Do you want BMW to release a more powerful version of the 7 Series? Say with 600 horsepower and a 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 3.6 seconds without all the that M badging alerting the little people you paid well over $100,000 on your ride. If so, the all-new 2017 BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive is for you!
This is a fast, safe, and comfortable ride packed with enough technology to satisfy even the highest of gadget-hounds.
The BMW Alpina B7 xDrive sports 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 has been juiced to 600 pny. The run of the (LOL) BMW 7 sedan has only 445 horsepower. And those ponies take you 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, and is well into supercar territory. and whole 0.8 seconds faster than the past version of the auto. There’s ton of torque on hand too, 494 lb-ft available at just 2,000 rpm, peaking at 590 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm.
But it’s not only the engine that got special treatment. The suspension and chassis have been upgraded, the all-wheel-drive system recalibrated, and Alpina has tweaked the shift maps of the 8-speed transmission. Oh, and there’s a Launch Control mode in case you want to run down the drag strip.
The 2-axle air suspension system combined with Dynamic Damper Control and Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview guarantees the very highest level of driving comfort at all times while the Active Roll Stabilization minimizes body roll during cornering. The rear wheel steering of the Integral Active Steering system gives the all-new BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive a level of dynamic performance and light-footed handling, typically associated with sports cars. The Driving Dynamics Control switch serves as the central control over which to select the various parameters of all the systems that influence the driving dynamics of the all-new BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive. It also features an Individual Mode, which can be used to combine specific settings independently and in accordance to the driver’s preference.
With the Driving Dynamics Control used to select the appropriate mode, the 2-axle air suspension system is primarily responsible for the exceptional level of ride comfort. It also enables ride height to be changed up or down which in combination with the other suspension systems facilitates the choice of a decidedly comfort or sport orientated chassis set-up. Overall, a maximum ride height adjustment range of 1.6 inches is available. At speeds above 140 mph the ride height of the BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive is lowered by 0.8 inches. This operating state, which can be activated manually to be effective regardless of the speed by selecting the special ALPINA Sport+ Mode, results in a lower center of gravity thereby increasing agility and high-speed stability. The lower ride height results in increased front wheel camber for even more direct turn-in when cornering. When needed, the ride height can also be raised by 0.8 inches up to a speed of 20 mph in order to increase ground clearance.
The settings of the Electronic Damper Control, which influences both rebound and compression, are also selected using the Driving Dynamics Control. A broad range of ALPINA damper set-ups are available ranging from Comfort+ Mode for effortless and relaxed cruising to ALPINA Sport+ Mode for maximum dynamic performance.
For the first time, the all-new BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive features Integral Active Steering, which in conjunction with the high-performance drivetrain and the all-wheel drive system, offers a dynamic driving experience par excellence. The Integral Active Steering combines a variable ratio electric steering system at the front axle with active steering on the rear axle whereby the wheels can turn a maximum of 3 degrees. Specially attuned to the ALPINA suspension and Micheal performance tires, the rear axle steers opposed to the front axle at low speeds for increased agility and dynamic handling, while steering with the front axle at higher speeds for maximum high-speed directional stability.
The 2017 BMW Alpina B7 will be available beginning in September at select BMW dealerships. Price has not been disclosed, but expect it to run much higher than the $97,400 of the BMW 750i xDrive on which it’s based.
