BMW has just pulled the covers off its 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe, which promises to continue in the Alpina tradition of combining athletic performance with everyday comfort and convenience. The handsome new 4-door coupe will arrive in U.S. BMW showrooms later this spring. The base manufacturer's suggested retail price is $139,900 plus a destination charge of $995.
Under the B8 Gran Coupe's svelte hood is a 612-horsepower 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. With 590 lb.-ft. of torque on tap between 2,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm, the V8 promises excellent driveability in a variety of situations, from whisking to the country club to full-on track use.
Heavily massaged by transmission-maker ZF, the car's 8-speed automatic transmission features Alpina Switch-Tronic with multiple shift modes. Designed for comfort-oriented shifts in everyday use, the transmission offers a Sport mode that delivers sharper, performance-oriented shift characteristics. A Manual mode is also available, providing ultra-fast manually chosen gear changes.
To help the powertrain live a long and happy life, the cooling system uses three separate external coolant coolers, an enlarged transmission oil cooler, and Alpina-specific intercoolers with 50% more cooling surface than those in the BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe.
Even the exhaust note has received the special Alpina touch. The stainless-steel exhaust system reduces backpressure while highlighting the brio of the V8 engine. The B8's driver can alter the sound by choosing Comfort or Sport mode, which controls the system's active exhaust flaps.
All this tuning results in exceptional performance. BMW says the 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe can accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds and blast through a standing-start quarter-mile in just 11.5 seconds. The maximum speed is a manufacturer-claimed 201 mph.
The BMW Alpina B8's sport suspension system aims to deliver both exceptional comfort and excellent control at speed. One of its most compelling details is its rear-wheel-steer arrangement. The ZF Active Kinematics Control System enables the rear wheels to pivot a maximum of 2.3 degrees left or right for added agility at low speeds and more stability as the speedometer edges toward 200 mph.
As is customary with an Alpina performance massage, appearance changes accompany the B8 Gran Coupe's enhanced dynamics.
On the exterior, large air intakes are both functional and a styling statement. And that statement continues at the rear of the vehicle with a heavily molded black diffuser and a subtly elegant rear spoiler. Two exterior colors — blue metallic and green metallic — are reserved for Alpina models like the B8 Gran Coupe, but customers can also finish the car in a wide variety of BMW exterior paints.
The interior is studded with Alpina-only details. Among them are the Alpina steering wheel covered in untreated Lavalina leather, the crystal-glass iDrive selector with an Alpina logo, and the high-gloss walnut anthracite wood accents. An extensive list of standard equipment includes Merino leather upholstery, an anthracite Alcantara headliner, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic glass sunroof, and a Harman Kardon sound system.
BMW is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on March 24, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.
You are now subscribed to the J.D. Power Cars Newsletter.
