B3 or B3S?

[Trellis]

Does anyone know if production of these overlapped?

I've seen 'facelift' 2002 front end 3.3 Alpinas and non-facelift 3.4 B3S's which suggests they did overlap but the Alpina Register data files suggest they didn't.

can anyone confirm?

If I'm looking at a facelifted 2002 3.3 that may suggest its had a new front end put on it at some point?

I think 3.4 S's were stated as 3346cc - what were 3.3's?

thanks

[Jobbo]

Production didn't overlap, though bear in mind that the facelift for the coupe/convertible was a couple of years later than the saloon/Touring. So you will find both pre- and post-facelift B3 3.3 saloons, and only facelift B3S saloons, whereas you'll find pre-facelift B3 coupes and pre- and post-facelift B3S coupes.

There is an 02 plate B3 3.3 convertible on Auto Trader with the facelift front end; that's either had a smash or somebody has gone mad and facelifted it when the original front end was undamaged.

[Trellis]

cheers jobbo - thats the exact car that provoked my question! Its an 02 but clearly badged as a 3.3

I wondered if somehow Alpina took long enough to convert the last of the 3.3's that they offered purchasers a choice of front ends - no logical reason why they would I guess.....

[Jobbo]

That car would never be an 02 plate if it had been sold new with the facelift front end; the factory didn't even build the facelift car until mid/late 2003, so even if there was a facelift E46 cab shell with the 3.3 put in by Alpina, it would have been at least a 53 plate because it couldn't have been registered earlier.

I almost posted a link to that car on The Alpina Register because I'm sure it has a story to tell.

Edited by Jobbo on Monday 3rd January 22:39