The BMW Alpina XB7 is the X7 three-row SUV with Alpina’s work on its engine, suspension, wheels and cabin, assembled on the same line as the regular X7 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
For 2027, BMW sells the X7 in the United States as an xDrive40i or an M60i, and the last XB7s, a 120-car Manufaktur edition for the United States and Canada, were scheduled for assembly this fall.
I photographed a 2025 XB7 in Alpina Green Metallic over a week in June 2026.
Key Takeaways
- 631 hp and 590 lb-ft from Alpina’s tune of BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, 108 hp more than the X7 M60i, with a claimed 3.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph.
- $152,400 to start for 2025. Three options and $995 destination brought the car photographed here to $159,145.
- 17 mpg combined on premium fuel, which the EPA estimates costs $9,250 more over five years than an average new vehicle.
- BMW’s 2027 U.S. lineup sells the X7 only as an xDrive40i or an M60i.
- The final 120 cars are the 2026 XB7 Manufaktur at $180,000 plus $1,550 destination, in Frozen Alpina Green or Frozen Alpina Blue.
- Assembled in South Carolina, which made the XB7 the first Alpina finished outside Alpina’s workshop in Buchloe, Germany.
What Alpina Changed on the X7
The V8’s engine cover still says BMW in raised letters, and Alpina set its crest into the cover below them. Underneath sits BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, built at the company’s Hams Hall plant in England, and Alpina’s tune takes it to 631 hp and 590 lb-ft.
In the X7 M60i, that V8 makes 523 hp.
BMW claims 3.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph. Power reaches the road through an eight-speed automatic running Alpina’s Switch-Tronic shift program and xDrive all-wheel drive, with an M Sport differential at the rear axle.
Alpina also calibrates the chassis hardware: the two-axle air suspension, Adaptive Drive with Active Roll Stabilization, and Integral Active Steering, which turns the rear wheels. Below 20 mph the air springs raise the body 1.6 inches, and at highway speed they lower it 0.8 inch.
In Sport+ above 155 mph they drop it the full 1.6 inches, across a total range of 3.2 inches.
Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview scans the road ahead and adjusts the suspension before the wheels reach a bump.
Wheels, Badges and Alpina Green
Each 23-inch Alpina Classic wheel carries 20 thin spokes and a center cap with the Alpina crest. Pirelli P Zero all-season tires wrap them in staggered sizes, 285/35 in front and 315/30 at the rear, so the tires can’t be rotated front to back.
ALPINA is spelled out across the front lip spoiler, and the tailgate carries an ALPINA script above the BMW roundel with XB7 lettering beside the taillight. Four exhaust tips sit in the rear bumper.
Alpina Green Metallic came at no charge on this car. In afternoon shade it looks nearly black, and in direct sun it turns a deep bottle green.
Inside the XB7
A lit glass trim strip runs across the passenger side of the dashboard and spells out XB7 at its end. Above it sits Alpina Walnut Nature Black trim, and the headliner is Anthracite Alcantara.
This car’s seats wear BMW Individual leather in Ivory White and Atlas Grey, a $1,500 option, quilted in a diamond pattern on the seatbacks. Choosing the $850 second-row captain’s chairs drops seating from seven to six and leaves a walkway to the third row.
Front seats massage and ventilate, the Panoramic Sky Lounge roof lights up with an LED pattern at night, and the third option on the sticker is the $3,400 Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system.
Driver assistance comes standard, including Active Driving Assistant Pro, Highway Assistant, Parking Assistant Professional and a 3D surround camera view. So do wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and BMW Digital Key Plus.
Price, From the X7 to the Manufaktur
For 2025, the XB7 started at $152,400. Three options on this car, the leather, the captain’s chairs and the sound system, added $5,750, plus $995 destination.
| Model | Base MSRP | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 BMW X7 xDrive40i | $87,500 | $1,550 |
| 2027 BMW X7 M60i | $115,000 | $1,550 |
| 2025 BMW Alpina XB7 | $152,400 | $995 |
| 2025 BMW Alpina XB7, as photographed | $159,145 with destination | included |
| 2026 BMW Alpina XB7 Manufaktur | $180,000 | $1,550 |
A 2027 X7 M60i lists at $115,000, and the 2025 XB7 started $37,400 above that. For paint, trim and luggage, the Manufaktur asked $27,600 more than a 2025 XB7, with the same 631 hp.
Fuel Economy, Safety Ratings and Warranty
EPA ratings for the XB7 are 17 mpg combined, 16 city and 20 highway, on premium fuel. At 15,000 miles a year and $4.25 a gallon, the window sticker puts annual fuel at $3,750 and the five-year cost at $9,250 more than an average new vehicle getting 28 mpg.
Tailpipe emissions come to 506 grams of CO2 per mile, a 3 out of 10 on the EPA’s greenhouse gas scale and a 4 for smog.
NHTSA has not crash-tested the XB7, and its sticker reads Not Rated in every category.
Coverage runs four years or 50,000 miles on the vehicle, with three years or 36,000 miles of BMW Ultimate Care scheduled maintenance and four years of roadside assistance.
The XB7 Manufaktur and the End of the Line
BMW announced the 2026 BMW Alpina XB7 Manufaktur on March 6, 2026, and described the edition as “marking the close of a chapter.” Canada receives 12 of the 120, which by subtraction leaves 108 for the United States, at $180,000 plus $1,550 destination.
