Alpina B3 Touring 2021 - The Best Barried-up Bimmer?
Discussion
I’ve recently picked my car up, having ordered from the factory last Summer and I thought I’d post a thread on here for a few of reasons. Firstly to share my excitement, somewhat self-indulgently I admit. Secondly, because perhaps not everyone knows what Alpina are about or they may have an impression of them that’s different to the reality. On the other hand I know some folk know exactly what Alpina are all about but nevertheless don’t really understand the appeal and whilst I can’t claim to know what motivates every Alpina buyer in to purchasing one of their cars, nor do I seek to change anybody’s opinion - to each, their own after all - I can try to get across what it is about them that appeals to me enough to buy one. Thirdly, there is next to no owner information online about this car given both its rarity and novelty, so any prospective buyer has to rely on road tests by motoring journos to try to work out if this might be the car for them. That being said I haven’t been able to actually drive the thing much given what's going on and since I picked it up less than a week ago, so I can’t really give any meaningful feedback on the ownership experience, at least not until a later post further down the line. What I can do is try to convey, objectively and subjectively, what it is that excites me so much about what might at first glance appear to be a dull, somewhat unfashionable German estate car with a pokey engine.
Alpina, purveyors of wine and formerly of typewriters also have a small side business of fettling and repurposing standard BMW’s. Their modus operandi is to produce cars that are rapid, comfortable cruisers with easily accessible power but which are also a good steer when the right road is in view. They have typically done this by taking a standard BMW and comprehensively upgrading its running gear. The majority of those upgrades are integrated into the BMW production line before the car is finished - mostly for reworking the interior - at their factory in Buchloe. If you want to trigger an Alpina aficionado, then call the company a tuner. In fact Alpina are a certified manufacturer in their own right; the changes they make are far more than skin deep and will typically involve every aspect of the drivetrain and suspension, as well as cosmetic enhancements. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle in that they’re clearly not a manufacturer in exactly the same way as BMW are since they don’t make the cars from scratch, but the key difference versus a tuning company is the aforementioned production line integration; the cars leave the factory as a BMW Alpina, not as a standard BMW which is subsequently modified after production is complete. This is why every Alpina has two VINs - the original number assigned to the donor chassis is subsequently crossed out and superseded by the number denoting its conversion. Furthermore Alpina engineers work closely with BMW, lending their expertise in the development of future BMW models. As has been remarked frequently elsewhere, the relationship between the two companies is somewhat unique in the industry.
I’ve wanted an Alpina since I was at school, so 20+ years ago now. I couldn't even tell you why exactly, though I have an idea. I always thought BMW’s were pretty cool and the E46 came out around the time and I loved the look of that car in all its flavours. As for Alpina? I’m a natural contrarian and an Alpina was and is a BMW, but just a bit different. Like many people interested in cars, I’ve always enjoyed spotting special and interesting vehicles whilst out and about and over the years the very, very infrequent times I’ve spotted the telltale alloy wheels or boot badges that indicate the car I’m looking at is not a standard Beemer have always piqued my interest and necessitated a second and a third glance. To me, they’re just cool. Some might think it’s just a Bimmer with a bodykit and some mods or even think it’s a BMW trim level but that’s part of the appeal. The small fraction of folk who recognise it for what it is will probably be car people. Everyone else will just drive on by.
As this is PH, many people reading this probably have some knowledge of the fundamentals of this car but for those who don’t a quick rundown. Alpina base this generation of B3 on the M340i, which means that the most obvious superficial change with the G21 over the F31 is that it looks more aggressive than the previous B3, which was based on the SE trimmed car. There is though an even bigger change under the bonnet in that this car is powered by a version of the S58 M division engine possessed by the upcoming G80/82 M3/4. Contrary to several erroneous reviews, this is not the first Alpina to be powered by a modified BMW Motorsport engine - the nearly 30 year-old B12 5.7 housed the S70B56 from the BMW 850CSi. Nevertheless it is true that Alpina have generally tended to take an engine from the regular, non-M BMW line up and upgrade that to improve performance. However, in this instance they have tweaked the S58 to produce less power than the M version of the engine (462hp) presumably so as not to show up the //Mothership. However, Alpina these days do not tend to produce cars with any kind of track pretensions, though they certainly have form for doing just that; the last such car being the E92 B3 GT3. Their mission, in the main, is to produce rapid cars that are comfortable on a run, easy to live with day-to-day and involving to drive but crucially, these are designed to be cars purely for the road. To that end, though power is down they’ve beefed up the torque - whilst replacing the turbos with smaller, more responsive units - to 700NM to make the shove provided as effortless as possible at the cost of drama at the top end of the rev range. Away from the engine bay they’ve replaced the springs and reprogrammed the dampers so their version of adaptive suspension includes an additional mode not present in the donor car and whereas BMW M have included a SPORT+ damper setting in the upcoming M3 - which I speculate a decent chunk of owners might deem unsuited to the average potholed road on the morning commute in this country - true to the Alpina way they’ve gone for a softer, more wallowy COMFORT+ setting suitable for long motorway cruises. The list of upgrades over the donor car continues with a new exhaust system; upgraded cooling; reprogrammed ZF8 ‘box; reprogrammed X-Drive AWD system as well as a stronger torque converter and driveshafts to cope with the extra grunt. The car has an LSD at the rear; the track is widened; there is more front camber dialled in and it has bespoke anti roll bars and bump stops. The tyres are bespoke to the car as are the wheels and the brakes. The front splitter and rear diffuser are new. The interior is re-upholstered and stitched even if you don't go for the full Lavalina options. The steering wheel and airbag cover is trimmed in Lavalina. I’ve certainly missed out some other upgrades and changes, but you get the idea. Alpina don’t do half measures.
