Autocar UK once again gets their hands on one of “hottest” Alpina models out there, the new B7, a vehicle powered by a V8 4.4 liter twin-turbo engine, which outputs a whooping 507 horsepower and an impressive 516 lb-ft of torque. Official and now tested numbers show the B7 running from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Pretty impressive for 4,500 lbs car, isn’t it?
Add to this equation a top speed limit of 173 mph and that should keep the B7 owners entertained on the German Autobahn. But let’s see if the UK folks at Autocar were as excited as we are now about the new Alpina B7.
What’s it like?
Rapid. Really frighteningly rapid. Okay, so there might be the teeniest delay if you nail the throttle at idle. But by, say 1500rpm, a huge surge of torque is already propelling you way past the UK legal limit and onto speeds that are only of use on autobahns. It feels every bit as quick as the hot Merc - more so, I’d say, given the huge shove offered by the twin turbos.
It’s still a big car, mind you, so don’t think that you’re going to chuck it around like it doesn’t weigh two tonnes. The B7 has four chassis set-ups, but the two extremes - comfort and sport plus - feel unduly wafty and uncomfortably tail-happy respectively.
The two middle set-ups are more effective, but while the B7 feels agile, it feels like a big agile car. Don’t expect 5-series levels of chuckability. The steering is also a little vague around the straight ahead, although it does weight up nicely when you’re pushing on.
The ride is a triumph, however; sure, road noise is more pronounced from the 21-inch Alpina Classic alloys, but the switch from runflats to bespoke Michelins means that you can trundle around urban roads without much fear of being bounced off your (very comfortable) seat. the B7 is comfortable on worn motorways, too, even at more than 150mph.
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