The Manufaktur comes in Frozen Alpina Green or Frozen Alpina Blue, paints BMW says were never offered on the XB7 before. It adds a Manufaktur wordmark on the B-pillars, heritage Alpina script on the front headrests and two weekender bags in Lavalina leather. Its engine, gearbox and suspension carry over unchanged.
BMW scheduled assembly at Plant Spartanburg for September 2026, with deliveries expected in the fourth quarter. It has not announced since whether deliveries have begun.
Spartanburg also built the first XB7, in 2020. BMW wrote that the car “marked the very first time an ALPINA model had ever been completed outside the ALPINA workshop in Buchloe.” The window sticker on this 2025 car lists the engine’s country of origin as the United Kingdom and the transmission’s as Germany, with 31 percent U.S. and Canadian parts content.
What Comes After the XB7
BMW bought the rights to the Alpina brand in March 2022. In Buchloe, the Bovensiepen family kept developing and building Alpina cars through the end of 2025, closing 61 years as an independent manufacturer, and the brand now sits inside the BMW Group as BMW ALPINA.
BMW showed the Vision BMW ALPINA concept in May 2026 and said the first BMW ALPINA-brand production model, inspired by the 7 Series, arrives in 2027. None of the new BMW ALPINA models is on sale in the United States yet, and BMW has named no successor to the XB7.
Specifications
| Specification | 2025 BMW Alpina XB7 |
|---|---|
| Base MSRP | $152,400 |
| As photographed (with $995 destination) | $159,145 |
| Engine | 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, 48-volt mild hybrid |
| Power | 631 hp @ 5,600-6,500 rpm |
| Torque | 590 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic, Alpina Switch-Tronic |
| Drivetrain | xDrive all-wheel drive, M Sport differential |
| 0-60 mph | 3.9 seconds (manufacturer claim) |
| EPA fuel economy | 17 combined / 16 city / 20 highway |
| Fuel | Premium required |
| Seating | 6 with captain’s chairs (7 standard) |
| Wheels | 23-inch Alpina Classic |
| Tires | Pirelli P Zero all-season, 285/35-ZR23 front, 315/30-ZR23 rear |
| Exterior color | Alpina Green Metallic |
| Interior | Individual Ivory White and Atlas Grey leather, Alpina Walnut Nature Black trim |
| Final assembly | Plant Spartanburg, South Carolina |
| Engine origin | United Kingdom |
| NHTSA ratings | Not Rated |
Who the XB7 Suits
The XB7 suits a buyer who wants a seven-seat BMW with 108 hp more than an X7 M60i and Alpina’s wheels, trim and suspension tuning, and who accepts 17 mpg and staggered 23-inch tires. With the XB7 gone from BMW’s 2027 lineup, a 2025 car from a dealer or a used one is the way in, and the $181,550 Manufaktur buys the same mechanical package in Frozen Alpina Green or Frozen Alpina Blue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Alpina XB7 discontinued?
BMW sells the 2027 X7 in the United States only as an xDrive40i or an M60i. The last XB7s are the 2026 XB7 Manufaktur, limited to 120 cars for the United States and Canada, which BMW scheduled for assembly in September 2026.
How much does an Alpina XB7 cost?
The 2025 XB7 started at $152,400 plus $995 destination. The car photographed for this article came to $159,145 with three options. The 2026 Manufaktur lists at $180,000 plus $1,550 destination.
Is the Alpina XB7 rare?
The Manufaktur run is 120 cars for the United States and Canada, with 12 of them going to Canada. BMW has not published total XB7 production for earlier model years.
Is the Alpina XB7 a V8?
Yes. It uses BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, built in Hams Hall, England, tuned by Alpina to 631 hp and 590 lb-ft, with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
What is the difference between the BMW X7 and the Alpina XB7?
The XB7 shares the X7’s body and assembly line in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Alpina changes the engine tune, the transmission program, the suspension calibration, the 23-inch wheels, the exhaust and much of the cabin trim, and the XB7 makes 108 hp more than the X7 M60i.
Is Alpina better than BMW M?
BMW has never built a full M version of the X7, so the comparison is the X7 M60i. The M60i makes 523 hp and lists at $115,000 for 2027, while the 2025 XB7 made 631 hp and started at $152,400.
What fuel economy does the Alpina XB7 get?
The EPA rates it at 17 mpg combined, 16 city and 20 highway, on premium fuel. The window sticker estimates $3,750 a year in fuel at 15,000 miles and $4.25 a gallon.
Where is the Alpina XB7 built?
BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina assembles it. BMW says the XB7 was the first Alpina model completed outside Alpina’s workshop in Buchloe, Germany, when production started in 2020.
How many people does the Alpina XB7 seat?
Seven as standard. The $850 second-row captain’s chairs drop seating to six and open a walkway to the third row.
Does the Alpina XB7 have crash-test ratings?
NHTSA has not rated it, and the window sticker reads Not Rated for the overall, frontal, side and rollover scores. Complaints and recalls for the X7 it is built on are in my X7 reliability guide.
The manufacturer provided the vehicle, a 2025 BMW Alpina XB7, and it supplied the photography published here. No driving evaluation informed this article.
Michael Kahn
Michael Kahn is the writer, photographer, and publisher behind The Weekly Driver. He cares about how cars drive and what they're like to own. He covers automobile industry news, car shows and events, and new car reviews. The reviews come from behind the wheel: day trips that favor back routes, treating a good meal as half the reason to go. He directs and produces the visual media, matching each car to a setting and mood that fit it. When he's not reviewing new cars, Michael races paddleboards, camels, and ostriches, along with the occasional exotic car on the racetrack, and has driven in every state and country visited.
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