Mind you, even if it were just an M340i wearing a different dress, it’s still a pretty nice dress. It helps that, to me at least, the G21 is a good looking car to start off with. Aside from the re-worked front and rear bumpers my car sits on the optional forged 20” Classic rims - the standard items are 19” Dynamics which I think look just as good (and perhaps better to many who may see the Classics as a bit too retro/Halfords/old man-ish) though on a B3 are perhaps not quite as, err, classic. The look is completed by the Alpina-specific Alpina Blue metallic paint. No decals for me; partly because I don’t fancy working around them when polishing the car (cleaning the sodding wheels alone takes long enough) and partly because they’re a bit busy for my personal tastes. They can though easily be retrofitted and many purists who buy cars on the used market will do just that. You can if you wish customise the interior to your heart’s content with non standard options, including a full Lavalina leather interior if your constitution and wallet can handle the eye-watering premium. I believe Alpina will attempt to accommodate most requests, at a price. Mine is more boggo Bimmer on the inside, with the exception of some bespoke blue stitching to match the paint and liven up the black interior, a smattering of Alpina badges on the steering wheel, seats and trim and some Alpina-specific mats. Oh, and the production plaque on the centre console (#115, if you’re interested).
I love this car. For starters I love the way it looks. It’s not subtle. I know many prize Alpinas for their “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, under-the-radar qualities but whichever Alpina models that description might apply to, it does not apply to this car. One of my friends described it as looking “angry” from the front and certainly the 20” alloys, aggressive front bumper, rear diffuser and quad pipes will fool nobody who knows anything about cars into thinking this a 320d. Having said that, if you’re not into cars it looks like a blinged up but otherwise unremarkable 3-Series estate. It’s certainly nowhere near as, err, distinctive as the upcoming M3, which with its hugely flared arches and nostrils nobody is ever going to mistake for a cooking model. As such some might suggest it’s overpriced; it’s just a 3-series, after all. That’s certainly the biggest single knock I’ve read about against the brand and I won’t argue with it too much because from the perspective of a typical car guy who has no particular affinity with the brand it is true - objectively it is overpriced because at heart it is still “just” a 3-Series. On the other hand, my entirely biased view is that it’s the zenith of the 3-Series’ potential as a go anywhere, do anything road car and you’ll be paying ballpark money (though, admittedly less as Alpina are not known for doing discounts) if you want a car from another manufacturer that is as practical and (perhaps not quite!) as fast - think Audi RS4 or Merc AMG C63.
Though I’m not very far into the ownership experience - not even enough to put the loud pedal to the metal due to running in - it feels like the perfect blend of performance, practicality and comfort. The demo car’s throttle was treated with less respect than mine has been so far and it is ballistically fast (0-60 in 3.6s for those that care) but of course there are plenty of faster cars out there. Whilst it’s clearly no Rolls Royce, it rides ridiculously well for a car with this performance wearing 20” rims and 30 profile tyres. My current frame of reference is the wife’s longer wheelbase, built for comfort Audi A6; the Alpina easily matches it for ride comfort in its slackest damper setting whilst being infinitely more involving (and yes, an A6 is obviously setting a low bar for driver involvement, though it is otherwise a pretty likeable car, stupid bloody HVAC touchscreen aside). Being slightly smaller it’s not quite as practical but it will easily accommodate my family of four plus the paraphernalia that comes with two small kiddies. It would make an excellent airport taxi. I will aim to post my thoughts on the driving dynamics when I can fairly do so; however what is obvious even with only a handful of miles on the clock is that the body control exhibited by the car is phenomenal considering the comfort on offer.
The thing that is the icing on the cake for me is the feeling of being part of an exclusive club. Alpina make fewer than 1700 cars annually across the entire range and if you tally up every version of the previous generation F31 B3 and B3S they made just north of 700 Tourings worldwide across the 6 year production run. Of those, 12 are known to have come to the U.K. (though the true number may be a little bit higher) so if you wanted one you either had to buy new or wait a fair while for a suitably priced used example to come up for sale and then almost certainly compromise on colour/spec because they are genuinely rare beasts. I love the fact that I might drive this for the next 5 years and will most likely not see another G21 B3 on the road in all that time and there’s a chance that there may not be a single UK car produced in the same colour at all - though in reality I suspect Alpina Blue will be popular enough that eventually there may be a few doppelgängers of my car floating around the country.
