127,225

Drivetrain: 4-liter DOHC twin-turbocharged V8; six-speed automatic

Output: 500 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 516 lb-ft @ 3,000-4,750 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,563 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 16/19.5 mpg

 

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