
Alpina built only sixty examples of the ultimate B7 S Turbo variant of this generation before moving on.
Median 88 hp across 221 similar cars
Lead trim: B7 Turbo · up to 326 hp
BMW Alpina B7 TurboE12 · 1978–1982
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a BMW Alpina B7 Turbo yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactAlpina built only sixty examples of the ultimate B7 S Turbo variant of this generation before moving on.
Alpina's turbocharged tuner sedan built on the BMW E12 5 Series (528i), billed as the world's fastest four-door car at its September 1978 IAA introduction. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: Wikipedia's own comprehensive, generation-by-generation Alpina model list has no BMW E23 7-Series-based B7 Turbo at all — the 7-Series-based Alpinas only begin with the E32-based B11/B12 of the early 1990s. The real B7 Turbo is E12 (5-Series) based, with a coupé sibling on the E24 6-Series; this entry uses the well-documented E12 sedan rather than the non-existent E23 car assumed in the initial brief. Never sold in the US.
Collectors Spotted in the BMW Alpina B7 Turbo Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the BMW Alpina B7 Turbo yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B7 S Turbo | 1981–1982 | 3.0 L Inline-6 | 326 hp | 369 lb-ft | — | RWD | manual | — |
| B7 Turbo | 1978–1982 | 3.0 L Inline-6 | 296 hp | 341 lb-ft | — | RWD | manual | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs


This turbocharged 5-series wasn't legally a BMW at all — since 1983 Germany's transport ministry has recognised Alpina as its own carmaker, so every B7 Turbo was registered under the Alpina name.

This isn't just a tuned BMW: Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport officially recognizes Alpina as its own automobile manufacturer, not an aftermarket tuner, a status no other BMW specialist holds.

Alpina built only sixty examples of the ultimate B7 S Turbo variant of this generation before moving on.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.

It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.

Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.

A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.

The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.

The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.

The Vigor was sold only with a five-cylinder engine, an unusual configuration Honda used to fit a longer engine transversely under a short hood.

The GS/E coupe earned the nickname "German Charger" for its long hood, short deck stance borrowed from Detroit muscle cars.

This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.