This is my first Alpina and ultimately, cars like the B3 are about how they make you feel because you’re never going to be able to make a rational case for buying one, at least not new. This may be a practical family wagon (and will be used as such) but I’m under no illusion that any number of cars at less than half the price would have been far more rational choices. In fact, even the car that was donated to Alpina to be transformed into my car, the M340i, is a ridiculously good car, just as practical, looks almost identical, is 99% as fast in the real world and could be had new for not far off half the price. The Alpina is an entirely irrational, bordering on ridiculous purchase if you look at it that way. But then again when has passion for any diversion, hobby or personal interest been based strictly on logical criteria? This place would be far, far duller if car enthusiasm was grounded in utilitarianism and nothing else.
New car honeymoon caveat granted, the Alpina feels different to any other car I’ve ever owned. It feels special.
Alpina, purveyors of wine and formerly of typewriters also have a small side business of fettling and repurposing standard BMW’s. Their modus operandi is to produce cars that are rapid, comfortable cruisers with easily accessible power but which are also a good steer when the right road is in view. They have typically done this by taking a standard BMW and comprehensively upgrading its running gear. The majority of those upgrades are integrated into the BMW production line before the car is finished - mostly for reworking the interior - at their factory in Buchloe. If you want to trigger an Alpina aficionado, then call the company a tuner. In fact Alpina are a certified manufacturer in their own right; the changes they make are far more than skin deep and will typically involve every aspect of the drivetrain and suspension, as well as cosmetic enhancements. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle in that they’re clearly not a manufacturer in exactly the same way as BMW are since they don’t make the cars from scratch, but the key difference versus a tuning company is the aforementioned production line integration; the cars leave the factory as a BMW Alpina, not as a standard BMW which is subsequently modified after production is complete. This is why every Alpina has two VINs - the original number assigned to the donor chassis is subsequently crossed out and superseded by the number denoting its conversion. Furthermore Alpina engineers work closely with BMW, lending their expertise in the development of future BMW models. As has been remarked frequently elsewhere, the relationship between the two companies is somewhat unique in the industry.
I’ve wanted an Alpina since I was at school, so 20+ years ago now. I couldn't even tell you why exactly, though I have an idea. I always thought BMW’s were pretty cool and the E46 came out around the time and I loved the look of that car in all its flavours. As for Alpina? I’m a natural contrarian and an Alpina was and is a BMW, but just a bit different. Like many people interested in cars, I’ve always enjoyed spotting special and interesting vehicles whilst out and about and over the years the very, very infrequent times I’ve spotted the telltale alloy wheels or boot badges that indicate the car I’m looking at is not a standard Beemer have always piqued my interest and necessitated a second and a third glance. To me, they’re just cool. Some might think it’s just a Bimmer with a bodykit and some mods or even think it’s a BMW trim level but that’s part of the appeal. The small fraction of folk who recognise it for what it is will probably be car people. Everyone else will just drive on by.
As this is PH, many people reading this probably have some knowledge of the fundamentals of this car but for those who don’t a quick rundown. Alpina base this generation of B3 on the M340i, which means that the most obvious superficial change with the G21 over the F31 is that it looks more aggressive than the previous B3, which was based on the SE trimmed car. There is though an even bigger change under the bonnet in that this car is powered by a version of the S58 M division engine possessed by the upcoming G80/82 M3/4. Contrary to several erroneous reviews, this is not the first Alpina to be powered by a modified BMW Motorsport engine - the nearly 30 year-old B12 5.7 housed the S70B56 from the BMW 850CSi. Nevertheless it is true that Alpina have generally tended to take an engine from the regular, non-M BMW line up and upgrade that to improve performance. However, in this instance they have tweaked the S58 to produce less power than the M version of the engine (462hp) presumably so as not to show up the //Mothership. However, Alpina these days do not tend to produce cars with any kind of track pretensions, though they certainly have form for doing just that; the last such car being the E92 B3 GT3. Their mission, in the main, is to produce rapid cars that are comfortable on a run, easy to live with day-to-day and involving to drive but crucially, these are designed to be cars purely for the road. To that end, though power is down they’ve beefed up the torque - whilst replacing the turbos with smaller, more responsive units - to 700NM to make the shove provided as effortless as possible at the cost of drama at the top end of the rev range. Away from the engine bay they’ve replaced the springs and reprogrammed the dampers so their version of adaptive suspension includes an additional mode not present in the donor car and whereas BMW M have included a SPORT+ damper setting in the upcoming M3 - which I speculate a decent chunk of owners might deem unsuited to the average potholed road on the morning commute in this country - true to the Alpina way they’ve gone for a softer, more wallowy COMFORT+ setting suitable for long motorway cruises. The list of upgrades over the donor car continues with a new exhaust system; upgraded cooling; reprogrammed ZF8 ‘box; reprogrammed X-Drive AWD system as well as a stronger torque converter and driveshafts to cope with the extra grunt. The car has an LSD at the rear; the track is widened; there is more front camber dialled in and it has bespoke anti roll bars and bump stops. The tyres are bespoke to the car as are the wheels and the brakes. The front splitter and rear diffuser are new. The interior is re-upholstered and stitched even if you don't go for the full Lavalina options. The steering wheel and airbag cover is trimmed in Lavalina. I’ve certainly missed out some other upgrades and changes, but you get the idea. Alpina don’t do half measures.
