2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Review New Alpina XB7 SUV Models CarBuzz

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Review New Alpina XB7 SUV Models CarBuzz

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2022 BMW Alpina XB7

X7Alpina XB7Alpina XB7 All GenerationsNew2023202220212022 $141,300 Price (MSRP) Build and Price 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 For Sale Best Large SUVs Best V8 SUVs BMW SUVs Review Exterior Interior Trims & Specs Performance Safety & Reliability 20 Photos Compare insurance prices: Save an average of $440 Free Quote

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Review For Families In A Hurry

by Gerhard Horn The Alpina XB7 is an oddity, but a wonderful one at that. BMW itself doesn't bother making M versions of anything wearing a 7 badge, and for good reason: The 7 models are built for comfort, not performance. Sure, they're powerful, but the main aim is rather effortless speed as opposed to lap times. We've spent a lot of time in the BMW X7 M50i, and at no point did its 523 horsepower feel like it wasn't enough. We're talking about a seven-seater leviathan that can get to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. That's perfectly fine for the school run and for scaring some fairly capable sports cars. Enter the Alpina XB7, which is aimed at people who like to sleep late. If you want to absolutely dominate the school run, you are the target market. This X7 comes with 612 horses and tops out at 180 mph. Thankfully, Alpina doesn't mess with the comfort. The plush interior and superb ride are two of the main reasons why you'd buy an X7, making it a worthy competitor to the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 and even the more prestigious Bentley Bentayga. You might be wondering why BMW allows both its M division and Alpina to exist? It's simple. BMW's M division turns everything related to a specific model up to 11. Alpina simply makes cars faster and more luxurious. Is the Alpina XB7 worth the additional $40,000 investment over the standard X7 M50i or the cheaper Mercedes rival mentioned above?

Read in this review

Exterior Design 9 /10 Performance 10 /10 Fuel Economy 7 /10 Interior & Cargo 10 /10 Infotainment & Features 10 /10 Reliability 8 /10 Safety 10 /10 Value For Money 8 /10 9.0 What is BuzzScore?

2022 Alpina XB7 Changes What s the difference vs the 2021 Alpina XB7

The BMW Alpina XB7 was a brand-new 2021 model and is now in its second year on the market in the USA. Very little is changing, except for wireless charging being dropped as a standard feature and the Bluetooth connectivity being enhanced for the new model year. Other than that, the sunshades on the rear side windows are now electrically operated and no longer manual. The extra-cost options have also been tweaked and some items removed.

Pros and Cons

ExclusivityIt's fastMore comfortable than other BMW M SUVsBespoke, high-quality interiorIt has its little nicheMany customization options Too niche?You'll have to explain it all the timePolarizing stylingExpensive, especially with pricey options

Best Deals on 2022 BMW Alpina XB7

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 xDrive $146,445 N/A miles 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 xDrive $139,987 3,363 miles Fair Deal Average price 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 xDrive $140,000 2,232 miles Fair Deal Average price 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 xDrive $145,495 2,015 miles Fair Deal Average price See All Alpina XB7 For Sale

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Trims

See trim levels and configurations: Trim Engine Transmission Drivetrain Price (MSRP) Alpina XB7 4.4L Twin-Turbo V8 Gas 8-Speed Automatic All-Wheel Drive $141,300 See All 2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Trims and Specs

Handling and Driving Impressions

Alpina has made a few serious upgrades in this department. The Alpina sport suspension includes full air suspension, a new adaptive damping system, and a dome-bulkhead strut to increase rigidity. You also get Integral Active Steering with rear-axle steering, which does feel sharper and provides more feedback. This steering system offers three driving modes: Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. According to the marketing fluff, the XB7 sits 1.6 inches closer to the ground in its lowest, raciest setting. This means it has a lower center of gravity, which is a must in a performance car. Finally, it adds an electronically-variable active limited-slip differential and much bigger Brembo brake calipers. We like the straight-line speed and the bigger brakes. An SUV (or SAV, as the X7 and XB7 prefer to be called) with this much power needs all the brakes. The rest is a bit like pasting a GTI badge to the rear of an elephant. Sure, you notice the differences when you push the limits, but the resulting speed and G-forces also happen to be the exact requirements needed to get a child blowing chunks like the Niagara falls. The lower center of gravity is a nice bragging point, but to us, it's like boasting about winning a street fight against a one-armed elderly bum. This is still a 5,860 lbs SUV, and you simply can't get around that. Alpina's limited-slip differential can be useful in the right setting. During a bit of light off-roading, it might provide some assistance, but we can't see the BMW Alpina XB7 doing the kind of 4x4 obstacles that require this feature. And it's certainly not for sliding around. If you switch all of the nannies off, the XB7's default is nice and safe understeer. Try and counteract this with some throttle and the large body will do this sort of weird skipping thing. It doesn't feel dangerous, but it's also not pleasing. If it's sheer driving pleasure you're after, get an X7 xDrive40i. It gives you 335 hp and costs $74,900. You'll still have $66,400 left over, which you can spend on a BMW M2 Competition. Despite all the serious performance hardware that allows a three-row SUV to corner at high speeds without toppling over, Alpina's mission has always been different from what BMW's M department does. BMW M does a full overhaul of a car, basically turning it into a track-ready weapon. Alpina adds speed, but retains the comfort associated with standard Bimmers. That's where the XB7 really shines. It's stupid fast, yet remains as comfortable as the standard X7. Now Buzzing First Drive 2023 Toyota Crown First Drive Review: A Tale Of Two Hybrids Sports Cars 2023 BMW M2 Coming With Optional Center-Lock Wheels Electric Vehicles Tesla Cybertruck Spotted With Production-Ready Rear End Tuning 700-Horsepower 2023 Nissan Z By AMS Performance Hits Nine-Second Quarter Mile Crash Watch A Seventh-Gen Toyota Hilux Truck Launch Into The Air After Losing Control Electric Vehicles Rivian Angers R1T Customers By Removing A Desirable Feature From The Electric Truck

