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Exterior photo of 1980 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (E24)

1980 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (E24)

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Details

Price: SOLD on Bring a Trailer | Visit the Bring a Trailer Auction (ends 2/11/21)

Engine: M30B30 3-liter Alpina Turbo Engine

Transmission: 5-Speed Dogleg Close-Ratio Getrag G265 Transmission

Exterior color: Polaris Silver Metallic Exterior

Interior: Black Leather / Alpina Cloth Interior

VIN: WBA51110004362781

Additional features:

Chassis #44 of 153 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupes

Alpina Tuned BMW M30B30 3.0-Liter Inline 6-Cylinder Engine

300 horsepower/341 pound-feet torque

5-Speed Dog-Leg Transmission

Front Strut Brace

Alpina Front Sway Bar

Alpina Progressive Springs

Bilstein Sport Struts and Shocks

Limited-Slip Differential (40% lockup)

Slicktop (No Sunroof)

Zender Front Spoiler

Alpina Rear Spoiler

Alpina / MOMO 4-Spoke Steering Wheels

Alpina Recaro Seats

Alpina Wood Shift Knob

Factory Air Conditioning (R12) (INOP)

Blaupunkt Stereo

Pioneer/Kenwood Speakers

30-Liter Long Range Fuel Tank

Alpina Decals (not installed)

Large Tool Kit with Red Screw Drivers

Alpina Wheels 16x8in

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 Tires

Pierburg Fuel System Tuning Tool

California / Washington State Car

Alpina Certificate of Authenticity (COA)

Alpina Register

Background

1980 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (E24) exterior photo

In 1962 Burkard Bovensiepen developed a high performance Weber carburetor upgrade for the BMW 1500 Neue Klasse sedan. BMW was so impressed with the quality of his work that they covered it under the factory warranty. By the mid-1960s, Bovensiepen formalized his work by taking over a typewriter company called Alpina and shifting the focus to BMW carburetor and cylinder head upgrades. The strong relationship with BMW grew and remains to this day. In fact, Alpina is the only factory-supported aftermarket BMW producer (Alpina grew from a tuner to a manufacturer and produces its vehicles alongside regular BMWs at the Dingolfing plant). In the late 1970s, BMW released its top of the line grand touring coupé, the E24 6 Series, also known as “The Shark!” Alpina saw an opportunity for a GT car that could compete with the Porsche 911 (930) Turbo and used that platform to develop the B7 Turbo Coupe. It started by installing low-compression Mahle pistons in the M30 3.0-liter engine to accommodate a large turbo charger, along with a completely revised fuel injection system. A variable boost controller mounted on the center console was also added. The suspension was upgraded with progressive springs and Bilstein shocks over Alpina’s iconic wheels. The interior and exterior were also given Alpina-specific treatments that clearly differentiated the B7 Turbo Coupe from a regular BMW 6 Series. Over a four-year production run, a total 153 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupes were made, each with its own specific chassis number.

Summary

 exterior photo

This 1980 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe, finished in Polaris Silver over Black leather with blue and green Alpina Cloth, is chassis number 44. It shows 141,500 kilometers (87,925 miles), and was reportedly imported to the United States in the 1980s. The only changes that were made were the addition of rear marker lights, and a Zender front valance in place of the Alpina valance (which is still available from Alpina). This change was period correct, having reportedly been the result of shipping damage when it was first imported.

We are selling it on consignment from a BMW collector, who purchased it on Bring a Trailer in May of 2016. Records from the current and previous owners go back to 2003. The head gasket was replaced under the previous owner, along with lots of routine maintenance. The driveshaft and limited-slip differential were reportedly rebuilt (the latter with 40% lock-up by Korman), but there is no record of that. The current owner’s maintenance included re-sealing the gearbox, rebuilding the shifter assembly, and replacing the shocks with Bilstein Sport units (the Alpina-tuned Bilstein shocks are still available from Alpina if desired). The fuel tank was also removed, flushed, and re-lined. In preparation for sale, we did an extensive refresh of the fuel delivery and ignition system. This was a two-year process that included sourcing some extremely rare Alpina-specific parts. The most difficult was working with Alpina North America to find a specialist in Germany to rebuild the Pierburg DL injection system, as well as another German specialist to source a set of rebuilt fuel injectors. Once the parts arrived, we teamed up with old-school BMW specialist Mark Hutto to finish the job, which included building a specialized tool to tune the fuel injection system during dyno runs. Classic turbocharged engines hate Colorado’s thin air, and we have it running as well as possible given our conditions. It’s happiest set a little rich, which we suspect will be perfect for sea level. The specialized tool and Pierburg manual are included in the sale. Other housekeeping items we did included repairing worn fabric on the driver’s seat, replacing the front and rear Roundel emblems, hood insulation, shift knob (the original is photographed), and some basic maintenance items. The invoice for our work is included in the sale.

