Spotted: Alpina B10 V8 S
A fine E39 M5 alternative gets Harris reminiscent about cross-continental blasts
This meant taking the car straight to the South of France, on an overnight trip that would allow us to take advantage of the Alpina’s main advantage over an M5 on smooth European roads: the lack of a speed limiter. It would cruise quite happily at 150mph and, given enough space, would indicate 180mph. Looking back, it was probably the best car I’ve used for that trip because it was so calming, the cabin in the E39 was just spot-on and the driving position perfectly accommodated my simian proportions.
The V8S was quite a step over the standard V8. Alpina claimed 375hp, up from 340hp and 376lb ft over 346 for its predecessor. Running fast on an Autoroute, it felt every bit as powerful as the claims. We were tailing a very fast-moving, Swiss registered B5 RS4 when the car felt a little loose in a fast turn – it turned out to be a slow puncture. Muggins here thought that limping to the services and inflating it would do the trick. Only the tyre didn’t inflate as expected - instead it exploded as I leant in to listen for air escaping. I came to with busted ear-drums and the future Mrs. H wondering what on earth I was playing at.
Sourcing an Alpina-rated Michelin Pilot Sport on a car that has just been released with a new 19in rim is not easy.
We all know about the reduced spring rates and Bilstein dampers, and yes, they do make these B10s much more supple on British roads, but then the automatic gearbox felt pretty old back in 2002, so today it would seem decidedly antiquated. The car would also have been better with a mild LSD.
But for me the E39 B10 was an Alpina sweetspot. The shape lent itself so well to the Alpina body styling, wheels and reduced ride-height – especially the Touring. There’s lots to watch out for on these, and many people know all about them on the interweb, but by far my biggest gripe with running a B10 was bending wheels. I still have 6 buckled ones in the shed.
Lovely looking car, this blue one, though - all the more so for not having rear privacy glass.
ALPINA B10 V8S
Engine: 4,837cc V8
Transmission: 5-speed auto
Power (hp): 370
Torque (lb ft): 376
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2003
Recorded mileage: 42,010
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £16,495
See the original advert here.
In fact, there was one on eBay just last week.
A Proper 4.6 V8 model, for £3k buy it now! (it was a 1998, pre-facelift model)
Seemed too cheap, but was sold when I had enquired.
Apparantly it had FSH and was running perfect.
Ultimate Q car bargain.... And the gentleman's M5.
As for the stash of bent wheels, I'll wager they are mostly the 18's and not the 19's - the 18's seem to be made of swiss cheese when comparing the two.
I once remember a collegue using a B3 3.3 E46 saloon for the night which happened to be a launch car. He hit a kerb on the way home and all the airbags deployed.
On closer inspection he had also cracked 2 rims and bent the shell !!!
The good old days !!!
We swapped cars for a week and I was very suprised how quick and smooth it was. On a long journey it is a very very capable car. Although many who haven't driven them will claim that they are almost the same car they are in fact very different. For me the biggest difference wasn't the better suspension, smoother engine or general feel it was the fact that it just felt more special.
A sad moment when I drove past the Alpina in my 6 month old, £52k M5 thinking, looking at the Alpina, god I love that car....
The Alpina is a really lovely car - IMHO it is the sweetspot of the E39 range, which was probably the best 5 series ever. Reliable, comfortable, fast when you want it, relaxing when you don't. M5 is better at 10/10th's driving, but B10 far better the rest of the time. Finding the perfect car is a bit like finding a wife - you try out loads ( and I've owned Ferraris and Porsches in the past ) - until you find the ideal one, and then you stay with her for life.
The Alp is a bit like that - I have yet to find any other car I would replace her with.
Im sorry, but IMHO all of their vehicles (and those at Oakfields) are overpriced, and I feel they are striving to push the envelope on the higest price obtained / model.
I would be happier reading about privately-offered cars, but I am an ante-diluvian philistine.....
Im sorry, but IMHO all of their vehicles (and those at Oakfields) are overpriced, and I feel they are striving to push the envelope on the higest price obtained / model.
I would be happier reading about privately-offered cars, but I am an ante-diluvian philistine.....
And yes, I still have a buckled wheel in the garage too, keep meaning to get it sorted out and sell it on.
There is just something so right about them, good fun on a blast but a brilliant long distance cruiser too. I always had the nagging feeling with mine that the car was faintly contemptuous of the use I was putting it to - it's really build for charging across Europe not dealing with the UKs crappy motorways.
I think were I to have another I'd want a 3.3 manual, curious to find out if the difference in the steering is as great as people suggest (6-pot cars have rack and pinion, V8s have a steering box) and also what it's like to live with a manual one as opposed to the Switchtronic auto.
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