ALPINA’s new super saloon is now available in the UK with a final specification that pushes top speed to an astonishing 205 mph, up from the 193 mph predicted at the Geneva launch.
With an ALPINA-optimised 4.4 litre V8 delivering 608 hp (up from 600 for the show car) and 800 Nm, the new B7 Bi-Turbo joins the exclusive group of cars with effortless 200 mph performance.
“Not long ago, only the most focused £million hypercars could touch 200 mph. Where road conditions allow, owners of the new B7 Bi-Turbo can cruise long distances at that legendary speed. with friends and family in considerable comfort,” says ALPINA GB brand manager Gary Lott. “Remarkably, ALPINA has achieved this alongside superb ride quality and refinement at lower speeds, and all for just £115,000.”
To help achieve this impressive combination of performance, comfort and driving dynamics, ALPINA’s 70-strong engineering team has received exceptional access to BMW design data and technical facilities as part of a relationship that reaches back to 1964, when BMW endorsed the quality of ALPINA products by awarding the full factory guarantee to BMW vehicles fitted with the new ALPINA dual carburettor system.
At the heart of the new B7 Bi-Turbo is a heavily-revised, direct injection V8 breathing through two specially-developed, twin-scroll turbochargers located between the cylinder banks, operating in parallel to deliver up to 1.2 bar with minimum inertia. Particular attention has been paid to airflow optimisation, with a new wide-bore intake system providing shorter intake paths and optimised radii to allow near-instant throttle response. Pistons and spark plugs are uprated to ALPINA specifications.
A new indirect intercooler system (air/water/air) further improves both power and responsiveness, with the main intercooler feeding the two large-volume, close-coupled intercoolers. Together with additional radiators, the system ensures the thermodynamic stability of the V8 Bi-Turbo engine at all times, even under the highest sustained loads and most aggressive ambient air temperatures.
“Managing heat is critical to ensuring consistent responses, low emissions and long-term durability,” Lott explains. “ALPINAs are designed to be driven very fast over long distances. These are practical supercars to enjoy every day.”
The eight-speed automatic transmission also receives additional cooling, alongside a host of modifications that include strengthened gear clusters and a larger torque converter. ALPINA’s work with transmission supplier ZF is another reason for the exceptional acceleration of the new B7 Bi-Turbo. The result of extensive analysis to ensure durability at high mileages, its immense strength means that the torque reduction commonly applied during upshifts is not required.
The transmission can be controlled manually using the ALPINA SWITCH-TRONIC buttons on the back of the sports steering wheel, which is hand-finished in Lavalina leather with blue and green signature stitching to provide a luxurious feel while retaining the firm rim preferred by skilled drivers.
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