RE: Alpina B4 S Bi-Turbo UK spec confirmed

[dollyboy]

thebraketester said:

cheddar said:

440bhp = 190mph, really?

Seems very probable.

Agreed, plenty of cars that apparently do 155 mph with circa 220 bhp. This is twice the power, take the cube root of 2, multiply by 155 mph, equates to 195 mph as a rough estimate.

[strike4A]

Touring please...

No chance of discounts ever on these, right? You have to pay full RRP?

[JakeT]

strike4A said:

Touring please...

No chance of discounts ever on these, right? You have to pay full RRP?

You aren't guaranteed one either, or a long wait. Alpina makes less cars than Lamborghini per year.

[Vroom101]

aka_kerrly said:

Another Alpina fan here.

The gold decals were a bit more prominent on the older models

I think the Alpina decals worked better on the older BMW models, when they were more flat-sided, and those photos show it perfectly. Now there are curves and creases all down the flanks, I don't like how they look. I reckon they'd look better further down the side, on the sills. That way they look like they carry on from the decals on the front splitter.


Oh, and I'll have a B3 S Touring in dark green, with dark red interior (logs in to lottery website...).

[99dndd]

Touring, with every colour option in Black.

Alpina's are generally the classiest performance cars out there. So understated, and so fast.

[moffat]

Great car but as with all Alpina's suffers from:

1. Zero discount
2. Huge depreciation

So where the CS might look expensive it will certainly not depreciate like an Alpina.

It's a shame, Iove Alpinas and my local Sytner has some great examples, but you really have to go into to a deal with little regard for financials.

[ZX10R NIN]

Where do you get the huge depreciation from?

If you had 15k to spend on a BMW then you'll get a newer car than you would do an Alpina:

2004 Alpina B3

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2005 M3

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 335i M Sport

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Also when BMW are giving 20% discounts on cars you have to question the value in the first place.

[Jesus]

The depreciation on my D3 BT was painful.

[ZX10R NIN]

I will say if you change your car every three years then yes you'll be wounded the same as every other car, keep it longer & it swings back in your favour.

[Jesus]

I agree, but with zero discount and trade in values not much better than an equivalent 3 or 4 series model, coupled with a higher purchase price to start with, doesn't bode well.

But it does look a great car.

[Burnham]

Exclusivity costs.

[Big GT]

D3 v M3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

B4 S must be blistering

[cheddar]

Big GT said:

D3 v M3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

B4 S must be blistering

Good quality comparison from Sutcliffe, D3 everytime for me

[moffat]

ZX10R NIN said:

I will say if you change your car every three years then yes you'll be wounded the same as every other car, keep it longer & it swings back in your favour.

Again huge depreciation. Most people who buy new keep there cars for an average 2-3 years.

I really don't care about the perceived value of a car if it has 20% discount.

The fact that I can buy a BMW 440i with Individual leather, M Performance Power and Sound Pack (360bhp), M Performance 405M 20" alloys, M Performance carbon bodykit and get it fully loaded for £20k less than a similarly priced B4 tells me everything... oh and with the added benefit of 2.9% APR.

This is important when buying a new car, less so with used.

[ZX10R NIN]

Also you're comparing it to the wrong car you need to be comparing it to the M3 at which point the depreciation is very similar & as I've shown it depends on the amount of time you keep the car & of course that has a bearing on your view but for me when I had the choice I didn't hesitate when buying the Alpina the ride performance & general feeling of being in something a bit special meant for it outclassed the standard BMW (& at the time I had a F80 M3 which I didn't get on with at all so was part ex'd to get the Alpina) products also even with the discounts I still took a (admittedly smallish) hit when I part ex'd the M3.

When buying I'd already planned to keep the car 5 years as it stands right now we'll be keeping longer as I really can't see what I'd replace it with.

Also as someone said exclusivity costs (90k for a BMW M4 CS anyone no discount on those either) hence no discount.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 28th April 17:48

[B10BRW]

I have had my B4 for over 2 years, the S is mighty but do I need another 30 BHP
Mine has the LSD which is a bonus.
Regarding depreciation, rather academic with a B4, as there are only 8 in the UK.
They just do not come up for sale, and if one does should hopefully attract a premium because of it's rarity, plus it's a damn sight better than an M4