Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460

Despite the rise of the crossover, there is still a market for traditional SUVs. In addition, some buyers do not want to sacrifice luxury, get the capacity that a full-frame, truck, sport utility offerings. Lexus GX 460 does it for consumers who want to opulence and sure-footed, full frame-mix, block transfer case 4x4 architecture, which cautioned not to fear a significant followers and not yell loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage .
While the Lexus RX grabs the hearts of buyers looking for an L-Finesse crossover, the GX 460 is an alternative if you are considering an LR4 or Range Rover Sport, the most direct competitor in terms of architecture and market segment. In order to take into account price and a disparate field of competitors ranging from the BMW X5 and Audi Q7 at the GMC Yukon Denali or the Ford Expedition King Ranch. The GX-460S brings space and price it on the intersections between larger and still larger SUVs, maybe to be an unpleasant place, but the sales goals are modest.
So the GX 460 is touch of uniqueness can help them from the herd? Have the changes made since the potential instability knocked effective? 

Review: 2011 Audi A8

I must admit to losing track of how many times my hapless copilot gave them - and countless other unpublishable phrases - from the front passenger seat during our drive. But if I honestly, it does not hold a candle to the endless chain of explicative through my own mind.
The reason? I'm running piloting a 2011 Audi A8 by a particularly winding stretch of California asphalt between the Monterey Valley and the Pacific coast, and for the better part of 20 miles, the driver of a tuned BMW 335i at the top not seen anything other than the A8 massive slatted grille in his rearview mirror. Equally impressive - if not more so - the pair worked E36 M3 over that time are hard to keep up. And these guys are locals. You have this way has been running for over a decade, just to show me and spoil their ragtag demonstration in the latest Audi luxo-boxer.
I want to believe that my hairpin exploits and high-speed capers evidence of my own abilities, but I'm not so blind. I have equipped with the standard car journo hamfists issued, and to think otherwise is to fall prey driving madness and insulting the work of the Ingolstadt-based magician. Audi A8 is new only as good and the steering is only half. If you're not in love with the look of this latest flagship, you're not alone. Audi back to its Germanic roots, a sausage in the three sizes, so that less can get obsessive types have a hard time about a A4 A8 from 50 yards out have. Me? I've always been a preference for the D3 chassis (2002-2009), the mixed stately elegance with an understated air of superiority. It never looked threatening, but it came as impressive. Not so with the D4.

Review: 2012 Mazda5

Already in 1983, Chrysler shocked the world with the introduction of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. The upstart family tug took the auto industry by storm, driving a stake through the heart of the combined sales have when setting the table for the Chrysler minivan segment in the coming decades. But the segment has developed in recent years, leading to a redefinition of family transport.
First and foremost, the minivan driven by a growth spurt HGH gone by a variety of pop whiz features like a second sliding door and ridiculously convenient storage options on the road. The other major development has been directed to a flood of SUVs and crossovers, the attention of the consumer from the minivan to the point where many automakers have not been a more. But as America's illustrate suddenly completely new or significantly updated batch of minivans (see: Nissan Quest, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey), many car manufacturers by the secular van answered in the automotive equivalent of a family wellness day. This new van containing almost luxurious comfort and convenience, and it is not at all uncommon for them to $ 40,000 or more chambers.
If you can afford their monthly payments come to the newest minivans on the market is probably good your needs. But what if you want something smaller, more efficient and perhaps most importantly, good value? Something more like the original caravan? At the moment there is only one choice on the market: the 2012 Mazda5. While the rest of the auto industry with larger and more opulent selection zigged, the Zoom-Zoom car manufacturer with a minivan that almost the size of the original Caravan Zack, and a price tag starting under $ 20,000. We took the reins of a well-equipped 2012 Mazda5 Touring see if Mazda nice little van has the chops to take on the big boys.

Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited

They call it a reboot. It happens all the time in Hollywood when a movie franchise falls flat. After a blockbuster with his audience with a series of lesser sequels, the studio starts over, retelling the story from a new perspective.
The best example is Batman. The combination of Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton produced great critical acclaim and box office figures for the first two films Caped Crusader in 1989 and 1992. Then came a new director, Joel Schumacher, who just over the franchise with Batman Forever Batman & Robin in 1995 and killed in 1997. Eight years passed before anyone in Hollywood realized the Dark Knight name could still fill theater seats, and the franchise was founded in 2005 with the dark Batman Begins restarted.
The completely redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer is the Blue Oval "Batman Begins". Ford's most famous sport utility vehicle has desperately needed a reboot since Firestone tire recall made in 2000 rollover Enemy Number One. Rising gas prices have not, but half the tire debacle hurt the mark badly, with the Explorer goes from this country, the third best-selling vehicle in 2000 with 445,157 sold, bought just over 60,000 in 2010. But like Batman, the Explorer had name value, not the Ford was let go to waste. And so the 2011 Explorer Sport Utility of the history of Ford from a new angle is told. The question of whether the explorer's name can make is still encounters in the seats.

Review: 2011 Nissan Juke

2011 Nissan Juke - above for high-res image click Gallery Nissan seems to be a war path every last ounce of white space in the automotive spectrum to fill. The company has a flood of vehicles that range from playful to downright confusing unleashed. At first glance, the 2011 Nissan Juke would seem to fit into this category. With styling that shakes two away from Robo-Reptile friends, packed the small crossover high power, high ground clearance and a small footprint in a sub-$ 20,000 package. If you can avoid pigeonholing the Juke, you will notice that the engineers at Nissan succeeded in secret, their own interpretation of the hot hatch on the market without raising the wrath of the company bring Accountants.
We would not blame you think for a tunnel behind a lug pattern on this one, but your peepers with a few details and you will see what we mean. The Juke weighs less than 3,000 pounds in front-wheel-drive trim and packs a turbocharged, direct injection 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which is good for 188 hp. For reference, results of their own Sentra SE-R is the scale with an additional 88 pounds to his waist, and 11 ponies less at his command. Opt for the manual transmission in the Juke, and things even easier. Intrigued? We were too.Perhaps the biggest compliment that we pay is the design of the 2011 Juke say there is nothing to compare it to the automotive food chain. Sure, there are elements taken from the 370Z in the rear lights and there are more than a little Kia Soul at the roof line, but by and large, the Juke his own machine. This is no small praise considering manufacturers were tons of vehicle concepts for well over 100 years.
Until recently, the Juke is up something like a puzzle with its lighting array. This stylized approach to lenses lighting up is not important as you think compulsory. Instead, they prefer to care both markers and turn-indicator do work, set so that lights detail to the pie plate-sized lens in the front end low. If that's not confusing enough for you, higher trim levels also get fog lamps placed even closer to the ground.From the page, the Juke is a serious bulging fenders front and rear, and a short wheelbase of only 99.6 inches. In fact, from stem to stern measures of crossover a mere 162.4 cm, or shorter than the admittedly small Versa hatchback. Fortunately, the Juke comes from the factory stylish 17-inch alloy wheels, also in the base configuration. This substantial roles give the Juke a little more attitude and are used to prevent the risk of us like an econobox ... uh, harness. Throw in a set of hidden rear door handles in the C-pillar and the Juke replaced as the three-door from a distance.
The back of the Juke shows more of a traditional CUV or crossover design with rounded hatch, tail lights and sculptures, a small roof spoiler. Despite his abbreviated package used, a fairly large aft deck for loading food and the like, and we expect that the painted bumper cover more than a little abuse at the hands of careless owners.Jump inside and suffer the Juke provides an interior with a more Attention to detail, as we are used usually by Nissan. The driver is a sport steering wheel with contours in the right places and quality texture that feels a galaxy or two before the pole covered in the Rogue. Large, easy-to-use buttons make it easier to work with cruise control, audio settings, and calls from the Bluetooth system. Door panels with plastic parts, color bits on the unique "motorcycle tank" matched center stack are decorated and large, rounded chrome handles add a bit of brightwork to an otherwise dark cockpit. Our testers were cut in S, which means that the trick I-CON center of the SV model stack for more pedestrian dials and buttons victims. Base cover net buyer does an iPod interface when navigating the menu structure using the controls on the dashboard and steering wheel is nothing less than confusing.
