BMW gave the whole 8 Series family a nip and tuck last week, so it comes as no surprise Alpina is now introducing its mildly updated B8 Gran Coupe. The styling revisions are exactly the ones you would expect, mirroring the LCI applied to the four-door 8er. Changes start at the front where the redesigned grille is illuminated to lend the gran tourer a sense of occasion.
You can easily tell it’s the Alpina version and not an “ordinary” BMW 8 Series thanks to the spoiler lip on the trunk lid. The black diffuser helps the B8 Gran Coupe set itself apart furthermore, as do the timeless 21-inch forged wheels. Brembo blue brake calipers hide behind the 20-spoke alloys, with 395-mm front and 398-mm rear discs.
Let’s talk paint choices. Aside from the Alpina-exclusive Blue Metallic and Green Metallic, B8 Gran Coupe buyers will be able to opt for the following hues: Portimao Blue, Sanremo Green, Skyscraper Grey, Frozen Pure Grey, or Frozen Tanzanite Blue. Alternatively, there is a vast color palette if you access the special paints through the BMW Individual catalog.
The M8 Gran Coupe alternative?
With illuminated door sills and a crystal glass iDrive controller, the B8 Gran Coupe boasts a sophisticated hand-finished leather cabin. The list of customizations is comprehensive and includes a glossy walnut trim and untreated Lavalina leather for even more exclusivity.
Power is provided by the familiar twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 with 621 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. Alpina says the car needs 3.4 seconds until 62 mph (100 km/h) and 11.6 seconds until 124 mph (200 km/h). Flat out, it can hit 201 mph (324 km/h). The eight-speed ZF automatic transmission is calibrated for the B8 Gran Coupe and behaves differently depending on the driving mode.
Revealed less than a year ago, the Alpina B8 Gran Coupe in its mildly updated guise is already available to order in Europe. Customer deliveries of the €162,100 model (in Germany, before options) are scheduled to kick off in May.
