Alpina B7: Nichey Anti-"M" Car Alternative for Big BMW Sedan Fanatics

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We have yet to see a factory sanctioned "M" variant of the BMW 7-series, but perhaps it's just as well:?from the diminutive 1-series to SUVs like the X5 and X6, almost?no vehicular stone has gone unturned by BMW's "M" performance division, making the in-house tuner a rather ubiquitous force in the big horsepower microcosm. Leaving the big Bimmer sedan untouched by BMW's in-house tuners has freed the small but inventive outfit known as Alpina to work their mechanical magic on the plush flagship-- and the results, as I recently experienced at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, are unexpectedly delightful.

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The 2013 BMW Alpina B7 extracts 40 more horsepower (boosting output to 500 hp) and 22 more lb-ft of torque (bringing total twist to 538 lb-ft) from the twin-turbocharged V8; beefier cooling systems, model-specific bodywork, lower and stiffer suspension, and burlier brakes also make this 7-series a tad more visceral than its off-the-rack counterpart.?Sixty mph arrives in as little as 4.3 seconds (down a couple tenths from stock), and top speed gets boosted to a drag-limited 194 mph. Despite the impressive numbers, what struck me at the track was this nearly 2 1/2 ton car's dignified composure. Despite the?rather Lexus-like?seatbelt pretensioning proceedings which took place during higher-G cornering, the Alpina offered a civilized, smooth way to hustle around the 2.238-mile long course, with gearshifts instigated by discreet "Switch-Tronic" pushbuttons on the backside of the steering wheel.?

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Priced?from $127,600 for a standard wheelbase version to $134,500 for a long wheelbase all wheel-drive iteration, the Alpina B7 ain't cheap, even considering it receives full benefits from BMW's manufacturer warranty. But for an out-of-the-way high-end sedan which enjoys the rarity of seeing only about 500 specimens reach the US market every year, Alpina proves there's strength in small but potent numbers.

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Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/2013-bmw-alpina-b7?src=rss

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