Refreshed for the 2023 model year, the X7 can be had with anything from a six-cylinder mill to a twin-turbo V8. The latter is dubbed S68, and for this application, the Bavarian automaker squeezed out 523 horsepower and 553 pound-foot (750 Nm) from 1,800 rpm all the way to 4,600 rpm.
Developed by the go-faster guys and gals at BMW M, the S68 differs in a few notable ways from the N63-based S63 it replaces. Although it’s a hot-vee design with a displacement of 4.4 liters, the S68 is rocking a different crankshaft, oil cooler, sump, turbochargers, electric VANOS, and mild-hybrid assistance. A 48-volt system that features an electric motor attached to the crankshaft of this engine, the mild-hybrid setup is backed up by a 12-volt battery for cold starts and an eight-speed automatic supplied by ZF.
BMW isn’t going to launch a full-blooded M version of the X7, but on the upside, Alpina has just revealed the XB7. Still featuring the 4.4-liter V8 of the M60i, this fellow levels up to 631 horsepower and 590 pound-foot (800 Nm).
These improvements wouldn’t have been possible without a remapped engine control unit and a cross-bank exhaust manifold that distributes the gas flow homogeneously to the spinny lads. Better cooling also needs to be highlighted. As expected, 48-volt mild hybridization is featured as well.
Capable of hitting 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 3.9 seconds, the XB7 covers the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds. With the optional 21-inch wheel and performance tire package that doesn’t cost anything over the suggested retail price of $145,000, the XB7 can top 180 mph (290 kph).
Photo: BMW
Alpina waxes lyrical about steering wheel-mounted shift buttons that respond within milliseconds to the driver’s inputs. The ZF-designed transmission “offers unparalleled shift comfort and the ability to execute shifts in fractions of a second, meaning power is delivered effortlessly and instantaneously at all times.” It’s a great piece of kit, for sure, but we should be aware that BMW and Alpina are trying to capitalize on ZF’s award-winning design.
Equipped with Alpina-specific dampers and kinematics, the XB7 also boasts dome-bulkhead struts and reinforced torsion struts. Equipped with all-wheel steering that enables the rear wheels to turn up to 2.3 degrees in either direction, the XB7 stops on a dime thanks to four-piston brake calipers from Brembo with brake rotors measuring 15.5 inches up front.
Coming with 23-inch wheels and tires as standard, the XB7 tips the scales at 5,986 pounds (2,715 kilograms) and it’s capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds (3,402 kilograms). The illuminated kidney grille is complemented by a waterfall of light. Out back, you’ll find four oval tailpipes. As for the interior, the highlight comes in the guise of the glass controller of the iDrive, followed by the blue illuminated gear selector and illuminated door sills.
2023 BMW Alpina XB7 deliveries are due to start in early 2023.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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