Mind you, even if it were just an M340i wearing a different dress, it’s still a pretty nice dress. It helps that, to me at least, the G21 is a good looking car to start off with. Aside from the re-worked front and rear bumpers my car sits on the optional forged 20” Classic rims - the standard items are 19” Dynamics which I think look just as good (and perhaps better to many who may see the Classics as a bit too retro/Halfords/old man-ish) though on a B3 are perhaps not quite as, err, classic. The look is completed by the Alpina-specific Alpina Blue metallic paint. No decals for me; partly because I don’t fancy working around them when polishing the car (cleaning the sodding wheels alone takes long enough) and partly because they’re a bit busy for my personal tastes. They can though easily be retrofitted and many purists who buy cars on the used market will do just that. You can if you wish customise the interior to your heart’s content with non standard options, including a full Lavalina leather interior if your constitution and wallet can handle the eye-watering premium. I believe Alpina will attempt to accommodate most requests, at a price. Mine is more boggo Bimmer on the inside, with the exception of some bespoke blue stitching to match the paint and liven up the black interior, a smattering of Alpina badges on the steering wheel, seats and trim and some Alpina-specific mats. Oh, and the production plaque on the centre console (#115, if you’re interested).
I love this car. For starters I love the way it looks. It’s not subtle. I know many prize Alpinas for their “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, under-the-radar qualities but whichever Alpina models that description might apply to, it does not apply to this car. One of my friends described it as looking “angry” from the front and certainly the 20” alloys, aggressive front bumper, rear diffuser and quad pipes will fool nobody who knows anything about cars into thinking this a 320d. Having said that, if you’re not into cars it looks like a blinged up but otherwise unremarkable 3-Series estate. It’s certainly nowhere near as, err, distinctive as the upcoming M3, which with its hugely flared arches and nostrils nobody is ever going to mistake for a cooking model. As such some might suggest it’s overpriced; it’s just a 3-series, after all. That’s certainly the biggest single knock I’ve read about against the brand and I won’t argue with it too much because from the perspective of a typical car guy who has no particular affinity with the brand it is true - objectively it is overpriced because at heart it is still “just” a 3-Series. On the other hand, my entirely biased view is that it’s the zenith of the 3-Series’ potential as a go anywhere, do anything road car and you’ll be paying ballpark money (though, admittedly less as Alpina are not known for doing discounts) if you want a car from another manufacturer that is as practical and (perhaps not quite!) as fast - think Audi RS4 or Merc AMG C63.
Though I’m not very far into the ownership experience - not even enough to put the loud pedal to the metal due to running in - it feels like the perfect blend of performance, practicality and comfort. The demo car’s throttle was treated with less respect than mine has been so far and it is ballistically fast (0-60 in 3.6s for those that care) but of course there are plenty of faster cars out there. Whilst it’s clearly no Rolls Royce, it rides ridiculously well for a car with this performance wearing 20” rims and 30 profile tyres. My current frame of reference is the wife’s longer wheelbase, built for comfort Audi A6; the Alpina easily matches it for ride comfort in its slackest damper setting whilst being infinitely more involving (and yes, an A6 is obviously setting a low bar for driver involvement, though it is otherwise a pretty likeable car, stupid bloody HVAC touchscreen aside). Being slightly smaller it’s not quite as practical but it will easily accommodate my family of four plus the paraphernalia that comes with two small kiddies. It would make an excellent airport taxi. I will aim to post my thoughts on the driving dynamics when I can fairly do so; however what is obvious even with only a handful of miles on the clock is that the body control exhibited by the car is phenomenal considering the comfort on offer.
The thing that is the icing on the cake for me is the feeling of being part of an exclusive club. Alpina make fewer than 1700 cars annually across the entire range and if you tally up every version of the previous generation F31 B3 and B3S they made just north of 700 Tourings worldwide across the 6 year production run. Of those, 12 are known to have come to the U.K. (though the true number may be a little bit higher) so if you wanted one you either had to buy new or wait a fair while for a suitably priced used example to come up for sale and then almost certainly compromise on colour/spec because they are genuinely rare beasts. I love the fact that I might drive this for the next 5 years and will most likely not see another G21 B3 on the road in all that time and there’s a chance that there may not be a single UK car produced in the same colour at all - though in reality I suspect Alpina Blue will be popular enough that eventually there may be a few doppelgängers of my car floating around the country.
