Bmw Alpina B7 2002
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The BMW ALPINA B7: As Much About Driving As Being Driven
I cover travel, adventure sports, marketing and various ways to drive fast
Your driver will thank you. Because while BMWs generally live up to the ultimate-driving-machine tagline, the 2019 BMW ALPINA B7 is the ultimate "being driven" machine. In test driving this mega sedan around Los Angeles for a week, I often found myself admiring the back seats as I checked the rearview. It made me feel a bit like Jason Statham inThe Transporter (2002), in which he drives the wheels off a 1998 BMW 750iL with a 322 hp V-12. But this is 2018. And this is not a base-model Beemer.
ALPINA is BMW's official tuning partner, the only company approved to work on engine and chassis development. Vehicles can be specially ordered and serviced through BMW dealers. In this case, ALPINA takes the 750i xDrive sedan and, through a range of performance and luxury upgrades, realizes the vehicle's true potential. First, ALPINA tunes the V8 engine from 445 hp to 600 hp by adding two oversized turbos, optimizing air intake and cooling, and outfitting it with higher-flow sport exhaust. In other words, it adds one Mini Cooper's worth of horsepower. This will launch more than two tons of Bavarian automobile from zero to 60 in just 3.6 seconds. It also cranks out 590 pounds of torque, which is fully available at 3,000 rpm. This makes the power output smooth and consistent with no sense of feeling turbocharged.
It's notable that the driver's seatbelt automatically tightens when you jump on it, taking up the slack created from your body sinking into the plush driver's seat from the acceleration. For a moment it feels like you're strapped into a track car. It's a feeling of confidence and exhilaration as the B7 sends 600 hp to all four wheels.
While horsepower has largely been commoditized these days, ALPINA's suspension and chassis upgrades are what really set the B7 apart and make it exceptional to drive. The system is deemed Driving Dynamics Control, from which various handling modes can be selected and individually programmed. The two main categories are Comfort and Sport, and each has several subcategories. Sport+ Mode, for example, lowers the vehicle by 0.8 inches. This, in turn, lowers the center of gravity and increases front wheel camber for more direct turn-in when cornering. This is paired with rear-wheel steering (dubbed Integral Active Steering), which turns up to three degrees in either direction depending on speed — opposing the front axle for better turning radius and in conjunction with the front axle for high-speed stability. Indeed, when you want to drive aggressively, this does not handle like a 4,000-pound vehicle with a limo-like wheelbase. On the other hand, when cruising in Comfort+ mode, the B7 literally floats on the freeway thanks to its air suspension.
If your driver has to battle traffic on a regular basis, such as you find in LA at just about every hour of every day, they'll appreciate the adaptive cruise control and head-up display. The primary settings are target speed and following distance. This enables the vehicle to essentially automate stop-and-go traffic. If you come to a complete stop for more than a few seconds, you just have to tap the accelerator to reinitiate. Otherwise, you can rest your feet and steer as needed. But there's more. Select adaptive steering and it will also keep you centered in the lane at pretty much any speed. Taken together, it's effectively an auto pilot mode.
The B7's interior is finished in a combination of Nappa and LAVALINA leather; wood grain trim in Timeless Piano lacquer or classic Myrtle Luxury Wood, and an individual production plaque on the console. The rear seating area is plush and spacious without being too opulent. It looks like a superb place to ride, especially with an experienced driver at the wheel. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to ride back there. Unfortunately, my driver had the week off.
The 2019 BMW ALPINA B7 starts at $139,350
Note: U.S. customers are able to order either the ALPINA B6 Gran Coupe or the ALPINA B7 Sedan through an authorized BMW Center.
In Europe, the entire ALPINA range (3 series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X3 and X4) is available through either independent ALPINA Centers or through authorized BMW centers, depending on the country.
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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robreed/2018/11/19/the-bmw-alpina-b7-as-much-about-driving-as-being-driven/
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