While we likely won’t see a pure M-version of the BMW X7 crossover from BMW outright, tuner company Alpina is apparently showing off an officially-sanctioned Alpina XB7—rumored to have 600 horsepower—in just five days.
Spy shots previewed what is now inevitable, but this appears to be one of the first official acknowledgements that Alpina is working on its own version of the X7 crossover, with a countdown website ticking away to Tuesday, May 19. The website reads:
FIRST CLASS ADVENTURES: The first-ever BMW ALPINA XB7 makes every journey a first class adventure and delivers a genuine, high-performance ALPINA driving experience. On May 19 we’ll release an exclusive Web Special with all the product highlights.
A BMW spokesperson confirmed “U.S.-specific information” on the all-new XB7 will also come on May 19. That doesn’t necessarily confirm that it will come to the U.S. (as not all Alpina models do, sadly), but it makes it extremely more likely.
Previous rumors, like those reported by Car And Driver back in August of 2019, indicate the XB7 should come with the B7 sedan’s powertrain, which is a 600 horsepower 4.4-liter V-8 found in the regular X7 M50i and other BMW cars that Alpina got its little tuning fingers on.
Spy photos have already revealed partially-camouflaged XB7s on the Nürburgring and elsewhere sporting the usual Alpina trim (check it out over at Motor1). That includes a sharper lower front bumper, a slightly modified hood, minor tweaks to the side character lines and tailgate, and of course the usual giant Alpina wheels with more spokes than sense.
As someone who has warmed to the X7's styling, and confronted how comfortably it carries very quick speeds and handles itself, I have to say I can’t be mad at a better-looking, more powerful version that hopefully comes in a really cool green. I just can’t be mad.