This is my first Alpina and ultimately, cars like the B3 are about how they make you feel because you’re never going to be able to make a rational case for buying one, at least not new. This may be a practical family wagon (and will be used as such) but I’m under no illusion that any number of cars at less than half the price would have been far more rational choices. In fact, even the car that was donated to Alpina to be transformed into my car, the M340i, is a ridiculously good car, just as practical, looks almost identical, is 99% as fast in the real world and could be had new for not far off half the price. The Alpina is an entirely irrational, bordering on ridiculous purchase if you look at it that way. But then again when has passion for any diversion, hobby or personal interest been based strictly on logical criteria? This place would be far, far duller if car enthusiasm was grounded in utilitarianism and nothing else.
New car honeymoon caveat granted, the Alpina feels different to any other car I’ve ever owned. It feels special.
Thank you all for the kind words.
Harry H said:
Pretty much the perfect car. Just ticks so many boxes. Personally I'd have gone for smaller wheels but certainly would have kept the same design as they are Alpina.
Congratulations.
I’ve only driven my car and the green S17NER press car, both wearing 20” wheels. I’ve no doubt the car would ride even better on the standard 19” alloys and if they offered the car with Classics in that size then like you I’d have gone for it. However you can only get the Dynamic wheel in the smaller size. Its a lovely looking wheel-set for sure, but I prefer the look of the Classics. Congratulations.
Alfahorn said:
Awesome car OP and a great write up. Given the 'investment' will you be keeping the car long-term?
Oh yes! Despite what I’ve written I don’t enjoy flushing cash down the bog and obviously owning one of these from new for only 3 years or so is punishing in depreciation (the D3 S will be much better on this front). I imagine this will be my last new ICE car and I intend to keep it as long as I can, or at least until leccy tech has advanced to the stage where adoption is a no brainer, which I reckon is several years away yet. One of the ways I justified the purchase to myself is that it really is all the car I will need whilst the kids are growing up.stewies_minion said:
Gorgeous car. The detailing fetishist in me would love cleaning the wheels.
Oh. My. God. They’re a pain in the arse!Paracetamol said:
This particular engine is epic even in regular spec. Question for OP..did they get rid of the runflats?
To my knowledge Alpina have never supplied a car with RFT as it would go against their aim of providing a supple ride. This car comes with bespoke P-Zeros that apparently have a more pliant side wall than standard. andy43 said:
Beautiful. As someone's already said, if you know, you know.
I had an E46 B3 cab which I loved - the leatherwork and the whole feel of the car was very different to the M3 and 330s. Class.
You will hate the wheels after about a dozen cleaning sessions
I'm there already bud!I had an E46 B3 cab which I loved - the leatherwork and the whole feel of the car was very different to the M3 and 330s. Class.
You will hate the wheels after about a dozen cleaning sessions
Tin Hat said:
I spent ages agonising over one of these or another C63s estate 18 months ago. I went with the C63s as I was having sleepless nights about the end of V8’s etc, and I am originally from Essex.
Your steed is a reminder of what could have been - The C63 is all elbows and shouting ( I admit to having driven them since 2011 ), whilst you have a fine, fine, car that is rare and special. You have also displayed patience matched only by the Dalai Lama ( double well done for signing up to that delivery period )
A superb choice, an epic colour - I salute you, sir
Your steed is a reminder of what could have been - The C63 is all elbows and shouting ( I admit to having driven them since 2011 ), whilst you have a fine, fine, car that is rare and special. You have also displayed patience matched only by the Dalai Lama ( double well done for signing up to that delivery period )
A superb choice, an epic colour - I salute you, sir
Given what you’ve written no doubt you made the right choice. There are very few negatives with my car - the ridiculously fat steering wheel is one - but the biggest one is probably the muted soundtrack. It’s not that it sounds bad - it’s perfectly pleasant - but there isn’t much of what noise it does produce in any mode unless you wring it’s neck, which it doesn’t really want you to do. Now I don’t mind that too much because it suits the character of the car and most of the time I wouldn’t want too much noise coming from the exhaust (it’s just that the option would be nice) but if you’re used to 10 years of roaring V8’s, especially if that includes the previous 6.2L beast, I suspect you’d be disappointed.
Paracetamol said:
The website has an accessories catalogue which shows that they now supply wheel and tyre packages with runflats. Perhaps they don’t fit them to their own masterpieces..
By the way I used to own the rarest and most sought after Alpina (aside from the E9)..now sold and housed in Germany.
What a fantastic car. Do tell...By the way I used to own the rarest and most sought after Alpina (aside from the E9)..now sold and housed in Germany.
Thought I’d post an update, having had the car four months, having run the engine in and having done some longer trips alongside the short daily commute. Being a bit special I’ve tried to organise my thoughts under relevant headings. Don’t judge.
Aesthetics
I went through some back and forth on the colour before settling on Alpina Blue and I don’t regret the choice at all. Firstly, it’s Alpina specific; secondly, it’s effectively two colours in one, appearing to be a fetching mid blue on overcast days but purple in the sunlight, as demonstrated below. I’ve had folk who appear to know nothing about cars comment positively on the colour. On that note, the car really does get noticed a lot. I’ve never owned anything that attracted any significant attention but this does, much more than I expected; all of it positive so far. Certainly it’s not really a sleeper at all.
