Alpina B3 Touring
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ROAD TEST t a time when the car ROAD TEST industry is forced to Range at a glance A contort and adapt on No 5498 what often seems like ENGINES POWER FROM a weekly basis, Alpina feels a more D3 S Touring 350bhp £55,950 reassuring presence than ever. B3 Touring 456bhp £67,950 After all, you’ll soon have the option of buying an SUV from TRANSMISSION Ferrari, there are already plenty of 8-spd automatic purely electric Porsches on the road and AMG will drop the cylinder Alpina’s line-up for its conversions count from eight not to six but four of the G20-generation BMW 3 Series for its next super-saloon. consists of the B3 tested here and Yet Alpina’s latest B3, tested here in the diesel-powered D3 S (which Touring form, wants only to reprise is somewhat confusingly named, z Test car wears optional 20in forged the qualities for which the marque is because there will be no basic D3). Classic alloys in place of the standard- known. Those being six amply blown Breaking with tradition, both cars fit 19in items, which are cast. As well as cylinders, refined road manners to are now available with four-wheel being instantly recognisable, they also match a sumptuous interior, and an drive only, but the decision to offer reduce unsprung mass by almost 14 kg. understated exterior underwritten by just a single transmission option – The high-performance brake system monumental performance. ZF’s eight-speed torque-converter – then adds lighter discs and racier pads. The extent of that performance is unchanged from the previous is something we’re all too keen to generation of cars. In due course, assess, not least because this is the we would expect a B3 S to appear first time that Alpina has taken a with more power and torque, some bona fide BMW M engine for its subtle design changes, chassis conversion of an regular BMW model. tweaks and perhaps a more special Alpina also has quiet hopes that exhaust system. Alpina also tends the B3 will, for the first time in the to round off its B3 generations company’s 55-year history, help with something fruitier. In the past, bring total volumes for the brand to there has even been a GT3-badged comfortably more than 2000 cars derivative designed for track driving. per year – useful at a time when development costs are rising fast. It asks almost £70,000 for this straight six as the M3. This marks Touring model, so any newcomers a departure for Alpina, and a to the brand will expect a machine useful one, not least because it no z Open the bonnet and you’ll find that palpably more special than the BMW longer needs to recast a regular the car’s original VIN – the one applied on M340i Touring on which the car BMW engine block to take an extra the BMW production line in Regensburg, is based and something with even turbocharger. The S58 is twin near Munich – has been crossed out and broader everyday appeal. It’s no turbocharged from the outset, replaced by an Alpina-specific code. simple task and the B3 Touring must although Alpina fits smaller turbine also fend off similarly priced and housings and modifies the intake excellent rivals in the Audi RS4 Avant system to achieve its own balance and Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate. of torque and response. The cooling However, arguably this car’s most capability is also beefed up and fierce competitor will come from there are two additional external the firm with which Alpina enjoys coolers along with Alpina’s enlarged a unique relationship, to the extent intercooler and air ducts. that assembly lines are shared, as Where the old B3 made 424bhp, well as model blueprints, often years the new car is up to 456bhp. Its in advance of any public or media 516lb ft also makes this the most awareness. In 2022, BMW will offer torque-rich 3.0-litre production its first ever M3 Touring. motor ever made and precisely Far from hurting sales, the belief of matches the 4.0-litre V8 of the Alpina CEO Andreas Bovensiepen – C63 S. By comparison, the new son of founder Burkhard – is that the M3 makes 479lb ft, even in z Quad exhaust tips round off a system B3 Touring’s corporate cousin may pumped-up Competition guise. specific to Alpina, although no longer is in fact boost awareness for Alpina’s To contain that torque, Alpina it manufactured by Akrapovic. Note also effort, particularly in the two years employs a reinforced eight-speed ZF the diffuser, which is entirely functional. before the M car arrives. What we’ll torque-converter, usually reserved discover now is whether you should for its V8 models, which also uses even bother waiting for the canine- parts from Rolls-Royce’s V12 friendly M3 or whether you should driveline. It