The end result is an exceptionally rare piece of BMW and Alpina history. With an original population that numbered well under two-hundred, and a fraction of those coming to America, finding an Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe is rare—extremely rare. This one has been recently gone through and is ready for its new owener. It will certainly need continued care and maintenance, and the new owner should be prepared for the patience and nuance of limited-production vehicle ownership, but the end result is well worth it!

Exterior

1980 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (E24) exterior photo

The Polaris Silver Paint is glossy and in very presentable condition. The majority of the car has been repainted, with evidence of a previous repair on the passenger rear quarter and passenger door. A paint gauge report is available upon request. Being a European-spec model, the body panels did not have the individual VIN tags that the US-spec cars had. There are a few areas with minor rust evident: a small bubble above the rear of the beltline trim on the driver’s rear quarter, a very small bubble above the passenger side taillight, a small bubble at the lower corners of the rear window trim, and some around the inner edge of the passenger rear wheel arch. The passenger rear jack point is indented from being improperly lifted at some point. Otherwise the underside is clean. The bumpers are both in excellent shape; the trim is present and very clean. The Alpina front valance was allegedly damaged when it was first imported and was replaced with a Zender piece. It has some scuffing, but no cracks. The windshield has moderate pitting, but no chips; it appears to be original. All of the door trim is present and in good shape, albeit it has some sun damage that is not overtly noticeable unless you are inspecting it closely. The headlights are the typical Hella H4/H1 combination, they are free of cracks and have minor pitting. Both taillights have some thin cracks on close inspection; the chrome trim surrounding them has some crinkling. All markers and corner lights are clear and crack-free aside from the passenger side rear marker, which has a couple hairline cracks. The Alpina 16x8 wheels are wrapped in Dunlop Direzza DZ102 tires; they have 2014/2015 dates, but still have lots of tread and no evidence of dry rot.

Interior

 interior photo

The interior is in overall very nice condition. The carpet is free of stains and tears; there is a slightly more worn area on the driver’s footwell, but it is negligible. The headliner is free of stains or tears and is very nice. The door cards are in excellent condition; there is some wrinkling on the chrome trim typical of BMW’s of this vintage. The Momo/Alpina 4-spoke steering wheel is very clean. The dashboard has 2 larger cracks behind the gauge cluster area, as well as 2 small ones in the parcel tray; none are easily visible from the driver’s seat. The instrument cluster functions as it should. The stalks and switches are in good shape. The power windows operate smoothly, albeit slowly. The heat and blower motor work, the air conditioning system is present, but inoperative. The stereo is upgraded with an amplifier, aftermarket Pioneer and Kenwood speakers, and a Blaupunkt RPD545 head unit. The regulators and switches have been replaced, but it can take the right touch at times. The front seats are clean and dressed in Alpina’s signature fabric with leather bolsters and headrests. We replaced the fabric on the base of the driver’s seat; it’s a close but not a perfect match. The passenger seat is original and the base is slightly wrinkled. The rear seats are trimmed in the same fashion; there are a couple minor scratches in the leather, but they are otherwise excellent. The spare tire and jack are present, as is the trunk carpet. The tool kit (complete with the two BMW red screwdrivers) is complete and present.

Mechanical

 engine photo

This Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe has benefit from significant recent maintenance and repairs as outlined in the summary paragraph. In addition to the rare fuel system parts, we replaced lots of dry-rotted rubber fuel and oil lines. The turbocharged M30 starts on command. Cold start takes a short moment of cranking to fire, and it settles into a smooth idle shortly after. The idle is slightly high, but after lots of tuning, it seems happiest there. It revs smoothly and as the boost pressure builds, the turbo power is comically strong. It reminds me most of a 911 930 Turbo, but with wonderfully compliant manners—because it is a BMW! Lift off the gas, and it utters a few angry pops, which only lets the world how badass it is. There are no notable oil seeps or leaks. The clutch take up is correct and the shifter is crisp and direct. There is no transmission or driveline whine or vibrations. The Alpina suspension is firm, but compliant and more than competent to handle the power. The brakes are strong with lots of pad thickness and rotor run out remaining. We would like to find a buyer who will continue to enjoy and care for it for years to come, it will make a great addition to any BMW / Alpina collection.