I think it’s fair to assume that most BMW fans are also pretty die-hard ALPINA fans. Some more than others, though, but most Bimmer fans have a special place in their heart for ALPINA. That fondness for the brand might also cause them to overlook certain issues about certain cars. Such as this 2008 E65 ALPINA B7.
The E65-generation BMW 7 Series is probably one of the least-loved cars in BMW’s history. For starters, it was never exactly a looker, as the E65 was the first car to get the “Bangle Butt” moniker, named after BMW’s head of design at the time, Chris Bangle. However, this specific ALPINA B7 is based off of the facelifted E65, which was a bit better looking.
Another reason for hesitancy about buying any iteration of the E65, ALPINA or otherwise, is its pretty horrid reputation for being unreliable and expensive to maintain. That will only be exacerbated by being an ALPINA, as its engine is quite a bit different than the standard E65 V8, which means some of its parts are not only more expensive but more difficult to source. Admittedly, this specific car is low-mileage, with only 25,800 miles on the odometer, and it seems to have been well-maintained, so it should be good for awhile.
Is this ALPINA B7 worth the risk of potential financial ruin? Its spec sheet certainly seems so, thanks to an ALPINA-tuned 4.4 liter supercharged V8 making 500 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. All of that power is sent through a six-speed automatic transmission to just the rear wheels. And despite its Bangle Butt design, its ALPINA Blue over Cream Beige color scheme is incredible.
At the time of writing this, there are six days left on the auction and the current bid is at $18,000. How high will the price go for this low-mileage ALPINA B7? That’s unclear but it will be interesting to see how much people are willing to risk on such a special, rare car.
[Source: Cars and Bids]
