The BMW 7-Series enters its seventh generation with the redesigned 2023 model unveiled in April, but an Alpina version won't return this time around, the semi-official BMW tuner has confirmed.

Alpina earlier in September marked the end of production of its B7 based on the outgoing BMW 7-Series, and confirmed the car as the last B7.

No reason was given, but it could be due to BMW, which in March acquired the Alpina brand, preparing to launch its own high-performance 7-Series based on the latest generation of the flagship sedan. These include the M760e xDrive plug-in hybrid with 563 hp and the i7 M70 xDrive electric vehicle with more than 600 hp on tap.

There's also the issue of sedan sales losing out to SUVs. Alpina's XB7 based on the BMW X7 outsells the B7, and an updated version has just been announced for 2023.

The B7 has endured through six generations, but the car hasn't always been based on the 7-Series. The first was launched in 1978 as the B7 Turbo as a version of the BMW 5-Series. The first B7 based on the BMW 7-Series didn't arrive until 2001.

A documentary released last November shows how the B7 is built, and provides a bit of a history on Alpina and an interview with company founder Burkard Bovensiepen.

With the Alpina brand now under the ownership of BMW, future Alpinas will be built at BMW's own plants, while Alpina will focus on vehicle development and the parts and service side of the business.