Verdict Is the 2022 Alpina XB7 a Good SUV

The only major benefit we can think of with the XB7 is bragging rights. If your neighbor has an X7 M50i and you want to upstage him, get one of these. Our main problem is that the X7 didn't need more power. We spent a reasonable amount of time behind the wheel of the M50i and at no point did it feel slow. Remember, this giant SUV uses a detuned version of the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo used in the M5. It's already hard to make a case for the existence of the X5 M, and once you add two additional seats and a bigger body, it just becomes too ridiculous. BMW will slap an M badge on just about anything these days, and the fact that it doesn't do a full-fat M version of the X7 should have been the first clue. Families simply don't need to get to 60 mph in less than five seconds. We acknowledge, however, that the XB7 is a fine piece of engineering, utterly luxurious, and feels more special than a regular X7. However, if you need a seven-seater luxury SUV, we'd recommend the 40i model in our X7 road test. It has ample power, is a lot more affordable, and can tow 7,500 lbs. You get all of the must-have features, so it's not like you're losing anything other than a large amount of power that is completely unnecessary. We'd much rather get a base X7 and spend what's left on a real performance car like the M2 Competition.

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2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Comparisons

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2022 BMW Alpina XB7 vs Mercedes-Maybach GLS

Mercedes-Benz offers the GLS in two flavors, both of which compete with the XB7. The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is a sportier offering, while the Mercedes-Maybach GLS adds more comfort. We think the Maybach is closer in concept to the XB7, so that's what we'll use. The Maybach starts at $160,500, which is around $20,000 more than the XB7. It's not as clear-cut as that, however. The Maybach comes with luxury business-class rear seats as standard, though it can be converted back to a five-seater at no extra cost. It has more standard features, including a high-end sound system and a dedicated rear tablet from which occupants can control many functions, fitted from the factory floor. The XB7 is faster, however. Still, the Maybach also looks better to our eyes, even though it has a slight whiff of nouveau riche. We'll take the Maybach. See Mercedes-Maybach GLS Review

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 vs BMW X7

With an MSRP of $99,800, the X7 M50i is $41,650 cheaper than the XB7. While we appreciate all of the changes Alpina makes, we're not entirely convinced it's worth the money. The average driver won't notice the 0.5-second difference in the 0-60 mph time, and you'll get arrested if you attempt the 180-mph top speed. If you go for the M50i and add every option, the total still only comes to around $118,000 including destination. And the standard X7 is an already impressive product. BMW built a solid all-rounder that somehow manages to be eerily silent and comfortable on all road surfaces. It gets uncomfortably close to the Rolls Royce Cullinan in this department. We don't see why you need to pay $40,000 extra for the Alpina version. See BMW X7 Review

2022 BMW Alpina XB7 Popular Comparisons

The most popular competitors of 2022 BMW Alpina XB7: Land Rover New Range Rover $104,000 - $163,500 Price (MSRP) Compare Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 $132,100 Price (MSRP) Compare

BMW Alpina XB7 News

Reveal 5 NEW 2023 BMW Alpina XB7 Arrives With More Power And iDrive 8 There's no need to wait for that XM. Industry News 3 BMW Doesn't Think Alpina Needs Any Help For now, things will continue as is. Tops 14 9 Fastest SUVs On The Planet From Jeep to Aston Martin, these SUVs mix practicality with unruly speed. LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top
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