Otherwise, the Juke is a surprising amount of space is given its tiny size. There is enough space to comfortably ferry four adults in the city without someone Accordion knees, and there is a deceptively large space behind the rear seats for stacking up to luggage or groceries. We are winding on good authority that several propane tanks and several bags of food can fit back there at the same time a lack of straps and hooks provide a lot of noise when the thing goes.
The eggs are never the best things about the trim home.One structure with the Juke is that no matter what configuration you choose, you are guaranteed a very capable four-cylinder engine under the hood to find. Our bare-bones test uses the same direct-injection, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder as the rest of the cast. That is, we were fortunate to play with a full 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. While we were itching to get a full week's worth of time with the six-speed manual transmission, our tester came to drag the Nissan CVT transmission in front-wheel-drive configuration.
But that is not as bad as you think. Nissan has sent the Juke with the same "switchable" CVT programming as in the likes of the maxima found decorated. Nudge the shift lever and the transmission will provide you with a quick jump in ratios that are good for your favorite jump-off along the mountain road. Speaking of piercing is front-wheel drive net driver a torsion-beam suspension in back, although as many inexpensive small cars these days, the rear bar does not seem to hold back the Juke when it comes to the tach tango.Keep had over 2,000 rpm and the Juke like shipping a lot of asphalt with little argument. The tailgate kicks very little understeer, if you manage to keep out of the throttle. Really mash the skinny pedal, however, and the vast pack horses will do their best to the torque-steer you away from your planned route of flight. The result is a small car that you keep hammering asks, despite its high ground clearance. The brakes are tight and when the electric power steering is a characteristic of light, it is not enough to dampen the giggle factor.
It is worth noting that our particular testers a pre-production unit with plenty of hard-earned miles on the Clock in the hands of the dark car was journos. That is, we have a pretty rough idle notice, especially when the engine is not operating. At highway speeds, the car is suffering from road and engine noise, but not enough to look after us. This is a vehicle with an MSRP lighter than its own weight, after all.
The EPA says, you should equipped to be able to net 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway from a CVT, combined front-drivers like our tester, even after a full week's jump-off for the countryside, we saw a measly 22 mpg. Remember, kids: small turbo engines drink fuel like its larger, naturally aspirated counterparts, if you bury your foot into the carpet. In this case, Nissan sucks down premium juice little strange, it would have to go pay a little easier on the fun pedal, you should decide to make a 2011 Juke in your driveway.And Park Nissan will ask how much for the pleasure of the Juke property ? Prices start at $ 18,960 S Trim, and buyers can expect power doors, locks, iPod connector, a six-channel sound system and Bluetooth hands-free for cash stack. The sticker price rooms of the Juke smack dab in between the Nissan Rogue $ 20,810 and the Nissan Sentra at $ 15,520. With decent (if somewhat theoretical) fuel economy and fun, which is more than one of the two options, the Juke is the perfect middle child in Nissan's lineup. While it may not be as functional as the villain, we take this sacrifice for the bump in power and handling hijinks.
The Juke is a modern hot hatch from Nissan in the area, as we are likely to get anytime soon, and it would be us, we would immediately start to receive with respect to the vehicle a little closer to the ground. If ever there were a car, which asked for the aftermarket to right his wrongs, the Juke it. The styling is not for everyone, but after a week with the five-door we grew warm, funky face. Hey, if people pug dogs welcome in their homes, they should have no problem opening the garage door for the 2011 Juke.

