2021 Alpina XB7 – It’s A True Beast!
The Alpina XB7 is the performance premiering of the BMW X7 automobile category of vehicles, which is a luxury sport utility vehicle. Under the hood, there is a twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 612 horsepower, so this car is unbelievably fast, and, of course, very comfy for a family car that can be called a real beast!
Table of Contents
The Looks – A Sophisticated Yet Calm Killer
From the outside, the Alpina XB7 can be said to bear the appearance of the traditional BMW X7; however, there are some distinguishing features that make it look robust and muscular.
The front and rear bumpers are restyled, and it has a new set of 21-inch alloy wheels for better grip and turn of the screws, quad exhaust tips at the back are more striking. The combination of green and blue Alpina pinstripes across the sides gives it a very nice feel.
It still remains classy, as is expected of a luxury SUV but it is clearly more performance-oriented.
The Interior: Splendor and Modernity
The interior is where the XB7 feels the most special, as it has been upgraded in a clear bid to set itself apart from its corporate cousins. The X7 is already a rather opulent vehicle, but the Alpina edition comes with its own Lavalina leather seats, dashboard, and wooden inserts for that extra touch of exclusivity.
With the gear shifter having the Alpina emblem and the blue-green backlight of instruments, one could understand that this is not just another B5 Fivespeed. It has all sorts of technology as well, such as a head-up display, ambient lighting, and a really good sound system.
Available space and comfort of the rear-seat passengers make them feel at ease and enjoy their ride.
Performance – Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 4 Seconds!
This is where the XB7 really comes into its own. The heart of the performance is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 gasoline engine tuned by Alpina for 621 hp and 590 lb-ft torque.
That is a much bigger leap than the regular X7! This makes it possible for this rugged and heavy SUV which has a weight of over 5500lbs to accelerate from 0- 60 mph within 4 seconds, which is incredible for such a large vehicle.
I have seen it go up to 180mph if you can locate a long and straight road to test the caron. This allows for seamless torque conversions in the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, while the BMW xDrive AWD system helps in properly utilizing the power that is on offer. The XB7 also has a lot of growth and presence with the active exhaust system.
Initial Impressions – Ranked ‘Defies Physics’
That should not be normal, yet flying something as big and heavy as XB7 as quickly as that is not normal, but it has become so. Step on the gas pedal and this SUV takes off like a sports sedan, not like the large luxury vehicle you are.
It rides well too and is very responsive, especially in turning, compared to other big SUVs that can be spongy. Alpina has remapped the adaptive air suspension and steering and has endowed this car with tons of grip and control. The XB7 drives smaller than it is – to some extent, it is counterintuitive!
Conclusion – A Car For Every Option
In my point of view, the Alpina XB7 is one remarkable high-end and high horsepower SUV vehicle. It might have a design that threatens to rival supercars in terms of performance figures, in addition to the best segment classic, which is the X7 – a comfortable and well-equipped interior, smooth ride quality, and usability.
It begins at around $145,000, and definitely, it is one of the rarest cars out there. But you get a true best-of-all-worlds machine – a practical SUV with seating for 7, that can drive like a mild monster when needed but can equally do school runs without a second thought. The XB7 is my new standard for a high-end, luxurious SUV.
2021 Alpina XB7 Photo Gallery
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Jeremy Markus
Jeremy is an automotive journalist and is particularly passionate about the BMW brand. He deals with writing news and reviews for BMW, but sometimes he also writes articles about troubleshooting and car maintenance. Being an independent mechanic in Munich, Germany, he has extensive knowledge of servicing BMW cars. The knowledge he has, he shares on BMWSite. In his spare time, after he is very tired after so much work, instead of resting, he likes to drive his E39 BMW M5 with 400 horsepower, which gives him energy and a smile on his face.
