BMWALPINA B8 Gran Coupe

　　

2023 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawNews Editor

　　Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the News Editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

　　Money can't buy happiness, but it sure can guarantee exclusivity, and that's what you get when you park a 2023 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe in your multi-car garage. Based on the already scarce M8 Competition Gran Coupe, the Alpina features exclusive powertrain and suspension tuning, design elements and interior detailing. The goal is a greater emphasis on luxury and comfort with little loss of performance.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 BMW ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe 4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$234/mo  for ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe Base

　　ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe Base

　　4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $144,900 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　The relationship between Alpina and BMW dates to the early 1960s, and BMW recently bought the company, which has been small-batch tuning the automaker's products for decades. Traditionally, Alpina adds power, enhances the ride and handling, and adds exclusive cosmetic details such as the brand's signature turbine-spoke wheels to craft limited-production vehicles coveted by collectors.

　　With the B8 Gran Coupe, Alpina massages the M8's twin-turbo V8 engine to make a little less horsepower but significantly more torque, and it calibrates the automatic transmission for smoother shifts. The V8 breathes through an active stainless-steel exhaust system, and the car rides on a revised adaptive suspension and 21-inch forged-aluminum Alpina wheels.

　　In our testing, the Alpina B8 Gran Coupe isn't quite as quick to accelerate to 60 mph, but we don't think you'll feel the difference from behind its untreated Lavalina leather-wrapped steering wheel. In addition, the car features illuminated Alpina doorsill plates, a glass infotainment controller with a laser-etched Alpina logo, and exclusive high-gloss walnut wood trim.

　　Are you intrigued? Read our Expert Rating below to see if the Alpina B8 Gran Coupe is better fit for you than the M8 Competition Gran Coupe.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe drive? Right out of the gate, thrust from the Alpina's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is immense. Thanks to 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, the B8 scoots from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. That's slightly quicker than the M850i Gran Coupe but a tick slower than the M8 Gran Coupe. If you're going to go fast, you're going to need exceptional brakes, and the B8 has them. Massive Brembo calipers clamp down on equally huge steel discs, stopping the B8 from 60 mph in 94 feet. That's shorter than an M5 CS and BMW M8 Gran Coupe. For a car that weighs 4,715 pounds and is geared more toward luxury than all-out performance, that is nothing short of exceptional. 

　　All that weight, though, shows up quickly once you start driving up twisty roads. You can really feel the mass of the B8, and the steering simply doesn't offer nearly enough feedback for the Alpina to be considered a driver's car. Even though hustling this luxury barge down a backroad can be fun, there are other high-dollar performance luxury cars that are better for the job. Instead, the Alpina is about comfort, and it crushes that purpose no matter if you're in the city or cruising down an interstate.

　　

Comfort

9.0/10

　　How comfortable is the ALPINA B8 Gran Coupe? This BMW doesn't have a single M badge on it, and that means all sporting pretense is gone. The Alpina is all about continent-cruising comfort, and it excels. The seats are covered in soft Merino leather and are exceptionally comfortable, and they're adjustable in more than a dozen ways. The cabin is always whisper-quiet regardless of speed. Even the B8's ride quality, despite the oversized 21-inch wheels, is excellent. 

　　The B8 was designed to get you and a few of your friends from wherever you are to wherever you want to be exceptionally quickly without a moment of discomfort. It's a grand tourer through and through, and it lives up to expectation almost faultlessly. If we had to nitpick we'd say the Alpina's Comfort Plus drive mode can be a little too floaty, but simply never using the setting remedies that problem.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below