RE: Alpina B12 coupe: Spotted

[Lost soul]

Liquid Tuna said:

E24man said:

Compare the nearly two tonnes of the E31 with the 1470kg of the M635CSi that preceded it.

Where did all the weight come from? I assume they're years apart in crash protection and all that jazz?

V12 V's straight 6 for a kick off

[Outrun]

Lost soul said:

bozzy101 said:

A few people have mentioned the weight of these being quite high so blunting performance. What is the weight? Is it high by modern standards?

850i is 1975kg

Alpina did try and reduce the weight by fitting a Carbon Fibre bonnet as standard on the 5.7s

[filski666]

lovely, but would have to change those wheels...I know I'll have to duck for cover for saying this but Alpina wheels are the ugliest things I have ever seen IMHO

[Lost soul]

filski666 said:

lovely, but would have to change those wheels...I know I'll have to duck for cover for saying this but Alpina wheels are the ugliest things I have ever seen IMHO

Funny , I love the Alpina wheels

[filski666]

Lost soul said:

filski666 said:

lovely, but would have to change those wheels...I know I'll have to duck for cover for saying this but Alpina wheels are the ugliest things I have ever seen IMHO

Funny , I love the Alpina wheels

Everyone is entitled to their opinion - variety is what makes the roads interesting

[jonnM]

[filski666]

what does the NACA duct feed? - there seems to be a little "something" on the inlet plenum which lines up to it - but not sure what it does? Anyone know?

[filski666]

TEKNOPUG said:

Ropey 840s go for £4-5k, ropey E39 M5's go for £4-5k...............................




How hard can it be?

So £10k, buy both, and stick the M5 engine in the 840

[m444ttb]

GTRene said:

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/?p=577

video under the hood etc>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrARdv3F_0

The M8 really could have be something very desireable. I wonder if the S70 variant in the McLaren F1 would have influenced the ultimate design of the the M8's S70 variant? I'd assume it would have to be of a more 'regular' V12 heigh due to not having the carbon clutch etc but (correctly me if im wrong here) the mcLaren had an aluminium alloy engine rather than a cast iron block, which would have made a difference.

[filski666]

GTRene said:

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/?p=577

video under the hood etc>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrARdv3F_0

Is it just me - or does that M8 not have any headlights???

Look on the video when they open the bonnet - no pop ups...?

[Seb d]

GTRene said:

you could also buy a Alpina B12 with 6.0 V12



like this 6.0


http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=24455389...

or this 6.0

http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=20788091...

or this 6.0

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/alpina-b12-6-...

Yes, but you can't buy a B12 8 Series with a 6.0 V12, the 5.7 is the biggest engine that was fitted to the E31 B12.

[Seb d]

filski666 said:

GTRene said:

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/1...

http://carsandcranks.com/?p=577

video under the hood etc>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrARdv3F_0

Is it just me - or does that M8 not have any headlights???

Look on the video when they open the bonnet - no pop ups...?

The headlights on the M8 are fixed projectors that replaced the standard car's sidelight/high beam combo lights in the front bumper.

[Outrun]

filski666 said:

what does the NACA duct feed? - there seems to be a little "something" on the inlet plenum which lines up to it - but not sure what it does? Anyone know?

It's designed to cool the fuel rails as the increase in under hood temperatures due to Alpina's modifications to the engine led to fuel supply issues. Here is a better pic:

Edited by Outrun on Wednesday 9th July 13:53

[Outrun]

Seb d said:

GTRene said:

you could also buy a Alpina B12 with 6.0 V12



like this 6.0


http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=24455389...

or this 6.0

http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=20788091...

or this 6.0

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/alpina-b12-6-...

Yes, but you can't buy a B12 8 Series with a 6.0 V12, the 5.7 is the biggest engine that was fitted to the E31 B12.

Correct, the 6.0 was only fitted to the E38 7 Series and came with a 5 speed Auto only and was based on the M73 V12. The 5.7 was a modified M division S70 and came, as standard, with a 6 Speed Manual and was only fitted to the 8 Series. Power for the 5.7 was 416BHP and 570NM and 430BHP and 600NM for the 6.0.

