The three-row luxury SUV will be the first Alpina-tuned SUV to come to the United States.
Дэниел Голсон Опубликовано: 1 августа 2019 г.
- An Alpina-tuned version of the BMW X7 SUV has been spied at the Nürburgring.
- Called the XB7, it will share its 600-hp engine with the new B7 sedan.
- It will be the first Alpina-tuned SUV to come to the United States.
Before we get into the good news, some bad news: BMW has no plans to build a high-performance M version of its X7 SUV. But that doesn’t mean that BMW is leaving the realm of very large, very fast three-row SUVs to be conquered by the likes of Mercedes-AMG with its GLS63. That leads us into the good news: BMW’s Alpina tuning arm is making its own high-performance version of the X7, and we’ve got the spy photos to prove it.
Alpina’s X7, which will be named XB7, was spotted at the Nürburgring undergoing testing. It will use a modified version of the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 that is already found in the X7 50i and the X7 M50i, with the changes matching those of the new Alpina B7 sedan. That likely means 600 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, which is 77 hp and 37 lb-ft more than the X7 M50i. With BMW already claiming a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.1 seconds for the X7 M50i, the Alpina-tuned rig could hit that mark in under four seconds. Don’t expect the XB7 to get close to the B7’s claimed 205-mph top speed, though.
Along with the engine, the XB7 should receive an upgraded eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive with different tuning, a lowered air-suspension setup, bigger brakes, and a variable exhaust system that will probably have quad tailpipes.
The XB7 will get Alpina’s typical styling enhancements, some of which are visible on this prototype. We can see a deeper front splitter and huge multispoke wheels, while a new rear spoiler, side skirts, and rear diffuser should also be part of the package. The XB7 will also be offered in two lovely unique-to-Alpina colors, blue or green, and with multiple Alpina-specific leather and wood trim options. And we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Alpina’s usual rad graphics package will be available.
We bet the XB7 will make its debut at the Frankfurt auto show in September; expect a starting price of around $130,000 when it goes on sale a few months later. And while an Alpina spokesperson recently told Автомобиль и водитель that the company’s production capacity is nearing its limit, we wouldn’t be surprised if the success of the XB7 in the U.S. could prompt the brand to bring over some of its other tuned BMW SUVs, which have never been offered here.
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