Tuesday, February 19, 2008

2007 BMW Alpina B7 Review

2007 BMW Alpina B7

Meet Alpina, a German company whose history dates back to BMW 46 years, but is little known in the United States, such as B7 is only the second model officially brought to our shores. The first, about four years ago, was the Alpina Roadster V-8, which is essentially a version of the Z8 roadster with an automatic transmission. All 450 bound for North America, please consult the owners.

Alpina partnership with BMW-B7s out of the assembly line in Dingolfing, Germany, the standard-7s separates it from other BMW tuners, which is particularly useful when the emphasis hugely complex series 7-mail to cope with a supercharging.

The B7 imported here is based on the short-wheelbase 750i, but since Alpina development began when the series-7-the-745i is powered by a 325-hp, 4.4-liter V-8, is the base of the B7. To manage the intermediary of 11.6 psi boost fanned by the centrifugal supercharger, the engine becomes weaker compression ratio pistons and greater crankshaft and connecting rods. The result is a powerful 500 hp and 516 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful 7-wait-series is the most powerful on-BMW offer.

A centrifugal supercharger does not have a strong commitment to low - and, indeed, a half-throttle run in the B7 feels a little like the delivery of a turbo power, with a sharp increase appearing around 2500 rpm . This means that the B7's sticky Michelins are never overwhelmed, which adds to the B7's deceptively quick mystique. Sixty mph happens in 4.4 seconds, a full second faster than the 750i, and the gap widens, from that moment on the cabin fills with a subdued below the V-8. Roar wind is not really perceptible preliminary Whoa! Does that say 100 mph? And the supercharger has never made a peep.

How the thrust of this? The links B7 the Audi R8, which is 1100 pounds lighter, 12.8 seconds through the quarter mile, at which point the gargantuan Alpina began pulling away. The 551-hp Bentley Flying Spur can not keep up, and Audi's 450-hp S8 is so slow it is hardly worth mentioning. At 60 mph and throughout the quarter, the B7 is 0.2 seconds for the 510-hp, twin-turbo V-12 Mercedes S600, which means that the Alpina probably exceeded the less torquey, naturally aspirated 518 - hp 2008 Mercedes S63 AMG.

But the huge capacity B7 go-4684 books around the skidpad planted a 0.91 g. Mauling the throttle, however, may convince the rear tires to break loose, and the B7 Indulge your fantasies drift until you tire of the black paint jet arcs on the sidewalk (we had to try ). Feel-brake pedal is excellent, and an inch bigger brakes (in the Euro-spec 760i) withstood fade despite repeated pleas to stop 150 mph, although braking distances did is not improved significantly.

The trip is compatible unexpectedly to consider these big wheels, but there is an element of confidence to push the boundaries of B7, as heavy steering and a general sense of isolation make it less involving than one might wish , not instantly synchronize the driver of the car capabilities as a Porsche Boxster. Somewhere, the B7-numbs your senses well, you sit in a very comfortable 20-way-adjustable seat thinking you traveling about 20 mph slower than you actually are, so to remain below triple-digit speeds a constant struggle, even with a sluggish gas to be initiated to achieve results. However, competitors such as S-class has a long way to go to make it communicative.

Think about the body extended aggressive front and rear fascias and a rear spoiler that extends from the trunk-youthful looks a bit like a car like this? Know that Alpina is quite confident in his aerodynamic removing the speed limiter, allowing a claimed 186 mph maximum speed that we have not had an opportunity to verify.

Ah, yes, the price. The B7 starts at $117075, about $40500 more than a 750i but $8000 less than one 760Li and not with competitors such as the upcoming S63 AMG, what we expect to go to $ 125000. Of course, the BMW B7 gets four-year/50000-mile warranty with all services included, wonder what is a car like this.

In Europe, Alpina offers a range of modified BMWs in addition to the B7, including B3-a higher performance 360-hp 335i and 5 - and 6-series cars (B5 and B6) with the powertrain of the B7. We believe that the B5 and B6 may find a following here as they have done just as much power as the M5 and M6, a bouquet of more torque (516 foot-pounds against 383), an easy-to-live-automatic , 30 - Percentage better fuel economy rating, and perhaps even more performance. In fact, in a test by the British magazine Autocar, B6 outperformed an M6 at 60 mph, 100 mph, and from 0 to 100 and back. So it is no surprise that BMW does not intend to bring any of these two possibilities-M spoilers Alpinas or any other, for that matter-to the United States

For the moment, we have an opportunity to appreciate the B7, which BMW plans to sell about 1000 copies total, about 200 in the first year. Beware of the Corvette drivers: You will not be able to make a ditching 68 7-series connoisseurs who are already in distress.

Among fat-cat luxury sedans, the B7 is safe and rewarding to drive. It is commendable agile, responsive, and has nothing in front of a race offensive. But when I get into a vehicle costing more than 100 large, I am looking for an experience that borders on life changing, and the B7's, it's not that. I think the problem is mainly the weight of 4684 pounds. For about 30 less, I give up a smidge inside the chamber and snob appeal to the more involving Benz E63 AMG.

The Alpina B7 is faster, more flexible and more beautiful than the BMW 760Li. So why do I prefer the slower, less exclusive version of the Series 7? Maybe now would be a good engine V-12, a Dr. Jekyll to Mr. whomp Hyde B7 of the supercharger. Or maybe it's that the short-wheelbase B7 only 1.2 inches, the rear seat more legroom than in a series of 5. The 760Li is my idea of what a great luxury sedan should be, even if the increase in tension offerings from Mercedes and Audi crush in a foot race. The B7 is perfectly executed indulgence in raw power, but his character is better suited to the lithe frame set 5 of the 7-series behemoth.

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Source: askmen

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