Today ALPINA confirmed that the facelifted X7 would indeed be receiving a bigger, better ALPINA XB7 version. You can read more about that here – but the headline really just reads as “more”. There’s more power than ever – 630 horsepower – thanks to the M-blessed S68 under the hood. There are more luxury touches than ever, with special leather options unavailable on the other X7 trims. And there’s more presence than ever, helped by ALPINA-specific bodywork and the iconic 23-inch wheels.
Though you can’t find a configurator on BMW’s American site, you certainly can on ALPINA’s website. So I took a look at the options to see what I could discover – and start building my perfect luxury super-SUV.
Exterior Options
Most of the exterior color options on the ALPINA XB7 are held over from the X7 M60i. There are two notable additions: ALPINA Blue and ALPINA Green II. They both look great and definitely separate the XB7 from its “lesser” stablemates. Although I’d love to roll around in an Ametrin Metallic or Manhattan Green XB7 just to make people wonder, I don’t think I could pass up one of the beautiful, more exclusive ALPINA colors. I’ll take mine in green, please.
You get two wheel choices, but it’s not like anyone wouldn’t get those sweet 23-inch wheels. I jest – the 21-inchers look tolerable and do soften up the ride a little bit (or at least did on the old car). That said: I’m gonna take the 23-inch ALPINA CLASSIC wheels every time.
Interior Options
Interior options are also fairly hold-over from the other X7s. You get Extended and Full Merino leather options – no Sensafin or Sensatec here – joined by two special “LAVALINA” interior options. LAVALINA allows you to create “almost unlimited possibilities” when it comes to customization of your interior, and it’s expensive – roughly $12,500 for the least expensive one. I’m pretty classic when I come to my interiors – so I’d opt for the run-of-the-mill Full Merino Leather in black for just $2450.
Interior trim options are very wood-heavy, which is fitting for a luxurious flagship such as the XB7. Oddly, carbon fiber is the most expensive option here, which doesn’t fit the character of the car in my opinion anyway. I’d either opt for the ALPINA myrtle (no charge) or walnut (around $1000) trim, both of which do a good job of breaking up the black upholstery. You can’t go wrong with any of them (except maybe carbon fiber). The only other standalone option in this section is embossing either the ALPINA logo or lettering in the headrest, either one for $450. Pass.
Other Options
Lots of good stuff here, but truthfully, not a whole lot of it new. Check the box for Bowers and Wilkins if you care about that sort of thing. The base Harman Kardon probably does just fine. Luxury options are mostly a la carte, which is nice – stuff like massaging seats looks to exist decidedly separate from options like the Panoramic Sky Lounge, meaning you really can build your XB7 the way you want it. Neat stuff I hope the US sees includes: LAVALINA steering wheel “according to customer”, which suggests at least customizable steering wheel stitching.
There are even some performance options available. You can opt for a “high-performance braking system”, offering drilled rotors and higher-performing brake pads. M seat belts are also an option, which add some flair to the cabin. Finally, I’d opt for the “CNC milled aluminum” paddle shifters, which is a huge departure from ALPINA’s traditional “button shifters” on the rear of the steering wheel. Lastly, I’d spring for the Extended Shadowline trim, and I’d even accept the highway-robbery price of $840 for black exhaust tips.
Sticker Shock
So, after somewhat lightly optioning my imaginary XB7, it turns out I’ve added a whopping nearly $22,000 of options on. Some quick arithmetic means this beast weighs in at around nearly $170,000 – which isn’t unheard of for an ALPINA vehicle. Loading this up will no doubt inch it closer to that $200,000 mark than ever before, which probably really isn’t a problem for anyone who can seriously consider purchasing one of these ludicrous machines anyway.
What does your dream 2023 ALPINA XB7 look like?
