This year marked the beginning of a new era for Alpina as it became an official part of the BMW Group, and its first product under the new regime has now been spotted by the Autoblog spies for the first time. As promised, it’s based on a 7 Series, though whether it will be called B7 like previous Alpina-fettled 7ers remains to be seen. What is clear is that the Alpina 7 will have several distinctive styling features that set it apart from what is already an incredibly luxurious car in the 2027 7 Series, and as confirmed by BMW, it will have a V8 engine, likely with more power than the M760 xDrive.
New Looks for BMW Alpina 7 Series/B7
Autoblog/SH Proshots
The rear of the BMW Alpina 7 Series/B7 looks almost identical to the regular 7 Series, but it features Alpina’s trademark oval tailpipes, and the bumper may be changed for something a little different. Meanwhile, the taillights have a clear smoked effect that appears to be a little sportier than standard. In profile, there’s also little to talk about (we see a complex wheel design, but a modernized version of Alpina’s traditional 20-spoke design is expected to appear for production), but up front, a few key changes are worth mentioning. While Bimmers enhanced with M Performance now gain access to M Yellow Lights, the Alpina 7 Series has amber daytime running lights, which were also seen on the Vision BMW Alpina concept shown off a few months ago. This suggests that amber lighting highlights are likely to become a signature styling element of all Alpina products going forward.
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Another notable change can be seen in the front grille, which now has only three horizontal vanes compared to the seven slats seen on the regular 7 Series. The lower intake has also been redesigned, with a more upright opening creating a slightly more aggressive aesthetic. This adds credence to the theory that the rear bumper seen here is not BMW Alpina’s final design for its first new vehicle, but we should learn more about the design before long; since this prototype was spotted near BMW’s base at the Nürburgring, it’s safe to assume we’ll see a lot more of this car in the coming weeks and months.
BMW Alpina 7 Series/B7 Will Have Plenty of Power
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
As we mentioned earlier, BMW knows it can only sell a more luxurious version of the 7 Series with a V8, and a downgrade from what’s come before is unlikely to be well received. Thus, it’s expected that the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine in the M760 will be boosted beyond its current 563-horsepower rating, likely nearing the 600-hp figure of the last 7 Series-based B7 (2016-2022). Inside, we can expect only the finest materials and likely unique graphics for the digital interfaces, but a full reveal is only likely to happen early in 2027. Later next year, the X7 will also get the Alpina treatment to become the XB7.
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
Autoblog/SH Proshots
About the author
Sebastian Cenizo is a senior editor at Autoblog and an automotive journalist and columnist specializing in German sports cars, aftermarket tuning, and emerging vehicle technologies. Since 2019, he has written thousands of news stories, reviews, technical explainers, and opinion pieces, analyzing how innovations and legislation impact American car buyers.