Interior
I mentally dismissed the reviews and G2x owner comments complaining about the digital display as being picky for the sake of it, however living with the car day to day I can confirm that for whatever reason the display is not easy to read at a glance. Though the display is clear enough and it tells you everything you need to know, it takes my eye a fraction of a second longer to pick up the speed (even though the number is displayed) and engine RPM than it would with a traditional display. If anybody is speccing this car or indeed any other new BMW I would definitely recommend the HUD and it’s the only additional option box I would tick if I were to order again.
Whilst I was never too bothered about the choice of leather in the car, I’m pleasantly surprised by Vernasca. Though it’s supposedly the new Dakota it doesn’t feel anywhere near as plasticky as the latter. In fact in feel it seems to split the difference between Dakota and Merino; it’s softer to the touch than Dakota but still markedly grainy and not smooth like Merino. Given the choice again I still wouldn’t pay to upgrade.
Engine
The powerplant feels like the B58 on steroids. Which I guess makes sense in one way since the B58 forms the basis of the S58 though on the other hand the two engines don’t share that many parts in common. I’ve seen it suggested that the version of the S58 in the G8x M3/4 is a bit of a disappointment in some quarters, with the somewhat nebulous claim that it’s “soulless”. In that application I specifically I can understand the point, to a degree (allowing for the fact the Alpina version is not quite the same). There are no real fireworks from the engine in that there’s not much encouragement to chase the redline (partly because of the absolutely ridiculous amount of torque it generates at more accessible revs) nor is the redline as high as some M engines of old. In an M3 I understand that that matters to some. In this car it doesn’t. The right foot asks; the engine delivers. Pretty much any gear, any revs. No fuss.
As far as pace goes this thing is ridiculous. It’ll beat almost anything at the start line of the traffic light GP (not that I’ve tried; it just doesn’t feel like the done thing in an Alpina) but what’s more noteworthy is the in-gear acceleration. You can just tell the car was crafted with the Autobhan in mind when you put your foot down whilst trundling along at the NSL. A quick flex of the right big toe and whatever was in your mirrors is gone. Because the cabin is well isolated and because, as mentioned the sound is relatively muted I’ve found myself driving faster than I thought I was in no time (another reason to get the HUD). In truth the car is too fast for our roads. There is no situation in which planting your foot to the floor wouldn’t result in license losing speed within a couple of seconds at most.
Driving
The balance this car achieves between comfort and dynamic handling is unreal. I just didn’t expect, despite some of the critical fanfare the car has received, for it to be as genuinely pointy, stable and flat through corners as this is. I’d go as far as to say I’d honestly struggle to imagine an M3 can substantially best it (I’m sure it can, but I doubt it’d be by much and the cost would be some ride comfort). I know it’s a cliche to say it doesn’t feel it’s weight, but it genuinely doesn’t. It sounds vaguely ridiculous to describe a family estate as “chuckable” but that’s how it feels. I’m absolutely certain if you were transported directly into the cabin without knowing what you were in you’d think you were driving a very well sorted, 1.5-ish tonne sports coupe. I know they’re not comparable in any way in terms of price or class of car but I go back to the stock M240i as my most recent frame of reference and the B3 embarrasses the baby BMW in all areas as far as cornering goes (and obviously the Alpina has several extra warp factors in a straight line n’all).
Yet when you’re not in the mood for throwing, it’ll convey you smoothly, quietly and serenely to your destination. To be clear, the B3 is not an S-Class and it certainly doesn’t waft; the texture of the road can absolutely be felt through the seat, such that you will sense various imperfections and ruts. However, virtually none of those actually translate into harshness within the cabin, let alone unsettle the car. I suspect the aforementioned sensation of road texture is a function of the black rubber bands my car has for tyres and I can only imagine how nicely the car would ride on 18” wheels as opposed to 20’s.
The dual character of the B3 is accentuated by the different driving modes and there is a very noticeable difference between Comfort and Sport/Sport Plus which was not apparent to me initially but is obvious a couple of thousand miles in. The Alpina verges on being unremarkable in Comfort when not pressing on; it just feels like a well damped medium-sized BMW and you almost have to provoke the throttle in order to get it to remember how much grunt it has. The suspension is not slack enough to ruin the control of the car’s mass but it doesn’t matter because in this configuration the car doesn’t really encourage you to do much more than pootle along or cruise, depending on whether you’re in town or on a motorway. One thing of note for anybody familiar with modern BMW’s and despite my comment about having to provoke it is that the car is perfectly drivable in the slackest setting; I’ve previously driven Beemers exclusively in Sport because the throttle/engine response was too sluggish even when not pushing on. That is not the case here and I default to Comfort. Also note there is no Eco Pro mode, a configuration which makes cars I have driven in the setting genuinely feel broken. In Sport Plus though the B3 is a completely different beast. The first noticeable change is in the sound which is markedly louder and deeper. I am aware that this is in part fake noise; I still like it. The sound overall is one thing that is, if not a disappointment, something that could be improved. It doesn’t sound bad at all to be fair and the regulations are mostly to blame, but I’d say it’s roughly equivalent to the B58 paired with a pre-OPF OEM exhaust. The throttle is substantially more sensitive and, with the gearbox knocked across into Sport and manual mode, the response is I would guess as close to feeling like that of an NA car as you’re likely to get in a turbocharged one, at least this side of more exotic machinery like a 488 or 911 Turbo. The flat and long torque peak likely helps in this regard. One thing I wasn’t expecting was a genuine kick in the back on every up shift through the gears. The ZF is known to be a good ‘box and it’s hard to imagine it can shift much faster than in this application.