[Escy]

Reardy Mister said:

8 series undesirable? Are you mad?

A quick look on the auto trader has the cheapest at £3100. Plenty at sub 5k. The 8 series was top of the tree when it was released. You can't get an M3 for that money. They are undesirable, the market tells you that. As nice and rare as this Alpina is (especially considering the mileage), it's an 8 series so i'd be surprised if it was worth anywhere near the 80k people are suggestion it's up for.

[Mermaid]

Escy said:

As nice and rare as this Alpina is (especially considering the mileage), it's an 8 series so i'd be surprised if it was worth anywhere near the 80k people are suggestion it's up for.

Only needs 1 rich customer to be convinced.

[E24man]

Outrun said:

filski666 said:

what does the NACA duct feed? - there seems to be a little "something" on the inlet plenum which lines up to it - but not sure what it does? Anyone know?

It's designed to cool the fuel rails as the increase in under hood temperatures due to Alpina's modifications to the engine led to fuel supply issues. Here is a better pic:

Edited by Outrun on Wednesday 9th July 13:53

Exactly that. When testing at prolonged high speed running the under bonnet temps crept up and they discovered the fuel was vapourising in the fuel rails, despite the other bonnet vents already trying to reduce under bonnet temps. It only occurs on the E31 and not the E38 Alpina V12's due to the small cooling frontal area of the E31.

[Outrun]

Escy said:

A quick look on the auto trader has the cheapest at £3100. Plenty at sub 5k. The 8 series was top of the tree when it was released. You can't get an M3 for that money. They are undesirable, the market tells you that. As nice and rare as this Alpina is (especially considering the mileage), it's an 8 series so i'd be surprised if it was worth anywhere near the 80k people are suggestion it's up for.

This car sold for over £50k in 2001 and a recent higher mileage LHD example sold for over £75k. Comparing £3k 840s prices to this or a CSi is like comparing e30 318i prices with M3 Sport Evos. Even decent 840s are commanding higher prices than a few years ago and I sold my previous 3 850CSis for between £18-20k. One of those sold again recently for £25k. Due to it probably being the last ///M powered V12, CSis now command prices between £25k and £60k in Europe and the US.

Edited by Outrun on Wednesday 9th July 21:56

[GTRene]

Outrun said:

Seb d said:

GTRene said:

you could also buy a Alpina B12 with 6.0 V12



like this 6.0


http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=24455389...

or this 6.0

http://www.autoscout24.nl/Details.aspx?id=20788091...

or this 6.0

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/alpina-b12-6-...

Yes, but you can't buy a B12 8 Series with a 6.0 V12, the 5.7 is the biggest engine that was fitted to the E31 B12.

Correct, the 6.0 was only fitted to the E38 7 Series and came with a 5 speed Auto only and was based on the M73 V12. The 5.7 was a modified M division S70 and came, as standard, with a 6 Speed Manual and was only fitted to the 8 Series. Power for the 5.7 was 416BHP and 570NM and 430BHP and 600NM for the 6.0.

Ow ships...I need glasses
B12 and I though it was a 8 serie...aaaaaaaah sorry, don't know how I missed that, guess a bit confused . And I really thought they also made a few 8-serie with 6.0, but I guess I was wrong then.

[E24man]

Outrun said:

Comparing £3k 840s prices to this or a CSi is like comparing e30 318i prices with M3 Sport Evos.

Simply this.

If you have driven or owned the 'M' or Alpina version of a car and also a BMW non-'M' version then you know that trying to compare prices across the divide is fruitless. They are special for a reason, and add that to the rarity of the 'M' and more especially the Alpina versions then you have the reason for the price premium.

This car will probably fetch the 80k quoted but sadly, like the many low mileage E30 M3's sold over the past few years, it will seldom see a road. When Sytner assisted in importing them almost 10 years ago someone mentioned they should be used 'sparingly'...... but I woud suggest that c500 miles a year is sparsly not sparingly and hence they exist like forever caged animals, only occasionally let out under limited conditions.

Well done to the owners of cars like these who use them rain or shine (but probably not salt!) and run up the miles, and amazing driving experiences, without worrying about the mileage and a few stone chips now and then.