The Alpina B12 was the name of Alpina’s high-performance luxury cars with V12 engines. It succeeded the B11 4.0 in 1988 on the BMW 7 Series (E32) and was later based on the 7 Series (E38) and the 8 Series (E31). Production ended in 2001, and the B12 was replaced by the B7 (E65) and the B6 (E63).
Alpina B12 at a glance
| E32 B12 5.0 (1988) | first Alpina with a V12; BMW 750i/iL basis, M70 V12 modified to 257 kW (350 PS) and 470 N·m; 305 built |
|---|---|
| E31 B12 5.0 (1990–1994) | based on the 850i, M70 V12, 257 kW (349 PS), automatic |
| E31 B12 5.7 (from 1992) | based on the 850CSi, enlarged S70 V12 with 306 kW (416 PS; 410 hp), six-speed manual with optional Shift-Tronic; carbon-fibre bonnet with cooling vents and a NACA duct |
| E38 B12 6.0 (shown at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show) | 6.0-litre V12 on the BMW 7 Series (E38) body; 94 built worldwide (Autonews.ru) |
| E38 B12 | based on the BMW 7 Series (E38) until 2001 |
| Exterior changes (E32) | front chin spoiler, 17-inch multi-spoke wheels, special colours, “B12 5.0” badge and Alpina pinstripes |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alpina B12
The B12 5.0 was introduced in 1988 and was the first Alpina production car to use a V12 engine; its predecessor, the B11, used V8 engines of 3.5 and 4.0 litres according to this page (the page on the E32 7 Series lists the 3.5 as an inline-six, so the sources differ). The suffix 5.0 refers to the engine displacement, unchanged from the standard BMW M70 V12, and the car was based on the newly introduced 750i/iL.
The B12 5.0 of the 8 Series was built from 1990 to 1994 on the 850i with the same M70 V12, and the B12 5.7 appeared in 1992 on the 850CSi with an increased-displacement version of the S70 V12. Production of the B12 range ended in 2001 when the E38 7 Series models were discontinued.
At the 1999 Geneva Motor Show Alpina showed the B12 6.0, based on the BMW 7 Series with the E38 body and powered by a V12 of 6.0 litres; according to Autonews.ru only 94 of them were built worldwide. The same article does not mention a turbocharger, so the video title “BMW V12 Alpina Turbo” under our older page refers to this B12, which has no turbo.
Design and features
- Engine: modified BMW V12s: the 5.0-litre M70 and the 5.7-litre S70.
- B12 5.7: a six-speed manual gearbox with an optional system that actuates the clutch automatically when shifting.
- Bodywork: carbon-fibre bonnet with cooling vents and a NACA duct on the 8 Series.
Alpina B12 versions
- B12 5.0 (E32 and E31) and B12 5.7 (E31): the earlier generations.
- B12 (E38): the 7 Series based car.
More Alpina models are in our Alpina collection, for example the B11, the B7 and the B10.
Alpina B12 questions and answers
What was the first Alpina with a V12?
The B12 5.0 of 1988 on the BMW 750i (E32).
How much power has the B12 5.7?
306 kW (416 PS) from the enlarged S70 V12, on the 850CSi base.
What replaced the B12?
The B7 (E65) and the B6 (E63).
How many Alpina B12 6.0 were built?
94 worldwide, according to Autonews.ru; the car was shown at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show.
Sources
- Alpina, English Wikipedia: 7 Series and 8 Series based Alpinas
- Alpina B12, English Wikipedia: B12 overview
- BMW V12 Alpina B12 6.0, Autonews.ru: B12 6.0 shown at Geneva 1999, 94 built
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