The Alpina B7 name covers two very different eras: the B7 Turbo of 1978–1982 on the BMW E12 5 Series with 300 PS, and the later 7 Series cars, from the supercharged E65 B7 of 2003 to the twin-turbo G12 B7 of 2016 with 608 PS and 800 N·m.
Alpina B7 at a glance
| E12 B7 Turbo (1978–1982) | based on the 528i, B7 engine with 221 kW (300 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 462 N·m at 3,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| E12 B7 S Turbo (1981) | 243 kW (330 PS) at 5,800 rpm and 500 N·m |
| E65 B7 (2003) | introduced at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show; supercharged 4.4 L N62 V8 (centrifugal supercharger, the first on an Alpina); standard and long wheelbase; 800 limited editions sold by BMW of North America for 2007 and 2008 |
| F01/F02 B7 (2011 model year in the US) | hand-assembled twin-turbo 4.4 L V8 in Buchloe; for the 2013 model year 540 hp (547 PS), 729 N·m, 0–100 km/h in 4.3 s, 300 km/h, 8-speed automatic |
| G12 B7 (2016) | 4.4 L twin-turbo V8, 447 kW (608 PS), 800 N·m; B7 xDrive announced 8 February 2016: 0–100 km/h in 3.7 s, limited to 310 km/h |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alpina B7
The Alpina B7 Turbo is based on the BMW 5 Series (E12) 528i, like its predecessor the B2, and from 1978 to 1982 featured a B7 engine with 300 PS; in 1981 Alpina introduced the B7 S Turbo with 330 PS. The B7 of the E65 7 Series was officially introduced at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in normal and long-wheelbase versions. It uses a supercharged version of the 4.4-litre N62 V8 found in the 745i, because the 750i and its 4.8-litre engine did not exist when development began; the 760Li’s 6.0-litre V12 was judged too heavy for a sporty version.
The twin-turbo V8 of the F01 B7 is assembled by hand at Alpina’s facility in Buchloe, Germany, before being shipped to BMW for installation, and the finished car is sent back to Alpina for final touches. Unlike BMW’s run-flat tyres, the B7 comes with conventional softer-sidewall tyres and a repair kit, which allowed Alpina to stiffen the suspension and still improve the ride. The G12 B7 is produced on the same assembly line in Dingolfing as the BMW 7 Series and can be equipped like an M760Li, with an exclusive Alpina Green finish available; the B7 is one of two Alpinas offered in the US and Canada.
Design and features
- E65: the first Alpina with a centrifugal supercharger.
- F01: a hand-built twin-turbo V8 and conventional tyres instead of run-flats.
- G12: 608 PS and, in xDrive form, 0–100 km/h in 3.7 seconds.
Alpina B7 versions
- B7 Turbo and B7 S Turbo (E12): the 1978–1982 five-series cars.
- B7 (E65), B7 (F01) and B7 L: the 7 Series generations, with xDrive from the F01.
- B7 xDrive (G12): the 2016 model.
More Alpina models are in our Alpina collection, for example the B5, the B12 and the B11.
Alpina B7 questions and answers
What engine does the F01 Alpina B7 have?
A hand-assembled twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 based on the BMW N63 engine, 547 PS in 2013.
How fast is the G12 B7 xDrive?
0–100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 310 km/h.
What was the first B7?
The B7 Turbo of 1978 on the E12 528i, with 300 PS.
Sources
- Alpina, English Wikipedia: 5 and 7 Series based Alpinas