Efficiency
I’ll include a word on efficiency for the sake of thoroughness because to be clear, I don’t give a monkeys! If you buy a 460BHP petrol daily driver and worry about fuel consumption then you bought the wrong car and in that case, look at the D3S instead. That being said, it ain’t great, though again, what else to expect from 460BHP and two tonnes up when laden with meat and paraphernalia? 15mpg in urban stop start traffic and that’s driving at leisure. I’ve done a few longer trips, the longest being a 500 miler to and from Wales and mixed motorway and A road driving has returned 30-ish mpg. Bearing in mind that the car is still new to me I’d imagine that with effort, the engine loosening up a bit with some more miles on the clock and a decent chunk of 50mph “roadworks” mid 30’s is achievable, if you want.
Negatives
I mentioned the display above and the muted soundtrack and besides those I’m well into nitpicking territory. There’s been a persistent wind whistle above 50mph coming from the roof just above the mirror since new. I assume this is baked into the design of the car where the windscreen interfaces with the roof panel. I’d be genuinely interested in time if owners with the pan roof, which come equipped with a spoiler at the leading edge of the roof, report the same phenomenon. In fact I’d be interested if any BMW G2x owners report the same. Additionally and as promised by the Alpina veterans the wheels really are a gigantic pain in the arse to clean, and that’s despite me sealing them with a ceramic coating. I’m hoping against hope that as the pads fully bed in the amount of dust seemingly produced will diminish.
The seats might be an issue for some. I mention this partly because I was made aware that there’s chatter on the BMW forums from some G2x M340i and 3- Series M-Sport owners about the seats being too firm. As far as I’m concerned they’re perfectly comfortable and I get out after a 2-3 hour stretch with no discomfort at all. The wife on the other hand does not like the seats at all, finds them firm and also can’t get in a comfortable position, especially with the headrest; this may be at least in part because she’s quite short. It’d be worth an extended test drive if you have back issues and are considering this car or an M340i.
Summary
Best car I’ve ever owned.
Aesthetics
I went through some back and forth on the colour before settling on Alpina Blue and I don’t regret the choice at all. Firstly, it’s Alpina specific; secondly, it’s effectively two colours in one, appearing to be a fetching mid blue on overcast days but purple in the sunlight, as demonstrated below. I’ve had folk who appear to know nothing about cars comment positively on the colour. On that note, the car really does get noticed a lot. I’ve never owned anything that attracted any significant attention but this does, much more than I expected; all of it positive so far. Certainly it’s not really a sleeper at all.
Interior
I mentally dismissed the reviews and G2x owner comments complaining about the digital display as being picky for the sake of it, however living with the car day to day I can confirm that for whatever reason the display is not easy to read at a glance. Though the display is clear enough and it tells you everything you need to know, it takes my eye a fraction of a second longer to pick up the speed (even though the number is displayed) and engine RPM than it would with a traditional display. If anybody is speccing this car or indeed any other new BMW I would definitely recommend the HUD and it’s the only additional option box I would tick if I were to order again.
Whilst I was never too bothered about the choice of leather in the car, I’m pleasantly surprised by Vernasca. Though it’s supposedly the new Dakota it doesn’t feel anywhere near as plasticky as the latter. In fact in feel it seems to split the difference between Dakota and Merino; it’s softer to the touch than Dakota but still markedly grainy and not smooth like Merino. Given the choice again I still wouldn’t pay to upgrade.
Engine
The powerplant feels like the B58 on steroids. Which I guess makes sense in one way since the B58 forms the basis of the S58 though on the other hand the two engines don’t share that many parts in common. I’ve seen it suggested that the version of the S58 in the G8x M3/4 is a bit of a disappointment in some quarters, with the somewhat nebulous claim that it’s “soulless”. In that application I specifically I can understand the point, to a degree (allowing for the fact the Alpina version is not quite the same). There are no real fireworks from the engine in that there’s not much encouragement to chase the redline (partly because of the absolutely ridiculous amount of torque it generates at more accessible revs) nor is the redline as high as some M engines of old. In an M3 I understand that that matters to some. In this car it doesn’t. The right foot asks; the engine delivers. Pretty much any gear, any revs. No fuss.
