The new Alpina B7 is a mild-mannered BMW 750i with a supercar hiding underneath. Alpina dresses up the exterior by adding 21-inch custom rims, aggressive side skirts and a rear deck spoiler. Inside are mild updates such as a fat, leather steering wheel to complement the already top-notch interior. The turbocharged V8 engine is massaged so that it generates 500 horsepower. Still, it is relatively quiet, even when I jumped on the throttle, and it delivers a constant surge in power when accelerating. I achieved a decent 17 mpg in mixed driving, and it takes a lot of gas to move this 2-ton-plus BMW. Unfortunately, the B7 costs a pretty penny at around $120K in the rare Alpina form, so only a few lucky individuals will be able to take one home. –Joe Chulick
Alpina has been tuning BMWs since the 1960s. For 2011, it takes BMW's flagship 7-Series sedan and adds legendary Alpina performance, handling and appearance upgrades. The aerodynamic body kit is subtle but purposeful, with an aggressive front spoiler, a modest rear spoiler and Alpina's signature 20-spoke wheels. Alpina boosts BMW's twin-turbocharged V8 engine to 500 horsepower that has a wide torque band. As one might imagine, the B7 is really quick, and accelerates effortlessly from any speed. The Alpina sport suspension, with its dynamic damping control, adds razor-sharp reflexes, turning this big sedan into a nimble, quick sport sedan that feels a fraction of its size whether on city streets or twisty back roads. Inside, the upgrades continue with hand-stitched Lavalina leather everywhere, blue illuminated door sills, a Switchtronic heated steering wheel in hand-stitched leather, and piano-black trim with subtle metallic inlays. –Mike Meredith
If you like BMW's flagship 7-Series but are looking for something a little flashier, the Alpina B7 is the car for you. To make outsiders know you bought something special, Alpina added an aero kit, quad exhaust pipes and special 21-inch wheels. All this could look tacky on such a large sedan, but it really works on the 7-Series. But more importantly, there's power to back up the sporty styling. The 500-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine not only sounds great, it really gets this big car moving quickly and smoothly. All-wheel drive and upgraded suspension make the already-agile 7-Series handle even better. However, there's a price for exclusivity: The Alpina B7 starts at around $120K, about $30K more than a 750Li xDrive. –Perry Stern
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