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2011 BMW ALPINA B7 Review (video)

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Mathieu St-Pierre
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Should you ever want to prove how big a car-nut you are, all you'd have to do is correctly identify the car in the picture gallery as an ALPINA. If your goal is to firmly impress your entourage with your vehicular knowledge, you could add that ALPINA began as a company building typewriters in southern Germany before it moved on to become a BMW tuner.

According to ALPINA, the spoilers reduce lift by 30% up front and by 15% in the rear. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com)

As with most high-brow tuners, ALPINA made its name by modifying BMWs for racing purposes in the late '60s. From then on, ALPINA has become its own car manufacturer concentrated on making excellent BMWs even better.

By the way, if there's a car enthusiast in your entourage, he or she will not be as impressed with your knowledge of low-volume car brands, as the signature 20-spoke wheels and “ALPINA Blue” patented metallic paint colour are tell-tale signs of an exclusive ALPINA car.

Heck, the parking attended at the Rogers Cup tennis event immediately recognized the car as an ALPINA and directed me to a secluded portion of the lot, noting that no harm would come to the car in that area. As I walked out of the lot, I noticed many Mercedes S-Class', Audi A8s and regular 7-Series BMWs amongst the “normies” in the rest of the lot.

This is only one part of what the ALPINA B7 delivers. The reality is that the B7 stands out from the large luxury car crowd even if those near the car don't know that a Premier Tuner has had its way with the 7-Series. They simply know it's special.

For this reason alone, If I was in the market for full-size prestige vehicle, I'd spring for the B7. Admittedly, I'd swing by a Mercedes dealer and spend much time deliberating over it and an S 63 AMG. The B7 would likely prevail.

Other than the stunning first impressions made by the 21” wheels, it's the ALPINA aerodynamic body kit that catches the eye. Look good this getup does, but it's actually quite functional as well. According to ALPINA, the spoilers reduce lift by 30% up front and by 15% in the rear. Nice.

The signature 20-spoke wheels and “ALPINA Blue” patented metallic paint colour are tell-tale signs of an exclusive ALPINA car. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com)
Mathieu St-Pierre
Mathieu St-Pierre
Automotive expert
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