2008 Alpina B3 Bi Turbo Coupe

Highlights

• Rare and exclusive B3 Biturbo Coupe
• 360hp from the twin turbo 3.0-litre straight six
• Just two owners from new
• Full main dealer service history
• Great condition - you’ll struggle to find a better example

Overview

Lying roughly an hour west of BMW in Munich is Buchloe, home to Alpina, whose engineers have long been forging a parallel but distinct path to their near neighbours who provide them with the raw materials on which to work their magic.

The B3 has long been a watchword for a more laid back alternative to the M3, and there’s little better example of this description than the E92 version. At the time, the M3 was packing a high-revving V8 but Alpina chose to rework the contemporary 335i motor, endowing it with a little less power but considerably more torque than the eight-banger favoured by the M-Division.

With more compliant suspension than its BMW rival, the result is a fine example of what Alpina does best: an exclusive, luxury coupe that enables swift progress without shouting about it too much. In a subtle colour scheme like this one, it can fly (and fly it really does) nicely under the radar.

With just two owners on the logbook, low miles and a full main dealer history, this Titanium Silver example has everything going for it. The black leather interior hardly shows its age and miles at all and the MOT history is reassuringly mundane with no more than some minor advisories for consumables and no advisories at all since 2016, when the most the tester could find to moan about was the fact that it has undertrays.

If you want to enjoy the fruits of the Buchloe’s team’s labours before they started their convergence with what is now their parent company, there can be few better ways than this lovely example of the B3.

History and documentation

• Registered 20 Nov 2008
• In current ownership almost eight years
• Stamped service book with services as follows: Mar 2010 @ 13,528 miles, Sep 2011 @ 29,367 miles, Sep 2013 @ 45,043 miles, Nov 2015 @ 50,995 miles, Jun 2016 @ 51,945 miles, Dec 2017 @ 54,792 miles, Aug 2018 @ 55,319 miles, Dec 2019 @ 58,168 miles including air con recharge, Jun 2020 @ 58,492 miles, Aug 2021 @ 59,640 miles, Aug 2022 @ 60,579 miles, Aug 2023 @ 61,767 miles, Mar 2024 @ 62,928 miles with clean BMW Vehicle Health Check and new battery
• Full document pack
• Collection of invoices and old MOT certificates
• Two keys
• Current MOT with no advisories expires 21 Aug 2024 and the history suggests that obtaining a fresh one shouldn’t be a problem
• Road tax only £325 last year
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear

Interior

• As you’d expect of an Alpina, the interior is incredibly well specified
• Electrically adjustable, heated black leather Dakota sports front seats with stitch detailing, Alpina emblems and lumbar adjustment
• Even the rear seats have Alpina emblems
• Sliding Front armrest
• Parking sensors all round
• Pro navigation
• 10 speaker audio
• Rain sensor and auto lights
• Automatic air conditioning
• Anthracite headlining
• High gloss black interior trim
• Sports leather Alpina steering wheel with stitch detailing & quick gear change buttons
• Electric heated folding mirrors
• Alpina floor mats
• Electric glass sunroof with cover
• Very tidy boot with original warning triangle and toolkit
• No obvious wear to speak of - it’s all obviously been well cared for and, as a result is very well preserved

Exterior

• Finished in Titanium metallic silver and with Alpina badges front and rear, it eschews the full pinstripe graphics and is relatively stealthy
• There’s a couple of (easily removed) B3 decals on the side and a touch of personalisation with bespoke gloss black powder coating on the Alpina wheels and gold painted brake calipers
• The next owner could choose to go all in (Alpina stripes can be retro fitted if you so desire) or preserve the under-the-radar look
• The seller has aimed to keep the car in showroom condition and the paintwork certainly presents very well
• Similarly, the Alpina wheels are in great condition aside from a small amount of kerbing on one wheel
• The underside looks notably clean
• In all, it’s a handsome and very well kept car that should make its next owner very proud - whether or not they decide to retrofit the Alpina stripes.

Mechanical

• 2,979cc twin turbo straight six rated at 360hp and 369lb ft of torque, good for 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and a 177mph top speed
• Switchtronic automatic six-speed gearbox controlled by buttons on the steering wheel
• Rear wheel drive
• Factory Alpina performance exhaust system
• Nothing of consequence to report on the MOT history
• Full main dealer history with limited mileage in recent years
• Just had a new battery
• As good an example as you’re likely to find

Summary

The E92 Alpina B3 is much more differentiated from the contemporary M3 than later versions, largely by virtue of having a different number of cylinders. But the core values that underpin all the work of the boys from Buchloe are there and there aren’t many cars that have this much deployable grunt in the real world.

This two owner example is notably well kept with a full main dealer history and a couple of discreet but reversible personalisations. If you’ve always fancied one - and there’s surely few PHers that haven’t - then we think you’ll struggle to find a better one than this.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located near Colchester, Essex.