Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo | Spotted
No such thing as a perfect saloon car - but some get mighty close
It’s now been more than two years since the news broke that BMW was buying Alpina outright. This means it’s now considerably less than two years before the on-paper deal becomes a reality - as of January 1st, 2026, Alpina will be wholly owned by BMW. Yikes. So the months going forward are probably when we’re likely to hear a little bit more about what BMW-Alpina might be. Hoping for the best, prepared for… not quite that, right?
Not long after the announcement, the reality of Alpina’s predicament was made clear: it wouldn’t make any more examples of the B7. Always a niche product, yes, and BMW surely has designs on Alpina-fying future Sevens in its own way, but the B7 had always really suited the Buchloe approach to modifying. There had been five consecutive generations and 35 years of them, don’t forget, as BMW M couldn’t make its mind up, because the luxury-focused, comfort-oriented approach of Alpina worked really nicely with the flagship saloon. Nobody needed a B7, but more than enough people wanted them. And loved them. The sense was always that those customers probably spent lots of money on Alpina wine, too.
The last B7 Bi-Turbo, launched in 2016 and only available as a long wheelbase G12 7 Series (G11 is standard length), was an appropriately mega thing. It made use of the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 rather than the larger V12 of the M760Li (less weight over the nose, see), with an M5-rivalling 600hp thanks to new Mahle pistons, bigger, boostier turbos, better breathing and so on. A useful uptick over the standard 750i’s 444hp, that’s for sure. With Alpina’s expertly selected raft of chassis upgrades, too - a Comfort+ mode, obsessively redone suspension, lighter wheels, better brakes - what turned out to be the final B7 was the ultimate exec express. Hooligan too, over here at least, as the UK didn’t get xDrive 750s - so our cars were RWD. Autocar described the facelifted model as ‘a magnificent device’ a few years back, ‘explosively quick, but on this evidence, superbly refined and with a synergy between chassis and powertrain that’s rare among such cars’. High praise indeed.
But you don’t see many Alpina B7s. Because they’re expensive, for starters, and since the B5 does the job damn near as well. Very few need what’s offered over and above the 5 Series. Plus, well, why would anyone in the fortunate position to have a B7 ever get rid? There’s nothing much like it.
So this one’s a real find. Despite its reputation and suitability for epic mile munching, this 2016 example - number 15, according to the plaque, so very early - has covered fewer than 1,300 miles. Meaning it would look flawlessly good even in black with matching leather. But in Alpina Green Metallic with Canberra Beige Nappa leather, plus the 20-inch Classic wheels and gold decals, it’s a masterpiece. This is the Alpina spec everyone says they’d get if they could and that so few are courageous enough to go through with. From here it looks like the decision more than paid off.
A shame they couldn't often use the Alpina to its full potential, but what an opportunity for the next owner. They really don’t make them like this anymore; Alpina’s future under BMW is intriguing, though it’s hard to be quite as enthusiastic about it as we may once have been. With something like a third off the new price of this B7, the next custodian will likely be too content to care.
SPECIFICATION | ALPINA B7 BI-TURBO
Engine: 4,395cc, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 600@5,750-6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 590@3,000-5,000rpm
MPG: 27.2 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 242g/km
Year registered: 2016
Recorded mileage: 1,295
Price new: £126,224
Yours for: £84,950
(Jumping from a 140hp saloon to a 500hp rwd one, my 2nd and 3rd cars respectively, the trepidation lasted about as long as it took to drive off the dealer's lot.)
As to the car more generally, very nice. I like that the spec is affectedly old-manish, a "those in the know" snook at putty or blacked-out exteriors and coal hole interiors.
(Jumping from a 140hp saloon to a 500hp rwd one, my 2nd and 3rd cars respectively, the trepidation lasted about as long as it took to drive off the dealer's lot.)
As to the car more generally, very nice. I like that the spec is affectedly old-manish, a "those in the know" snook at putty or blacked-out exteriors and coal hole interiors.
t in the gym car park.Beautiful colour, but honestly I’d have the other design of alpina alloys, the triple five spoke type, slightly tanner more Dale Winton-ish interior with green stitching, and silver not gold war paint.
But in a market with such a limited supply I s’pose this one’ll do.
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