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One of the most attractive vehicles to bear a Roundel in the previous ten years is the ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe. But for some reason, people still kind of ignore it. At least, it is in America. However, the B8 is much more recognized in its home country of Germany. And, more especially, in its home state of Bavaria.
After viewing the ALPINA factory and saddlery to observe how its automobiles are manufactured and crafted, Matt Farah gets the chance to rent an ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe for the week. He did it while he was in Germany on unrelated business. He was able to spend a significant amount of time each day behind the wheel getting to know it. And in this video, he seemed impressed.
The ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe is a beast vehicle, as many would describe it. It starts with the standard 8 Series Gran Coupe. It also removes many internal components, enhances them, and then puts them back. Afterwards, it is tailored like a nice suit, to use Farah’s metaphor. One of the BMWBLOG authors who had the chance to personally drive the B8 Gran Coupe and the M8 Gran Coupe said with certainty that they feel very different.
ALPINA adjusts its vehicles for luxury, refinement, and breathtaking speed. The B8 Gran Coupe is not and is not trying to be an M vehicle. The B8 desires to launch its driver from one side of a continent to the other at mind-boggling speed. While also encased in leather-lined luxury, as opposed to wanting to rev high and take on race tracks.
However, because ALPINA is so skilled at fine-tuning its vehicles to drive smoothly, a byproduct is that they also perform well on the racetrack. Fun fact: Andreas Bovensiepen, the owner of ALPINA, personally instructed BMW to bring the XB7 SUV on the track during a previous BMW press event held at Monticello Motor Club. That shows how confident he was in his 617-horsepower SUV. He also sent stacks of tires with it.
Watch the video above to get the complete review. Especially since you can see it drive in its natural setting. Farah did observe, though, that one of the more intriguing things was the respect it receives in Bavaria.
