Alpina uncovers B7 facelift
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 12th Feb 2019
HIGH-PERFORMANCE BMW brand Alpina has ripped the covers off the updated version of its flagship B7 Bi-Turbo limousine, with the sports-luxury upper-large sedan receiving its first upgrade since going on sale locally in February 2017.
Wearing the same updated exterior styling as its BMW 7 Series donor vehicle, the refreshed B7 scores a greater range of driver assistance and connectivity systems, and a slightly different tune for its 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
The B7 facelift matches that of the 7 Series revealed last month, with a 40 per cent larger iteration of the signature kidney grille, slimmer headlights with hexagonal LED daytime running lights, and what look to be new LED tail-lights with a connecting design across the bumper.
Setting the B7 apart from the 7 Series is the signature Alpina front splitter and 20-spoke alloy wheels.
The updated B7 continues with a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 which produces 447kW and 800Nm, however Alpina has remapped the engine to provide greater power and torque at lower revs.
This allows for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.6 seconds (down 0.1s) and a top speed of 330km/h.
Carrying over is the eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive.
Under new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) fuel consumption testing, the updated B7 has increased its rating from 9.6 litres per 100km to 11.6L/100km, while emissions are now at 265 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
The B7 features a Sport+ mode that adjusts all chassis and drivetrain settings for a sportier response, and can lower the adaptive air suspension by 15mm.
While the company is yet to reveal exactly what technological updates will feature in the new B7, Alpina has said it will score “state-of-the-art infotainment and navigation systems, extended comfort features and advanced safety systems”.
BMW’s Driving Assistant Professional active safety suite has been confirmed, while the latest Operating System 7.0 multimedia interface is a likely starter. A digital instrument cluster is also a possibility.
The B7 first went on sale in Australia in early 2017, the third offering in the local stable after the B3 and B4, based on the 3 Series and 4 Series respectively.
Since its launch the brand has added the 5 Series-based B5, and has this week announced pricing for the incoming B5 Touring wagon and XD3 (based on the X3), with deliveries starting in the third quarter.
Pricing for the current B7 stands at $369,720 plus on-road costs.
