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Since the M1 was introduced in 1978, the logic has been: if you want a fast BMW, you buy an M model. But even before that, there was another option: a little tuning shop in Buchloe, Germany about 60 miles from BMW’s Munich headquarters. Alpina began its life — after a couple gawky years making typewriters and textiles — modifying BMW engines to eke out as much performance as possible without sacrificing everyday drivability.
One might ask: “Why would you buy an an aftermarket tuner Alpina over BMW’s excellent (and usually much less expensive) M cars?” The answer, really, is twofold. First, Alpina these days is about as close as you can get to a BMW-owned company while still remaining independent — all their engines are installed on the BMW factory line and only once the car is completed is it sent to Alpina for finishing touches (they’re even sold at BMW dealers these days).
The other reason is that Alpina designs their cars less for nailing apexes and more for high-speed grand touring. This becomes immediately clear once you stop looking at the spec sheet and get behind the wheel of the 2017 B7, their latest take on the 7 Series to arrive stateside.
On paper, the B7 looks like it might as well be a supercar: its twin-turbo V8 puts out 600 horsepower, getting to 60 in 3.6 seconds and on up to an astounding 205 mph. That’s 40 more horsepower and a full half second quicker to 60 than an M6.
And yet, it just doesn’t feel that fast.
