BMW’s about to give its X7 a mid-cycle update for the 2023 model year, and by the time the refreshed SUV reaches showrooms later this year the folks at Alpina will have their own version ready.
Alpina is a semi-official tuner that has been making BMWs go faster for more than 50 years, and the company’s X7-based XB7 is one of the most desirable full-size SUVs in the business.
The first XB7 was introduced a couple of years back and was sold out within months. This updated version should arrive shortly as a 2023 model.
BMW is about to introduce a major styling change to its X7 to match the planned look for a redesigned 7-Series sedan that’s also due as a 2023 model. The new look was previewed in hyped-up form on last year’s Concept XM (shown below), and will add a serious dose of aggression to the X7 and thus also this XB7.
Look for Alpina to add its own front lip spoiler and rear fascia. The company will also have unique designs for the wheels, plus its own quad-pipe design for the exhaust tips. Alpina traditionally tweaks the interiors of BMW vehicles, too. Typical Alpina cues include a new steering wheel, unique trim options, and Alpina-specific graphics in the instrument cluster and infotainment system.
It isn’t clear what’s happening under the hood but you can count on Alpina sticking with a twin-turbocharged V-8. BMW is known to be working on a new V-8-based plug-in hybrid setup for the production XM, which is also due out this year, but it isn’t clear if this setup is destined for the updated XB7.
BMW Concept XM
The current XB7 is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, with the peak output registering at 612 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Alpina quotes a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds, a top speed of 180 mph, and a quarter-mile time of 12.6 seconds.
Beyond the engine, we can look forward to some chassis upgrades, along with specific Alpina tuning of the X7’s 8-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive system.
The current XB7 is priced from $142,295, including destination. Expect a similar figure for the updated model’s sticker.
