You'll Never See Another BMW Alpina B6 Gran Coupe Like This

A 600-hp one-of-a-kind luxury performance machine.

BMW is no stranger to doing special editions. But when it comes to Alpina, the also German-based company that develops high-performance versions of BMWs, special editions are a little less common. One-offs even more so. So we were pleasantly surprised to see this: the BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe CCA Edition. And yes, it’s a one-of-a-kind. Developed in collaboration between BMW, BMW Car Club of America and Alpina, this bespoke B6 Gran Coupe has received a number of upgrades, both aesthetically and mechanically.

Power comes from the familiar 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 mph happens in just 3.6 seconds and it has a top speed of 198 mph. To give things an extra growl, the car received an Akrapovic titanium exhaust system, engineered as a one-piece system stretching over a length of about 12 feet from the downpipes to the rear tailpipes. It’s made entirely of titanium, which helps reduce weight more than 15 pounds. The two twin tailpipes are finished with a carbon fiber trim. The exterior is finished in Alpina Blue Metallic. But it’s the interior where the real craftsmanship was done.

Step inside and you’ll find Merino Opal White Full Merino leather, piano black trim featuring a BMW CCA Edition silver inscription on the center console. There’s also a hand-finished Alpina Lavalina steering wheel with bespoke stitching that, along with the floor and trunk mats, matches the Merino Opal leather upholstery. The headrests, of course, also have an embossed Alpina logo. Lastly, there’s a BMW CCA Edition 01/01 inscription plaque on the engine bay, boasting the signatures of the father-son duo behind the Alpina family business. No pricing was given because it appears this one-off Alpina B6 Gran Coupe will be rewarded to one lucky raffle winner.

Alpina B6 Vs. BMW M6 Is The 1,200-HP Matchup We've Been Itching To See

These two similar cars are actually very different.

If you want a BMW tuned to deliver blistering speed, you don't even need to leave the dealership. Everyone knows that if you want a fast BMW, you buy an M. Or do you? The M division is not the only tuning company that builds a badass version of BMW models. Alpina has been around since 1965, and has created some of the coolest BMWs over the past half century. The company even makes its own version of the 6 Series Gran Coupe called the B6. Like the M6, the B6 has 600 horsepower, but it also has way more torque and an extra gear.

The differences don't stop there. Although these two cars seem very similar on paper, MotorTrend proves that they are actually quite different. The M6 is tuned for dynamic handling while the B6 is geared towards comfort. So which is better?

Both cars pack 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engines with 600 hp. The M6 has 516 lb-ft of torque and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission while the B6 has 590 lb-ft of torque and an eight-speed automatic. Both cars start at around $120,000 and look fantastic. Since the M6 is no slouch when it comes to comfort, it is the one we would choose. But if you want something that is supremely comfortable and really fast, the Alpina B6 is certainly worth a look.

Here's Proof Alpina Is Working On BMW X7 M Alternative

If an X7 M never materializes, at least we have Alpina.

The BMW X7 is still pretty hot-off-the-presses after being revealed just a few days ago. Like the smaller X5, the X7 is powered by either a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing 335 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque or a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 developing 456 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Two diesel engines are also available in Europe.

Even with well over 400 hp in its xDrive50i trim, we're waiting to see if BMW will actually build an M version of the X7. We've seen renderings of what an X7 M could look like but its production is far from guaranteed. Luckily, Alpina is working on its own alternative.

Alpina is a German manufacturer that works closely with BMW to produce high-performance models that are also comfortable. We've even argued that Alpina BMWs are even cooler than BMW M models for a certain type of buyer. Even if BMW doesn't do an X7 M, our spy photographers have just snapped pictures of a mysterious camouflaged X7 on the Nurburgring. Since the X7 has already been revealed, it doesn't make much sense for BMW to still hide it. That's because this is actually a prototype for the upcoming Alpina XD7.

It's hard to infer much about the styling because of the camo. The car appears to have intercoolers behind the front air intakes to help cool down the engine. On the standard X7, these intakes are purely aesthetic. Alpina will likely use the 3.0-liter quad-turbo inline-six diesel engine from the X5 and X7 M50d, which produces 400 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque, though it will likely be tuned to produce at least 450 hp. Along with the performance upgrades, the XD7 will be given a unique interior, quad exhaust tips, and the classic Alpina wheels.

