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Have you seen the new BMW 7 Series? It looks like it came straight out of a Green Hornet cartoon in all black with big shoulders and squinty headlights (if only they were green). With the advent of the new 7 Series car, though, that means one of the most special BMWs will also disappear: the Alpina B7. Since 2015 BMW dealerships have sold the Alpina B7 alongside other BMWs as a more luxurious, toned-down but turned-up, BMW.

For now, at least, the Alpina B7 is dead.

What is special about a BMW Alpina B7?

a blue BMW Alpina B7 on a mountain road
The BMW Alpina B7 | BMW

Every Alpina-badged car has a BMW made, but Alpina hand-assembled engine with some performance modifications. In the Alpina, that means that the 4.4-liter V8 gets different turbos, different pistons, and a different cooling system to go from 444 horsepower to a stout 600.

But, Alpinas aren’t just about performance, though they do pack that in. Alpinas are premium versions of the cars, and to achieve that Alpina basically throws away the interior of the 7 Series. Instead of the cool dark leather of the 7, you get soft-touch quilted leather. Then, Alpina adds piano-black trim, an aero kit, a retuned softer suspension,  and 20-inch wheels. The overall effect is one of a softer and smoother BMW that happens to have an extra bit of go-juice.

Since BMW completely redesigned the new 7 Series for 2023, so that, according to CarScoops, means that the B7 got the ax. It’s a shame because it really is a comfortable, smooth, long-distance car with big power.

Are Alpina and BMW the same company?

A Vintage Alpina B6 on a mountain road
A vintage Alpina B6 based on the E21 BMW | Alpina

Alpina is related to BMW, but it’s not the same company.  Alpina cars are sold alongside BMWs in certain BMW dealerships, but they’re considered a different brand.  Yes, Alpina cars are BMWs. But they’re also not BMWs.

Alpina is a standalone company that the German government recognizes as its own car manufacturer. It started to make typewriters, but in the 1960s Alpina started also making upgraded performance parts for racing BMWs. That led to Alpina running BMW’s motorsports teams in the 1970s and 1980s, and later to the production relationship the two have today.

Real fans of the brand also drink Alpina wine, or “weine,” as it’s made in Germany.

Is a BMW Alpina rare?

A BMW Alpina B7 in a showroom
BMW Alpina B7 sedan | BMW

Alpinas are rarer than regular BMWS, if only because they’re more expensive. While we love the B7’s smooth fast nature, we’re not fans of its $145,000 base price. That was nearly $60,000 more than the base price of a 2022 BMW 740i sedan.

Also, Alpinas are rare because the idea of a softened-up BMW doesn’t appeal to everyone. BMW’s drive a specific way and have a specific feel and buyers like that. Many of those buyers are turned off by the soft-touch nature of an Alpina interior that some say dulls the feel of the cars. Regardless, we’re still looking forward to a new B4 coupe from Alpina.

Related

2021 BMW X7 vs. 2021 BMW Alpina XB7: What’s the $66,400 Difference?

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.