BMW 7-series Consumer Reviews BMW 7-Series More Expert Reviews 2011 BMW B7 Alpina Photo Gallery 2011 BMW B7 Alpina Specs By contributing editor David Colman Hits Exotic but factory warranted Limited production Stable and comfortable Misses: Still large and heavy Taxed as gas guzzler The beauty of attending the Western Automotive Journalists’ Media Days is that it gives members of the group an opportunity to sample exotic steeds unavailable from press fleets. Case in point: in 27 years of reviewing cars, I have never before had the chance to drive an Alpina tweaked BMW. But here was a splendidly royal metallic blue example of the breed, a 7-Series Bimmer done out in Oyster and Black Nappa Leather to the tune of $127,225. Now the 7 is a brilliant piece of engineering, just the tool for transporting you to a spot of desk thumping at the Bundesministerium. But few would consider this 4,433 pound sedan to be much of a GT runner. The standard V8 engine BMW provides for the 7 makes 400hp that provides adequate, but not scintillating performance. Also available is a monstrous V12, good for 512hp and pitiful fuel mileage. But there is a better compromise in the offing this year. Alpina will massage the twin turbo V8 to produce almost as much output as the V12, but without the big motor’s excessive fuel thirst. In fact, the Alpina B7 produces 500hp and 516 lb.-ft. of torque and still manages to return 14MPG in city driving and 22MPG on the freeway

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