Even though BMW recently unveiled the hot new Alpina B7 at this year's Chicago Auto Show, the fun won't stopped there. At next week's New York Auto Show, Ze Germans will debut a second iteration of the B7, equipped with BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system.
Like the standard Alpina package, the B7 xDrive will be available on both the short- and long-wheelbase 7 Series. Official pricing hasn't been released, but based on the non-Alpina 7 Series models, adding xDrive to the B7 should add roughly $3,000 to the sticker.
[Source: BMW]
Nick got his first ride on the new models at the KTM/Husaberg Dealer meeting at Red Bud, Michigan and here is his riding impression for the FX450: Things I knew to focus on were handling via new 22mm triple clamp and power delivery through the new FX gearbox. Right out of the gate on the grass track I noticed how the bike's first gear was taller. The FE 450's first gear is so low it is usable only in the nasty stuff and normally only from a dead stop. The FX 450's cog spacing allowed for more forgiveness on gear selection and to keep the rpm range you want without stabbing the clutch. Along with the sweet six-speed gearbox, the motor has been retuned via the fuel injection mapping. The FX has noticeably more midrange punch, despite the stock silencer. This is due to richer mixture thanks to the closed-course designation of the FX. The motor retains its smooth seamless power delivery, pulling stronger when the revs climb. Handling on the FX with the 22mm offset triple clamp, designed for optimal flex, was quite good. The bike had a more settled feel at speed yet would follow ruts on the Red Bud moto track better than any other bike I tried. The bike resists knifing-in and over-steering, yet feels precise enough to let rider input drive the bike anywhere. Cornering is still “Husa-light” as the bike will throw from side to side in tighter situations like a much smaller bike may feel. Suspension is much firmer with increased bottoming resistance over the FE models. It handled all the jumps our grass track had without problem. Overall the feel is both stable and agile
n Chamberlain, rode the same minute on his 450 and was able to watch the Husky from an outsider’s perspective. He commented that while I was riding very aggressively when running our fastest pace, he was able to lug his larger-displacement machine to achieve the same speed. Not necessarily surprising, but it confirmed that the 310 is best ridden high in the revs like a 250F in order to get the most out of it. It just doesn’t have the brawn to pull that heavy front end over obstacles in low rpm. It also proved that the Husky is capable of running near the top of our comfort level without any serious personalization; remember, it carries a plate 