Review: 2011 Bentley Mulsanne

Do not press the start button. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the craftsmanship. Take it all in.
Start with the examination of the four polished bright organ-stop vent piston. The stainless steel studs located high on the dash are easy to miss a passing glance. However, each is charged with the important role of air power by shutting down one of the bulls eye vents. Decades ago, would have a smooth metal rods connected directly to the mechanical valve. Today, cut through with the physical connection between technology, sends a series of electronic micro-switch orders digital servos that treat the job. Understanding the importance of the ancient tactile mechanical movement, Bentley engineers meticulously the positive feedback of a polished steel rod just slides over smooth pull a soft leather flap felt replicated. Their performance is anything but flawless.
Commissioned to build a completely new flagship captures the essence of the brand Bentley - let the engineers and designers in Crewe nothing to chance - incomparably coach-built luxury and passion for performance and speed. The result is the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne.Electronics manage almost every aspect of the venerable 6.75-liter V8 of the Mulsanne, the firing order, the delivery of fuel. It Swirls systematically to life and immediately settled in a near-silent idle.
In contrast to the Onyx-over-saddle right-hand drive model we drove in the UK last year, these North American-spec Mulsanne Sapphire Pale color with a cashew interior (French Navy with contrasting color). The base price for all models is $ 285,000 (plus $ 2,595 destination), but a standard Mulsanne is outrageous. This model has a smattering of options, including 21-inch two-piece Polished Sport Wheels ($ 6.315), Naim Premium Audio ($ 7,415), Seat Ventilation & Massage ($ 3,000), Burr Oak Veneer ($ 4630), Adaptive Cruise Control feature (3270 $) and a flying 'B' hood ornament. Add in more attention, such as Ambient Interior Mood Lighting ($ 390) and a valet key ($ 250), and the bottom line on this gorgeous beauty is a bold $ 330,195. Let us assure you that the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne worth every single cent copper, galvanized by a third of a million dollars.
Wrap your hand around the polished stainless steel door handles (the inner sides have a tactile knurling to the finger tips of joy) and give it a firm tug. The door slides open and the interior spills out so that the flavor intense bouquet of a fine wine like. Bentley back its traditional tanning the hides in the Mulsanne cabin. The result is a rich and aromatic leather balm is different "painted" stands out from the synthetic leather smell in the car is most car interiors.The consuming and costly to treat, both driver-and passenger-focused. The steering wheel is not particularly meaty or sculptures, but the structure, grip and feel of the leather is so silky, it need not be. The twelve-way power-operated heated and massaging seats are as comfortable as your favorite chair, but without excessive reinforcement, and provide overly generous front-and-aft travel by rail. The eddy-liquefaction seat massage function should be illegal while the vehicle is in motion - its rhythmic pulsations could make an Insomniac unconscious on Red Bull at high noon.
Primary instrumentation is clear, but the many smaller "glass" buttons on the center console and center console will require some training (but so is your kitchen's spice rack). With the engine purring on the other side of the firewall, the eight-inch screen with high resolution awakens from its resting position behind a veneer plate in the middle of the dashboard and displays an easy-to-read version of the Audi Multi Media Interface. But it's hard to say.
Bentley's are designed around the driver, but not to think that passengers are mistaken, a little too short for International First Class relegated. While the passenger enjoys the same accommodations as drivers, passengers can relax in the rear (two-plus-one houses) with eight-way electrically-operated heated and massaging seats with lumbar support and memory. Not only are there four separate zones in the vehicle documents Climate control, but the rear seat passengers can move the passenger seat out of the way (as was whether the generous legroom simply not good enough). The different controls are all elegantly out of the way hidden in the center back above armrest.The Motors basic architecture has been around since the 1960s, serving both Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Do not worry, as the famous "Six and three-quarter-liter" was updated several times in recent decades as Joan Rivers. Today, the all-aluminum engine has been completely revised, with new, lighter pistons, connecting rods and forged camshafts. New control systems management of the twin-turbo engine includes variable valve timing and lift.
Bentley provides that the engine now produces 505 hp at 4,200 rpm - and the least impressive part of the story. More significant is the devilish (and insane) min 752-pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. Somehow, commendably toleration of power is a standard is a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel "paddles" for manual control. According to the automaker will achieve the Mulsanne Sedan 60 hours miles from a standing start in just 5.1 seconds. Keep your foot down to 11.6 seconds and the 5,700-pound four-door will be 100 mph hit (despite toting nearly twice the weight, the buffed beauty is faster than a Porsche Cayman S).
Once on the road, the sound of the engine and the exhaust system is extremely attenuated during steady driving, as if the engine is somehow in the vacuum of space. The lack of engine noise on the highway is scary, but understandable. As mentioned, the Mulsanne the first car in its segment to boast variable - valves close in four of the cylinders to maximize fuel economy during cruising. The drive train feature is not new, as many car manufacturers so-called "cylinder deactivation" technology over the years have adopted. However, we have never experienced such a transparent transition 4:00 to 8:00 cylinders operations (if Bentley had not put it in the written press release, we would not swear it happens). As a driver the car Bentley has made special provisions for those who want to change found behind the wheel suspension and steering responses to a rotary switch near the shift lever. Of the four modes (Bentley, Sport, Comfort and Custom), we found "Bentley", the preferred set of reports that the automaker engineers, since the choice selection. It seems an admirable balance between the chassis and unnecessary hardship offer swimmers. We stumbled potholes seem big enough to jump a motorcycle stage - the Mulsanne slid over each with poise and dignity.
When the road turned twisty, shaking the Bentley does not have. Despite its mass and weight, the flagship sedan handled impressively. We spent countless hours back on small two lane roads all the time amazed at how well the nearly three-ton Mulsanne himself. Although not directly marketed as such, would undoubtedly embarrassed the Mulsanne the majority of the self-proclaimed "sports sedan" in the market today. And then there is the immense power.
Wheel spin from a standstill is a breeze, but it is rather inappropriate (such as carriage wheels of 60-year-old women, regardless of their physical appearance). It is appropriate to show some restraint and leave with a gentle walk.
Instead, press the accelerator down about a third of his journey while driving on the highway and something emerges from the depths. An audible sound may not unlike that of a prehistoric mammoth in a grumpy old oak whiskey barrel is taken from the other side of the firewall. A low and deep curse is removed, but with authority. The change in pitch is heard by the entire front end of the Mulsanne lifting a few fractions of an inch, because all that weight back accompanied transfers. Then, without further ado, the big sedan is scored on the highway. The experience leaves surrounding vehicles in the distance, and grinning from ear in the Bentley-to-expected ear.As, with the Mulsanne powerful brakes. His iron rotors (two piece units) are 15.75 cm in diameter in front with six-piston calipers and 14.60 inches in the rear with two-piston calipers. The optional 21-inch wheels carry 265/45ZR21 Performance Rubber, affording the four-door a lot of liability. Stomp the brakes and the nose drops as the weight shifts forward (together with all other). Delay before testing, cinch belts fastened and secure loose items in the cabin. The brakes are very effective.
Without question, the Bentley Mulsanne offers an exceptional driving experience - as great as one would expect, particularly given its high price. The big four-door car is comfortable on the highway and capable in the corners. It accelerates quickly and bleeds the speed without drama. However, the mechanical operation of the machine is only part of his charm. There is so much more than adept transportation.The Bentley Mulsanne is almost a century of automotive history alcove. This heritage is deeply rooted in the aluminum body panels, concealed stainless steel jewelry and colored leather. Countless hours are trained in sewing, upholstery, hand-polishing and painstaking review of each pore.
The Bentley Mulsanne, probably the world's best luxury car is a piece of rolling art. It reflects the unique character, individuality, passion and financial value. The hand-made limousine, speaks volumes about his behind the wheel, but it's not a single word.

Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey

While we shouldn't be shocked by anything coming out of Madison Avenue, part of me is incensed to hear Honda using Judas Priest to advertise its new Odyssey. That's right, the opening riff of the greatest album from the gods of heavy metal deployed, not in the service of Satan, but to sell a minivan?

While the 18-year-old headbanger in me would like to stand up and rail against Honda ("If you think you're going to make me think your stupid soccer mom taxi is cool, well, You've Got Another Thing Coming!"), the truth of the matter is that Honda's ad agency nailed it. We're not teenagers anymore. We've grown up and had families. I even own a minivan, and, indeed, there is at least one Judas Priest CD that lives in the center console. And after driving the new Odyssey for a week, I have serious van envy. Honda has crafted the ultimate, state-of-the-art people mover, even if it's not much more than some flashy design and incremental improvements in areas like powertrain, fuel efficiency and equipment.

The biggest changes in the redesigned Odyssey are obvious at first glance, as it no longer looks so much like a conventional minivan. Honda's ideas on styling have been polarizing as of late (read: the Accord Crosstour is ugly as sin), so it's smart that the company chose the Civic as the donor of the new minivan's face. The venerable compact is still the most complete and fluid execution of modern Honda design language, and what it lends to the Odyssey works to make Honda's largest vehicle appear smaller and sleeker. It helps that the Odyssey has a lower and much wider stance, having been stretched over two inches across.

