A Refined Luxury Vehicle
The recipe is filed with ingredients that offer greater power, luxury, comfort, improved cooling and the feeling of driving something special. Let’s start with the engine. Under the bonnet, we find the twin-turbo, 4.4-liter V8 engine, which is used in many BMW models.
The engineers at ALPINA decided to up the power to a stunning 621 hp and a monstrous torque level of 800 Nm, which is available from 2,000 rpm. The immediate torque delivery low in the rev-band is a standard ingredient within ALPINA cars. You could say it is written on the foreheads of any ALPINA engine wizard.
For those who would like to know, the 2021 ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe goes from 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds. The top speed is set at 324 km/h (201 mph). In comparison, the M8 Gran Coupe does the same sprint in 3,2 seconds and has a top speed of only 305 km/h if you opt for the M Drivers Package.
The M850i hits 100 km/h in 3,9 seconds and only has a top speed of 250 km/h. If we look beyond the BMW batch, then it is interesting to note that no competitor is able to reach a higher top speed than the B8. The Panamera Turbo S follows the B8 at a limited 315 km/h. With regards to the sprint times, the Porsche is three milliseconds faster.
Better Cooling And New ECU Map
To offer the driver the performance at any given moment, the Bavarians fitted an impressive cooling package. You will find one extra oil cooler which is 120% bigger than stock, two replacement intercoolers, with a 45% improved cooling surface, an improved 1000W cooling fan and new water-air intercoolers which are 50% bigger as well. These offer you the enhanced performance under any circumstances, while also having ALPINA’s signature throttle and engine response plus smooth power delivery.
To bring all the improved performance to the street, the ZF 8-speed gearbox receives both hardware and software upgrades. It is strengthened and has an aluminum transmission oil sump. The gear changes are improved to 100 ms, the gearbox is optimized for multiple immediate downshifts and there is an improved launch control. An interesting detail is that you now have a gear indicator in all driving modes! Not something BMW offers in their cars.