BMW Alpina XB7 Vs. Mercedes-AMG GLS 63: Battle Of The SUV Bruisers

As with the exterior looks of these cars, the interior is a close call, and at the end quite subjective, as both cars sport impeccable build quality and a fine range of materials and features. Without having been inside the XB7, it's difficult to give a fair judgment, but from the pictures, we can tell that Alpina has gone the full nine yards with custom interior pieces, and we adore the steering wheel, which proudly displays the tuning house's white red and blue crest. In terms of interior space, the XB7 offers more room in the second and third rows and should prove to be the more comfortable car on long road trips.

The GLS 63 has a more stylish interior design: it feels special, and every time you enter the cabin, it feels like an occasion. Since the XB7 offers more practicality and the GLS 63 more design flair, we'll call this one a tie.

As Alpina's first SUV for the US market the XB7 needs to make a statement, and one way to do that is to cram as much power under the hood as possible. The XB7 is powered by an upgraded version of BMW's twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8, which features an improved exhaust system adapted from the B7. Total power output is a massive 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. That's a power jump of 89 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque over the standard X7 M50i. With all that power rushing to all four corners, the XB7 should see a zero to sixty sprint time of four seconds flat, and continue on to a limited top speed of 180 mph.

The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 48-volt electric system which Mercedes-AMG call called the EQ Boost starter-generator. This system adds an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to get the big GLS 63 to sixty in only 4.1 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 174 mph. The Alpina XB7 manages to win this one by a slight margin.

You're going to have to cough up a serious amount of extra cash for the privilege of getting behind the wheel of the new Alpina XB7. All those styling changes and increased performance figures mean that the XB7 will set you back a stiff $141,300. The standard X7 M50i goes for over $40,000 less at $99,600 but still offers strong performance and a long list of standard safety features. The mighty Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 also costs less at $132,100 but is only slightly off the pace of the XB7. You know what they say: you pay for exclusivity.

It seems that Alpina's first attempt at a high-performance SUV for the American market will prove successful, especially when compared to the brilliant Mercedes-AMG GLS 63. We dig its exterior styling, the interior looks like it will stand up to the competition, and the cabin, as with the standard X7, offers good space and excellent rear-seat comfort. In terms of performance, the XB7 manages to outdo the GLS 63 by a hair. Its 4.4-liter twin-turbo engine develops more power, and allows the big Bimmer to accelerate faster, and reach a higher, although limited, top speed. We're giving this one to the Alpina.