Alpina’s bold and brazen BX7 bounds in
THIS is the Alpina BX7, the German manufacturer’s second performance SUV. It’s based on the BMW X7 and will cost from £126,000 in the UK when deliveries start in December.
The BX7 is powered by the same twinturbocharged 4.4-litre V8 as BMW’s X7 M50i, but features a pair of tweaked turbochargers, a revised cooling system, a new stainless-steel exhaust and a reflashed ECU. As a result, the SUV’s power and torque figures rise to 613bhp and 800Nm respectively – up from 523bhp and 760Nm.
The X7’s standard eight-speed automatic gearbox remains, although Alpina has reconfigured its shift pattern and fitted a new aluminium sump and a larger transmission cooler to prevent the fluid from overheating. There’s also a new electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential.
These upgrades mean the 2.6-tonne BX7 can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 180mph – making it one of the fastest SUVs on sale today.
Alpina has also fitted an uprated set of adjustable dampers, a new strut for the front bulkhead, stronger bracing throughout the chassis, and a set of enormous disc brakes with four-piston Brembo calipers.
Cosmetic upgrades include more aggressive front and rear bumpers, and two pairs of twin-exit exhaust tips. Inside, there’s a pair of heated front seats, panoramic glass, an Alcantara headliner and Alpina-branded replacements for the steering wheel, iDrive controller, treadplates and dashboard trim.