Alpina has ripped the covers over another new luxe-mod BMW, this time showing the next-generation follow up to its popular B3 sedan.
REVEALED AT THE Tokyo motor show following the Alpina B3 Touring (wagon) debut in Frankfurt, the German bahnstormer is the first sedan fitted with the upcoming BMW M3’s twin-turbo engine.
The S58 straight-six twin-turbo motor has already seen service in the BMW X3 and X4 M SUV siblings, where it produces 375kW and 600Nm. For the B3 Sedan, the motor is de-tuned slightly by 35kW to produce 340kW between 5000-7000rpm. But grunt goes up, torque lifting 100Nm to 700Nm and available in full from 3000-4250rpm. The latter figures will likely sniff close to what the M3 produces when it is finally unveiled.
However, the Alpina B3’s game is comfort and performance, provided by unique suspension changes including Eibach springs and re-tuned active dampers, bringing a Comfort Plus setting that is softer than what BMW delivers with its most compliant Comfort mode.
There’s also the usual Alpina fare outside, such as 20-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels, Alpina front splitter and rear diffuser, some mean-looking quad exhaust pipes and, behind the signature wheel set, we see 395mm discs on the front and 345mm at the rear, clamped by four-piston brake callipers.
Inside are more Alpine touches including a tweak to the 12.3-inch digital display cluster in front of the driver, unique Alpina steering wheel, plenty of soft leather, and a unique Alpina plaque on the transmission tunnel to commemorate the unique Buchloe-built machine.
Other performance enhancements include large stabiliser bars to compliment the new suspension setup and the eight-speed ZF automatic has been reconfigured to match the new engine. The result is 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds, which is 0.1sec faster than the heavier B3 wagon and 0.2sec faster than the previous-gen M3, and the top speed clocks out at 303km/h, which is great for German autobahns…
In Australia, the Alpina B3 Touring is confirmed to go on sale next year. That means we should see the B3 Sedan launch around the same time, though Alpina Australia is yet to confirm availability and pricing.
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