- BMW specialist Alpina has revealed the 2021 Alpina XB7, which is the most powerful version of the BMW X7 three-row SUV.
- It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with bigger turbos and updated cooling system, which helps it produce 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque.
- Orders open this month, and pricing starts at $142,295. They new Alpina will arrive in the U.S. in September.
C/D recently took delivery of BMW’s most powerful version of the 2020 BMW X7 three-row SUV, the 523-hp M50i, for a 40,000-mile long-term test. We’ve enjoyed the power that’s provided by the twin-turbo V-8, and it’s rear-wheel steering and sportier suspension makes it feel less like a big SUV and more like a high-performance sedan. As if the V-8-powered ute wasn’t powerful enough, BMW specialist Alpina is giving it even more oomph and bringing it to the U.S. as the 2021 Alpina XB7, the first SUV from Alpina to reach our shores.
Alpina
To churn out almost 90 more horsepower from the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8, Alpina equipped the X7 with larger twin-scroll turbochargers, two additional water coolers, a larger transmission oil cooler, Alpina-specific intercoolers, and a stainless steel exhaust system. The sound of our long-term X7 M50i’s V-8 surely wasn’t one of our complaints, and the XB7 will certainly have a more pronounced eight-cylinder snarl with the exhaust valves fully opened in Sport mode.
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The larger turbos, upgraded cooling system, and stainless steel exhaust help the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 produce 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, which is sent to all four wheels through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with Alpina Switch-Tronic paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The ZF 8HP76 transmission has been specifically designed to deal with the V-8’s high torque and is equipped with an aluminum transmission oil sump. And, just like the standard X7, the XB7 benefits from Integral Active Steering, i.e. rear-wheel steering.
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Alpina
Alpina claims that the XB7 will reach 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and race through the quarter-mile in 12.6 seconds. During Car and Driver testing, our 2020 BMW X7 M50i, which is about 100 pounds lighter and makes 89 less horsepower, launched to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and reached the quarter-mile in 12.6 seconds at 110 mph. The XB7’s top speed is electronically limited to 180 mph when the SUV is equipped with 21-inch wheels on high-performance tires.
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The twin-turbo V-8 isn’t the only thing Alpina touched. The XB7 gets a two-axle air suspension with Alpina-specific dampers that can lower the body by 1.6 inches. This gives it a noticeably more aggressive stance compared to the standard BMW X7. However, the ride height can be raised to the original setting, and at speeds of more than 155 mph or when the car is in Sport+ mode, the suspension is in its lowest setting.
Twenty-one-inch wheels are standard on the XB7, wrapped with either performance summer or all-season tires, although a much better set of 23-inch wheels with the classic Alpina 20-spoke design are available, and are 28 pounds lighter. Brembo four-piston brakes are standard and are finished in Alpina Blue with a white Alpina logo. Additional exterior tweaks include the front bumper with larger air intakes and “Alpina” script across the front splitter, two twin tailpipes integrated into the Alpina rear diffuser, and, of course, the lowered stance.
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Alpina
In typical Alpina fashion, the SUV’s interior is spiced up as well. The XB7’s crystal shift knob is illuminated in blue, and the door sills are also illuminated with Alpina plaques. The steering wheel is wrapped in Lavalina leather with blue-and-green stitching, and there are three interior trim options, all with Alpina badging: Myrtle luxury wood, Piano lacquer, and Natural Walnut Anthracite.
Orders for the 2021 Alpina XB7 open this month, and they’re slated to arrive in September. Pricing starts at $142,295—that’s just over $28,000 more than a BMW X7 M50i.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
