The BMW X7 is the Bavarian automaker's largest SUV to date, but if you were hoping for an official high-performance BMW X7 M flagship to join BMW's current M performance lineup, you're going to be disappointed. BMW is allegedly plotting a new flagship X8 M SUV with a 750-hp hybrid powertrain but has no plans to give the X7 the M performance treatment.

Thankfully, there is an alternative option if you want a BMW X7 with more grunt. Unveiled back in May, the BMW Alpina XB7 is powered by the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 offered in higher trims of the regular BMW X7 tuned to produce 612 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

For comparison, the most powerful X7 offered by BMW generates 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. This setup enables the Alpina XB7 to accelerate from 0-62 mph in four seconds before topping out at 188 mph. Those are some impressive specs for a full-size seven-seater SUV. Pricing for the Alpina XB7 starts at $141,300, but if you're planning to order one be prepared for a long wait.

Orders for the Alpina XB7 super SUV began back in May, with deliveries planned for September this year. Alpina has announced that series production of the 2020 Alpina XB7 has started at BMW's factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, but allocations for the 2020 model have already sold out.

So if you place an order for the Alpina XB7 now, it won't arrive until the 2021 model year. Production of the Alpina XB7 is capped at 2,000 units a year, so they will be a very rare sight on the road.

An online configurator for the hardcore SUV has also launched on BMW's US site, allowing customers to build their perfect Alpina XB7 with their chosen colors, trims, and equipment options. While the Alpina XB7 isn't an official BMW X7 M, it can be sold and serviced at all official BMW dealers in the US and Canada.