Review: 2011 BMW Alpina B7

Try as it might, the BMW M3 Coupe can't lose the Alpina B7. The two of us are an unlikely automotive pair, playing cat-and-mouse on one long road to nowhere deep in the reaches of an unincorporated area of the California coastal mountains. The air is cool and the canyons are mostly quiet. Only the sound of two wailing V8s breaks the silence.

While the M3 dives into the corners with confidence, the B7 launches out with ferocious conviction. The M3 pulls energetically on the short straights, but the B7 puts its power down with resolve and steadily reels the smaller coupe back in. Even mid-corner, when the M3 is in perfect step, the B7 clenches a slightly wider line but still holds its ground.

We've been at this game for more than an hour, and neither of us is willing to raise a white flag. Only the illumination of the low fuel light in the smaller coupe has us calling it quits. Want to learn what it takes to harass an M3 owner?

Headquartered in Germany, Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH ("Alpina") has been working its magic on BMW models since the 1970s, and while most think of Alpina as an aftermarket tuner, the company is officially recognized as an automobile manufacturer. From its earliest days, Alpina models have been noted for their factory-quality engine, suspension and cosmetic upgrades, and the company is credited with offering high-performance street variants of BMW models even before the automaker's own Motorsport "M" Division jumped into the game.

Thirty-five years later, I'm sitting behind the wheel of an F01 B7 BiTurbo – Alpina's latest creation, based on BMW's current 7 Series platform. Mirroring the various chassis and powertrain options offered by BMW, the Alpina B7 can be had in standard- or long-wheelbase, and with rear- or all-wheel drive (xDrive). The sportiest variant of the four is the short-wheelbase, rear-wheel-drive model. That would be the Alpina Blue Metallic model we're piloting.

The heart of every Alpina model is the hand-crafted engine, and the B7 is fitted with a highly modified version of BMW's N63, the all-alloy direct-injected 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 currently fitted to the BMW 750i. Craftsmen at Alpina's facility in Buchloe, Germany are tasked with opening it up and performing a delicate surgery that includes a slew of upgrades and enhancements for the entire powertrain. High-performance pistons are inserted into the block and the cylinder heads are reinforced to withstand the additional stress from a higher compression ratio. A larger intercooler, with a 35-percent increase in surface area, is fitted to lower intake temperatures. An additional radiator lowers coolant temperatures, and external coolers are added for the engine and transmission oil. The electric fan is also upgraded to increase airflow through the new high-performance components. To move more oxygen through the engine, larger turbochargers (the vanes measure 44 mm in diameter) are fitted to keep the whole package running smoothly and Alpina engine management software increases boost to 14.5 psi and recalibrates both stability- and traction-control with more aggressive settings.

While the 750i's N63 develops 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, the modified twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 in the Alpina B7 jumps to 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque – raising specific output to 115 horsepower per liter.

Accommodating the power is Alpina's "Switch-Tronic" gearbox (a modified ZF wet six-speed automatic). Tiny leather-covered buttons on the back of the steering wheel allow manual gear selection (right side "+" and left side "-") and the driveline, from driveshaft to differential, has also been strengthened. 

The suspension architecture utilizes BMW's Dynamic Damping Control and Active Roll Stabilization, as found on other 7 Series models, but Alpina wouldn't be expected to leave it alone. The automaker increases spring rates by 20 percent and lowers ride height by about half-an-inch overall. From the cockpit, the driver is able to select from three suspension setups: Comfort, Normal and Sport. Sport-Plus mode shifts the Dynamic Stability Control system into a more aggressive Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) setting, allowing more slip at the driven wheels and reducing the interference of the traction control system.

Massive brakes (sourced from the heavier armored 7 Series "Protection" model) measure 14.72 inches in diameter up front and 14.57 inches in the rear. The standard wheels are Alpina-designed 21-inch alloys (the valve stem is in the center, thanks to a single hollow spoke) wearing 245/35ZR21 tires up front and 285/30ZR21 tires in the rear (xDrive and long-wheelbase models are fitted with 245/50ZR18 tires on all four corners). The curb weight of this rear-wheel-drive standard-wheelbase model, according to Alpina, is 4,564 pounds and opting for the long-wheelbase xDrive model causes the curb weight to balloon to 4,861 pounds. Regardless, the standard B7's weight distribution is a fairly balanced at 51.4:48.6 front-to-rear.