Customers who want to get the biggest, most powerful
BMW SUV are currently limited to the X7 M50i xDrive. Thanks to 523 hp and 750 Nm of torque from a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 gasoline engine,
the X7 M50i is able to sprint from 0 to 96 km/h in 4.5 seconds and
reach a limited top speed of 250 km/h when equipped with summer
tires.
That’s more than decent performance for a massive
three-row SUV like the X7 and it’s all that BMW is willing to offer. The
automaker won’t build an X7 M so it’s up to other companies to build a
high-performance version. Germany-based Alpina is the obvious choice, given its close
connection to BMW. The manufacturer has been testing a top-dog version of the
X7 for quite a while now and a prototype has been spotted on the Nürburgring
Nordschleife again these days.
While it sports plenty of camo, there’s less
disguising tape compared to our previous sighting. It’s not hard to distinguish
typical Alpina design elements such as a front splitter under the front bumper
with Alpina lettering, massive multi-spoke wheels (they look like 22-inch rims
to us), and bigger brakes. The exhausts haven’t been changed yet though and
still feature the stock look.
Judging by the amber sidelights aboce the front
wheel arches, this particular prototype is in U.S. specification so we’re
likely dealing with the gasoline-powered Alpina XB7 and not the rumored
diesel-powered XD7. The engine has not been confirmed yet but the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter
V8 unit looks like a safe bet, especially since it’s also used in the 2020
Alpina B7. In the super limo, the eight-cylinder engine makes deliver 600 hp and 800 Nm of torque. This impressive amount of power and
torque should be enough for the X7 as well.
Alpina is expected to launch the XB7 before the end
of this year, possibly at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
