The Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo, a high-performance BMW 7 Series officially approved by the German car maker, is now on sale in the UK – with a list price starting from £115,000. But Alpina does have an ace up its sleeve for buyers taken aback by the three-figure sum: a top speed even faster than first predicted.

At its original reveal during the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, Alpina estimated a top speed of 193mph for the 600bhp car. But the final specification sees this pushed up to over 200mph: the actual claimed top speed is 205mph, identical to the mighty Porsche 911 Turbo S. And that’s a car which costs over £147,000… 

Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo
Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo

“Not so long ago, only the most focused million-pound hypercars could touch 200mph,” said Alpina GB brand manager Gary Lott. “Owners of the new B7 B-Turbo can cruise long distances at that legendary speed, with friends and family, in considerable comfort.” Although he was keen to add that it should only be done “where road conditions allow”, i.e. in Germany.

Whereas Europe receives a four-wheel drive B7 Bi-Turbo, the UK model is rear-wheel drive, which means the 0-60mph time doesn’t quite break into the three-second barrier. 4.0 seconds is still mighty fast though, particularly as all UK cars are long-wheelbase models. Air suspension, active roll stabilisation and Alpina-tuned active rear steering are standard. 

No chassis options apart from a 21-inch upgrade from the standard 20-inch wheels are offered, though. “One of the reasons why Alpinas are described as having a ‘magical’ blend of ride quality, handling and feel is that there is just one specification of each model, which means everything from the tyres to the electronics can be optimised,” said Lott.

He admits UK imports will be “very small”, but all models will still be fully supported by a BMW-endorsed three-year, 120,000-mile warranty. And while it’s undoubtedly pricey, the B7 Bi-Turbo does still undercut BMW’s own M760Li xDrive, at over £135,000. The Alpina V8 has a faster top speed than BMW’s V12, too, even if the M760Li is, thanks to xDrive, marginally faster to 60mph. What a conundrum for fast big BMW fans to have…

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Gallery: Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo