The Ugly, Cheap, and Surprisingly Awesome Alpina B7 That BMW Never Built

When BMW launched its first M car in 1972, it kicked off a dynasty of performance sedans and coupes that would eventually span 19 models. But one flagship always got left out: the 7 Series. There was never an official M7. So BMW's luxury partner, Alpina, stepped in and built one themselves.

It was called the B7, it arrived in 2004, and it was, let's be honest, stunningly ugly. But here's the twist: you can now buy one for less than a used Toyota Camry.

Alpina is not your typical tuner. Think of it as BMW's bespoke luxury arm, handpicking select models and crafting low-volume, opulent versions. For the first-gen B7, though, performance mattered just as much as plush leather. 4-liter supercharged V8 called the H1, making 500 horsepower and 515 lb-ft of torque.

Alpina swapped in a forged crankshaft, Mahle pistons, and reinforced the block to handle the blower. The result? 8-second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed over 190 mph. Only 1,114 examples were built between 2004 and 2008, making this a rare piece of Alpina history, the company's first supercharged production car.

So why is it so cheap? Blame the styling. The E65-generation 7 Series was designed by Chris Bangle, and its controversial "Bangle Butt" rear end drew immediate criticism. Alpina added a small lip spoiler to soften the look, but it didn't help resale value. Meanwhile, the 2011 F01-generation B7 swapped the supercharger for twin turbos and a cleaner design, leaving the earlier model to depreciate hard.

Today, a clean E65 B7 averages around $20,600, roughly what you'd pay for a used 2021 Camry. The Camry will be more reliable, but the Alpina offers handcrafted interiors, 21-inch wheels, and a supercharged V8 that sounds like nothing else.

If you're tempted, proceed with caution. The E65 7 Series is notorious for electrical gremlins, coolant leaks, and expensive repairs. Hire a mechanic who knows older BMWs inside and out. But if you can handle the quirks, you're getting a genuine engineering collectible, Alpina's first blown model, built in tiny numbers, with a wild history and a price that defies logic.

It may never be pretty, but it might just be brilliant.