delivers the engine’s h e a d s t r a i g h t t o B u c h l o e r e g a r d l e s s . efforts variably to each axle and at DESIGN AND ENGINEERING the rear through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, AAAAB although in the interests of We like Alpina’s hallmark is how it marries traction, the typical torque split is z Thunderous performance is ride comfort with the control and marginally less rear-biased than matched by improved drivability stability necessary for the German that of the M340i. Alpina also ◊ z Ride and handling characteristics autobahns. This, and how its cars’ are superbly tuned for road driving handling characteristics generally speak to the driver, instead of shouting. The last generation of B3 Alpina B3 Touring We don’t like z You’ll find subtle aero addenda was compelling in these respects, MAX EDLESTON z Heavier than before, although the and the new car aims to continue that dotted about the car, not least on the Uniquely close and historic BMW partner delivers its latest everyday supercar torque and engine response mask it form, only with the G20-generation front splitter and upper windscreen MODEL TESTED B3 TOURING z No rear-drive option: even the M340i taken as its base. edge. Even the windscreen wipers are boss wanted it but the market is small Except for that engine. Here, modified to cope with up to 190mph. Previous B3 was an excellent all-rounder PHOTOGRAPHY Price £67,950 Power 456bhp Torque 516lb ft 0 - 60mph 3.8sec 30 -70mph in four t h 5.3sec Fuel economy 28.2mpg CO 2 emissions 228g/km 70 - 0mph 43.8m the B3 uses the same 2993cc S58 36 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 4 NOVEMBER 2020 4 NOVEMBER 2020 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 37 ROAD TEST Weights and measures DIMENSIONS 0.35 1468mm 980mm 500- 975mm max 1510 litres 740mm 1060mm max Kerb weight: 1865kg 809mm 2851mm 1059mm 4719mm PARKING z Aluminium paddles are a departure from Alpina’s z B3’s numbered plaque is now mounted on the z Merino-leather-clad seats are very supportive z Test car isn’t heavy on the Alpina-specific leather options, but this is still a traditional but awkward gearshift buttons. For £280, transmission tunnel, as with the more expensive B5 but also very soft – if not quite on the same level of Typical garage height Typical Typical parking space width (2400mm) wonderfully plush cabin for a 3 Series and comfortable in day-long driving. they feel lovely and add another layer of involvement. and B7 models. Previously, it was on the dashboard. plushness as the wonderful chairs found in the B5. 2025mm Typical leg room 660-880mm 2065mm (with mirrors) 3650mm z Back row is business as usual for the new 3 Series Touring, which means good space and occupant visibility. Headrests can fold down for a clearer view back. WHEEL AND PEDAL ALIGNMENT Both pedals are clearly but very comfortably offset for 60mm your right foot, although the width of the brake makes it 195mm Height 480mm easily reachable with your left if you choose. Electric column adjustment is generous. Width 1000-1480mm HEADLIGHTS Top-of-the-range LED Length 910-980mm matrix adaptive-beam lights as standard really impressed for brightness on high beam and rarely caused Centre complaints about dazzling. z Spacious and softly upholstered boot features rubber rails that rise up to grip luggage when the tailgate closes. That’s useful in something this quick. Δ adds driveline-cooling NACA ducts in either 19in or 20in sizes – whose Professional instrument display in have the entire cabin upholstered to the underbody. sidewalls have been developed to a fetching shade of blue with green in Lavalina, but to do so requires Multimedia system AAAAA Elsewhere, Alpina stiffens some deliver greater pliancy than their highlights, although at least one extraordinarily deep pockets and suspension parts, widens the tracks, ever-so-slim sidewalls imply. tester was disappointed to find that so is usually the preserve of the B5 The B3 uses an Alpina-specific version of BMW’s Live Cockpit reprogrammes the power steering INTERIOR the marque’s classic blue analogue Bi-Turbo or f lagship B7 saloon. As Professional, which pairs a 12.3in digital instrument display and alters the steering geometry, not dials, with their crisp orange needles, for the hard surfaces, piano black is (featuring blue highlights) with a 10.3in central touchscreen that least by increasing by 1deg the level AAAAB have now been consigned to history. standard, although aluminium is can also be controlled intuitively using the rotary controller atop of negative camber on the front axle BMW has given Alpina an excellent Where you go from here depends a no-cost option and it’s possible to the transmission tunnel.