Since BMW doesn't sell the M50d in the US, we doubt the Aplina will be sold here either. Unless Alpina also tuned the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, the XD7 will remain forbidden fruit. Expect the Alpina XD7 to arrive in September 2019 at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

5 Used Alpina Models That Are Way Cooler Than Buying A BMW M Car

We rounded up the five coolest used Alpina cars that we could find.

Alpina is an automotive tuning company that specializes in building high-performance BMW models. The Bavarian company is not owned by BMW, like the M Division, but Alpina models are sold within the BMW dealer network. Alpinas aren't as well known as M cars, but we absolutely love them. Basically, Alpina likes to build high-performance cars with a touch of flair that are still comfortable as daily drivers. Fortunately for used car buyers, their relative unfamiliarity means Alpina models lose value fast, making them an excellent car to purchase.

Interestingly, many Alpina cars end up competing against the in-house models from the M Division. The Alpina B6 Gran Coupe is very similar to the BMW M6, but takes a different approach to speed. The B6 has the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 as the M6, but is tuned differently to produce the same 600 hp, but more torque (590 lb-ft compared to 516). The B6 also uses an eight-speed automatic instead of a seven-speed dual-clutch and AWD instead of RWD. A brand new B6 costs $122,500, but we found a 2015 model with 56,000 miles on it for just under $58,000. This is a steal for a 600 hp car that is extremely comfortable and beautiful.

Next up is the Alpina B7, which is based on the BMW 7 Series and has been one of the more common Alpina models in the US. This might be because BMW has never sold a full M version of the 7 Series to compete with the B7. The F01 generation B7 was built from 2011 to 2013, with some improvements in 2013, such as an eight-speed automatic. BMW's V12 engine was deemed too heavy for the B7, so Alpina used the M5's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. The B7 produced 540 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque and handled better than BMW's own 760Li. This car could be had as a short or long wheelbase with RWD or AWD. We found examples ranging from around $25,000 to just under $50,000.

The E65 generation Alpina B7 was also no slouch. This generation of the 7 Series was built from 2002 to 2008, and the Alpina version was created to give BMW a competitor against the Mercedes S-Class AMG models and the Audi S8. This generation of the B7 used a supercharged version of BMW's 4.4-liter V8, producing 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Even with the extra power, the Alpina was able to achieve the same gas mileage as a standard 7 Series. Alpina only offered 800 units of this generation in 2007 and 2008, and we managed to find a very clean 2007 model with 56,000 miles for just under $26,000, though rougher examples can go as low as $15,000.

Even though many of the modern Alpina cars have experienced heavy depreciation, we'd like to offer two examples of why you really shouldn't care. The first is a pristine 1990 Alpina B10 Bi-Turbo. This car was based on the E34 generation 5 Series and was built from 1989 to 1994, with only 507 examples built during that period. This one only has 60,000 miles on the clock, and is selling for $44,000. Alpina took the stock M30 and added two Garrett T25 turbochargers. This brought power and torque up from 208 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque to 360 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The B10 could hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and was known as the fastest sedan in the world when it was introduced.

Our final car may be the ultimate example of why Alpina cars are so cool. This 1988 Alpina B7S Turbo was based on the E24 635 CSi. Alpina only built 30 examples for the whole world, and this extremely low mileage example is number 25. The car is being sold by Enthusiast Auto Group, a dealership that specializes in finding rare BMW models like this one. All of these cars were completely hand-built for just one model year. Alpina provided many enhancements such as a modified cylinder head, lightweight pistons, performance camshaft, high-flow exhaust header, Getrag close-ratio sport transmission, engine oil cooler, limited slip differential and oil cooler and larger front brakes.

Total output from the turbocharged engine is 326 hp and 370 lb-ft of torque. The car is also rumored to be one of only two surviving cars with the original Tartan interior, which looks fantastic combined with the green and gold retro exterior. This is certainly one of the best examples of an Alpina car, which is why it commands a price tag of just under $300,000. Even though the other Alpina cars on this list aren't quite as rare as the B7S Turbo, we still think that they are a great value and all have the chance to appreciate in the future.