BMW Alpina XB7 goes mild hybrid

BMW's Alpina-developed X7 large crossover is getting an eco-friendly midcycle freshening.

The 2023 BMW Alpina XB7 features a new V-8 engine paired with the automaker's 48-volt mild-hybrid technology that can propel the three-row vehicle to 180 mph.

The 4.4-liter biturbo engine generates 630 hp, up 18 hp over the outgoing model, and can accelerate the Alpina XB7 from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.

But the performance capabilities don't come at the expense of efficiency.

The mild-hybrid technology allows the combustion engine to "run at very high degrees of efficiency ... at constant speeds," the automaker said in a statement. And the 48-volt starter-generator boosts the engine's responsiveness with the help of an electric motor.

The latest X7 introduces a split headlight design. Two LED units mounted high on either side of the front end shine out of the narrow glass covers as daytime driving lights. The lights also function as turn signal indicators.

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In the rear, the four oval tailpipes of the sport exhaust system integrate into the Alpina rear apron.

The dashboard features a large curved display that combines the 12.3-inch instrument cluster and the center 14.9-inch control display to form a single unit angled toward the driver.

The Alpina XB7, built at BMW's assembly plant in Greer, S.C., starts at $145,995, including shipping. Deliveries begin early next year.