Just 30 examples of the BMW Alpina B7 S Turbo coupé were ever built, the car was based on the BMW 6 Series platform with a series of performance upgrades that increased power from 215 hp to 330 hp and torque from 310 Nm to 500 Nm.
Unsurprisingly the performance of the new Alpina was impressive, particularly by the standards of the early 1980s, 0 to 60 mph could be dispatched in just 5.4 seconds and the top speed was listed as 262 km/h (162.7 mph).
The Alpina B7 S Turbo Coupé
Although many think of Alpina as a tuning company for BMWs they’re actually registered as an automaker in their own right. The cars they modify are changed so significantly that Germany classes them as new vehicles, and so each Alpina has its own new VIN plate and unique ID.
The cars are sold from select BMW dealers worldwide in somewhat limited numbers, they’re far rarer than M cars and are typically recognised by their unique alloy wheels and by the decals they frequently wear.
Many of BMWs greatest models from the 1970s and onwards received the Alpina treatment, creating luxury high performance cars including the Alpina B7 S Turbo, which was the fastest four-door production car in the world when it was introduced in 1981.
Whereas the B7 S Turbo was based on the BMW E12 platform, the close relative of the car shown here, the Alpina B7 S Turbo Coupé, is based on the E24. The two cars shared the same 3.5 litre BMW straight-six and gearbox, and so modifications made to them by Alpina were somewhat similar.
The Alpina B7 S Turbo coupé has a KKK (Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch) K27 turbocharger with variable boost pressure between 0.6 to 0.9 bar, which was fitted via a bespoke exhaust manifold. The car was also fitted with lower compression pistons (CR 7.3:1), an air-to-air intercooler, and an electronic ignition run via a custom ECU. An upgraded differential was also fitted and a limited slip was available as an option.
Suspension and brakes were also upgraded to better match the significant boost in power and performance, and as with many Alpinas, there’s a decal kit fitted to the body, the unique Alpina wheels on all four corners, and a revised interior including an Alpina steering wheel and gear knob, and Recaro seats.
The BMW Alpina B7 S Turbo Coupé Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1982 BMW Alpina B7 S Turbo coupé, it’s the 11th car of the 30 that were made and it’s finished in Alpina Green over a black-and-green plaid interior. Importantly the car is accompanied by Alpina Certification and extensive reports, invoices, and photographic records of restoration.
When it was originally built it was optioned with the limited slip differential as well as a sunroof. It was delivered to a German owner but would spend most of its life in Japan before being sold to the UAE in 2016. It was in the UAE that it received a full bare-metal paint restoration that revealed a totally rust- and accident-free body. The underside was also detailed using the correct coatings and plated finishes.
The car was then shipped to BMW specialists Munich Legends in the UK who performed extensive mechanical restoration and detailed works on the car including extensive rolling road-testing and tuning
The car is now listed as being in immaculate condition and ready for a new owner, this is one of the rarer Alpinas of this era, and as a result it has an estimated hammer price of between €175,000 and €225,000. If you’d like to read more or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on RM Sotheby’s.
Images: ©2019 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
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