Skip advert
Advertisement

Alpina B7

Porsche Panamera too fugly? There are alternatives. Try Alpina’s big gun

Evo rating
RRP
from £95,900
  • Massive performance, high quality finish
  • Feels big and heavy when hustled

Porsche claims there are no direct rivals to the Panamera. It has, apparently, started its own class. However there are always alternatives and if you want to transport four executives across Europe and have £100K to spend to get the job done, then Alpina’s version of the BMW 750i should loom large on your radar.

Advertisement - Article continues below

For a start, it trumps the Panamera Turbo’s power. The addition of a pair of turbochargers and both air-to-water and water-to-air intercoolers to the 750i’s 4.4-litre V8 lifts its output to a mighty 507bhp. And despite weighing in at over two tons, the first time you pull the trigger that power claim feels conservative. Torque is at play here, for the B7 has oodles of the stuff - 516lb ft all the way from 3000 to 4750rpm.

As usual, Alpina has raided BMW’s parts bins to find the best set-up for ride and handling. Recalibrated springs lower the ride height by 15mm at the front and 10mm at the rear to give the B7 a slightly nose-down angle of attack, while filling the arches are huge 21-inch wheels. Grip is prodigious but the B7 never quite shakes off the feeling of mass, even in its most aggressive Sport Plus suspension setting which limits roll and tightens up the damping. But then this Alpina’s primary role is one of top-line luxury, which it carries off beautifully.           

Specifications

Engine4395cc, V8, twin turbo
Max power507bhp @ 5500rpm
Max torque516lb ft @ 3000 – 4750rpm
0-604.9sec (claimed)
Top speed174mph (limited)
On saleNow
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025