warot

Found this when I was reading a review of the B7:

...When last we wrote about Alpina cars coming our way (“Z8 One Better,” Jan. 6, 2003), it was decided to off-load the entire final year’s worth of Z8s—450 cars—on the United States over the last nine months of 2003. All the cars were modified to 4.8-liter Alpina V8s with Alpina’s own Switchtronic sequential transmission.

At the same time, BMW headquarters was in discussions with BMW North America to also bring over the B7, based on the “ugly-trunk” 7 Series. After some serious business-case hurdling, however, it was decided to postpone Alpina’s Atlantic crossing—the famed Blues would stay home awhile longer.

That was then. Now BMW North America has hatched a fiendishly clever plan to bring us not only the new “less-ugly-trunk” B7, but possibly also an Alpina-fied version of the next X5 sport/utility vehicle.
The thinking is that in North America it would be nice to have a full lineup of high-performance BMWs, be they Ms or Bs. But there will be no importing of Alpina B3s, B5s or B6s, thereby avoiding competing with BMW M sales.

For now, the only sure thing is the B7 will be in the United States by the end of 2006 (regular-wheelbase version to start, possibly Li version later), exact quantity to be determined. Bringing over an Alpina X5 won’t be decided until midyear, once development of the supercharged V8 intended to go in it is finished.

Rest of article (mostly about the Alpina B7): - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

That's great news... how clever that they would only limit to the B7 and X5. Now at least those AmG cars will have some competition.

Curb Zone

 

Michael

It would make sense why BMW wouldn't allow for other types of Alpina's to come over here.

I prefer the M divsion over Alpina. To me it seems that Alpina sometimes goes the wrong way when making things. For example, when they made the Z8 version I just couldn't get over the fact that they had downgraded in power when compared to the Z8 from BMW. Not only that they made it automatic.

I think I might be mistaken about the power.

Either way it will be nice to see an X5 version of alpina. Interesting though that they would allow it. Maybe it is because the X5 and 7 Series don't come in M versions so why not!

Deutsch

I agree BMW freak in your assesment of Alpina Z8. However that was more a collectors item than a true all out supercar as many of us may have expected. I love the Alpina Z8 none the less, would really love to have one as a classic collectors piece one day(Providing that issues w/ the Aluminum chassis have been resolved by BMW). I think it's a great thing if Alpina delivers cars to the states in small quanities that aren't produced as M series variants already, such as the 7 series and X5 S.A.V.

Michael

No doubt that they are classics but I still prefer the original Z8 which is a classic in itself over a classic taken to me made into some sort of special edition. Don't get me wrong I like Alpina but I just prefer the original BMW's.

Curb Zone