Like a recreation of ping pong, at the moment’s Good Worth or No Cube B7 started with loads of forwards and backwards. Alpina constructed its engine, which was despatched to BMW for set up, and the resultant automobile returned to Buchloe for ultimate meeting. Let’s see how a lot forwards and backwards might be required in selecting its worth.
Through the Soviet Union days, westerners appreciated to “Russia-fy” Japanese Bloc merchandise by describing them with a Western counterpart title to which “ski” was added on the finish. That’s how the Tupolev Tu-144 SST earned the nickname “Concordski.” If we persist with that custom, we’d name the 1972 GAZ-69 4X4 we checked out yesterday a “Jeepski.” At $7,000, most of you simply needed to name it too dear because the GAZ fell in a 66 % No Cube loss.
If you wish to actually expertise capitalist decadence—and actually, who doesn’t—then the most suitable choice is usually a range-topping sedan from both Mercedes-Benz or BMW. The Germans could not have a popularity for being wet-your-lederhosen humorous, however it’s past argument that they know the way to make the fanciest of pants automobiles.
In the present day’s 2011 BMW Alpina B7 isn’t simply a kind of decadent rides, its Alpina tuning massages the efficiency to even greater ranges than even BMW thought applicable for a automobile of this measurement and stature.
Based mostly on the F01/F02 7 Collection, the B7 incorporates a pumped up version of BMW’s 4.4-liter S63 V8. Hand-built by Alpina with bigger turbos, revamped heads, and stronger pistons than the manufacturing unit mills, the B7 engines have been rated at a heady 500 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, a considerable bump over the BMW editions. Distinctive ECU coding made all that occur earlier within the rev vary too, making the B7 a completely completely different beast from its lesser brethren.
Constructing the B7 was a little bit of a chore for the businesses as as soon as Alpina completed bolting collectively the engines, these needed to be shipped to be shipped to the F01 manufacturing unit in Dingolfing for set up within the automobiles, and after these rolled off the road, they went again to Alpina’s manufacturing unit in Buchloe for the ending touches.
Different adjustments on the B7 over the usual automobiles embody a strengthened ZF 6HP26 six-speed automated transmission, heftier drive and half-shafts, and larger brakes grabbed from the components bin of the massively heavy armored 760iL. Larger radiators and intercoolers assist hold all the things from going essential within the drive-thru, and the entire thing is slathered with Alpina badges lest anybody query its provenance.
This Alpina Blue over black Lavalina leather-based and piano black trim L has 105,000 miles on the clock, and, primarily based on the photographs, it has little put on and tear to point out for these miles. Along with the efficiency bone fides, the automobile options back-of-the-seat screens to stave off boredom for rear-seat passengers, whereas up within the entrance, there’s the usual—and execrable—iDrive system for front-seat infotainment.
Exterior, the automobile wears powder-coated Alpina wheels and rides on a lowered suspension. The previous are wrapped in comparatively recent Continental tires. In line with the vendor, the automobile is mechanically sound, struggling no sprint lights and having not too long ago handed its smog check with flying colours. To attain these outcomes, it’s been maintained by what the vendor claims is a BMW Mastertech. The title is clear, and the automobile has a $16,800 price ticket.
The vendor is simply enthusiastic about consumers with “money readily available,” and we now must determine if $16,800 is an inexpensive amount of money for this large Alpina. What’s your tackle this tuned touring sedan at that asking? Given the automobile’s presentation and mannequin’s historical past, does that appear honest? Or does the popularity of BMWs of a sure age demand this automobile to go for a significantly decrease price of entry?
You determine!
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