TRACK TESTED: 2022 BMW B8 Alpina Is the Best 8 Series Money Can Buy

• The 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe pumps out 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, putting it neck and neck with the M8 Competition Gran Coupe.
• The Alpina's special recipe Pirelli tires help it stop and corner better than any large luxury sedan should.
• Spoiler alert! The M8 is marginally quicker in a straight line, but the Alpina has it beat in the other areas and is more comfortable.

How does the BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe perform?

The Alpina models are generously equipped from the get-go, and their sticker prices reflect it. Options for the B8 are mostly limited to fancy exterior paint, fancy interior trim and upholstery, a fancy sound system, and an extended suite of driver assistance aids. All the hardware producing the track numbers you'll see below comes standard.

At the heart of this magnificent machine is BMW's twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 tuned to produce 612 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, along with 590 lb-ft of torque beginning at 2,000 rpm and stretching through to 5,000 rpm. All that juicy goodness flows through an eight-speed automatic with specific Alpina Switch-Tronic software and out to all four wheels.

Scanning the BMW spec charts, we were a bit surprised to discover that the Alpina actually employs a slightly higher engine compression ratio (10.5:1) than the M8 (10:1) and has a lower final drive ratio, 2.81 versus 3.15. That gearing ostensibly trades a marginal amount of torque to the wheels — though the Alpina's V8 makes 37 more lb-ft at its peak — for a loftier top speed. Indeed, the Alpina tops out at an eye-popping 201 mph, whereas the M8's gearing limits it to 190 mph. To the B8 go the bragging rights, at least in that regard.

If you're going for a quick acceleration time, the Alpina makes things really easy with its launch control system. Many M models have finicky launch control systems with convoluted setup procedures, but the B8's is quite straightforward. To activate it, select the Sport driving mode and Sport shift (on the gear selector), then turn traction/stability control to Sport as well. Press hard on the brake (left foot), floor the accelerator, and "launch control" will be displayed in the gauge cluster. The engine rpm jumps to and hovers right around 2,500, and we found it helps a smidge to linger here as boost builds. When you release the brake, the front end gets light and hops a bit, almost like it's fighting a wheelie. We hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and the quarter mile at 11.4 seconds at 122.4 mph, which is pretty amazing for a car this size. The eight-speed automatic’s shifts are super fluid, a little crispy and really quick. The engine sounds great but not overbearing. The M8 does enjoy a slight edge in acceleration, probably because it's a bit lighter, but it's pretty hard to tell a difference from the driver's seat. Some cars only feel quick and responsive when using launch control, but that's not the case with the Alpina.

Where the Alpina totally caught us off-guard was its braking performance. Holy stick! The brakes bite down HARD with surprising force and allow the special recipe tires (Pirelli P Zero ALPs) to do their best work. At 94 feet, the Alpina not only stopped 10 feet shorter than the M8 equipped with carbon-ceramic discs, but it tied the C7 Corvette Z06 for the third shortest stopping distance we've recorded to date. (The 2022 Porsche GT3 recently managed 91 feet on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Rs, while the GT4 RS threw down an 89-foot stop.) Do we have your attention yet? Everything else outside of the crazy-short stopping distance is very calm. There's barely any noise, very mild nosedive, excellent stability and no pulsations behind the pedal during antilock braking.

As far as handling goes, the Alpina is unsurprisingly really well tuned here as well. It turns in with ease and minimal body roll, and just feels willing to carve through a corner. There isn't a ton of feedback from the steering, but because it pretty much goes where you point it, that's not a bother. We think the all-wheel-drive system and active rear steering system helps to create that neutral feel, but the fundamentals are solid and it doesn't feel too artificial. The tires again show their talents in road grip, returning an average of 1.03 g, which in layperson's terms means "gobs of grip."

Edmunds says

The 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe is the most expensive 8 Series you can buy (before loading up on every single M8 option), but it makes a strong case for itself. It trades a marginal amount of swiftness for a higher top speed, better comfort, and frankly better stopping and cornering grip. Color us impressed.