As far as pace goes this thing is ridiculous. It’ll beat almost anything at the start line of the traffic light GP (not that I’ve tried; it just doesn’t feel like the done thing in an Alpina) but what’s more noteworthy is the in-gear acceleration. You can just tell the car was crafted with the Autobhan in mind when you put your foot down whilst trundling along at the NSL. A quick flex of the right big toe and whatever was in your mirrors is gone. Because the cabin is well isolated and because, as mentioned the sound is relatively muted I’ve found myself driving faster than I thought I was in no time (another reason to get the HUD). In truth the car is too fast for our roads. There is no situation in which planting your foot to the floor wouldn’t result in license losing speed within a couple of seconds at most.
Driving
The balance this car achieves between comfort and dynamic handling is unreal. I just didn’t expect, despite some of the critical fanfare the car has received, for it to be as genuinely pointy, stable and flat through corners as this is. I’d go as far as to say I’d honestly struggle to imagine an M3 can substantially best it (I’m sure it can, but I doubt it’d be by much and the cost would be some ride comfort). I know it’s a cliche to say it doesn’t feel it’s weight, but it genuinely doesn’t. It sounds vaguely ridiculous to describe a family estate as “chuckable” but that’s how it feels. I’m absolutely certain if you were transported directly into the cabin without knowing what you were in you’d think you were driving a very well sorted, 1.5-ish tonne sports coupe. I know they’re not comparable in any way in terms of price or class of car but I go back to the stock M240i as my most recent frame of reference and the B3 embarrasses the baby BMW in all areas as far as cornering goes (and obviously the Alpina has several extra warp factors in a straight line n’all).
Yet when you’re not in the mood for throwing, it’ll convey you smoothly, quietly and serenely to your destination. To be clear, the B3 is not an S-Class and it certainly doesn’t waft; the texture of the road can absolutely be felt through the seat, such that you will sense various imperfections and ruts. However, virtually none of those actually translate into harshness within the cabin, let alone unsettle the car. I suspect the aforementioned sensation of road texture is a function of the black rubber bands my car has for tyres and I can only imagine how nicely the car would ride on 18” wheels as opposed to 20’s.
The dual character of the B3 is accentuated by the different driving modes and there is a very noticeable difference between Comfort and Sport/Sport Plus which was not apparent to me initially but is obvious a couple of thousand miles in. The Alpina verges on being unremarkable in Comfort when not pressing on; it just feels like a well damped medium-sized BMW and you almost have to provoke the throttle in order to get it to remember how much grunt it has. The suspension is not slack enough to ruin the control of the car’s mass but it doesn’t matter because in this configuration the car doesn’t really encourage you to do much more than pootle along or cruise, depending on whether you’re in town or on a motorway. One thing of note for anybody familiar with modern BMW’s and despite my comment about having to provoke it is that the car is perfectly drivable in the slackest setting; I’ve previously driven Beemers exclusively in Sport because the throttle/engine response was too sluggish even when not pushing on. That is not the case here and I default to Comfort. Also note there is no Eco Pro mode, a configuration which makes cars I have driven in the setting genuinely feel broken. In Sport Plus though the B3 is a completely different beast. The first noticeable change is in the sound which is markedly louder and deeper. I am aware that this is in part fake noise; I still like it. The sound overall is one thing that is, if not a disappointment, something that could be improved. It doesn’t sound bad at all to be fair and the regulations are mostly to blame, but I’d say it’s roughly equivalent to the B58 paired with a pre-OPF OEM exhaust. The throttle is substantially more sensitive and, with the gearbox knocked across into Sport and manual mode, the response is I would guess as close to feeling like that of an NA car as you’re likely to get in a turbocharged one, at least this side of more exotic machinery like a 488 or 911 Turbo. The flat and long torque peak likely helps in this regard. One thing I wasn’t expecting was a genuine kick in the back on every up shift through the gears. The ZF is known to be a good ‘box and it’s hard to imagine it can shift much faster than in this application.
Efficiency
I’ll include a word on efficiency for the sake of thoroughness because to be clear, I don’t give a monkeys! If you buy a 460BHP petrol daily driver and worry about fuel consumption then you bought the wrong car and in that case, look at the D3S instead. That being said, it ain’t great, though again, what else to expect from 460BHP and two tonnes up when laden with meat and paraphernalia? 15mpg in urban stop start traffic and that’s driving at leisure. I’ve done a few longer trips, the longest being a 500 miler to and from Wales and mixed motorway and A road driving has returned 30-ish mpg. Bearing in mind that the car is still new to me I’d imagine that with effort, the engine loosening up a bit with some more miles on the clock and a decent chunk of 50mph “roadworks” mid 30’s is achievable, if you want.
Negatives
I mentioned the display above and the muted soundtrack and besides those I’m well into nitpicking territory. There’s been a persistent wind whistle above 50mph coming from the roof just above the mirror since new. I assume this is baked into the design of the car where the windscreen interfaces with the roof panel. I’d be genuinely interested in time if owners with the pan roof, which come equipped with a spoiler at the leading edge of the roof, report the same phenomenon. In fact I’d be interested if any BMW G2x owners report the same. Additionally and as promised by the Alpina veterans the wheels really are a gigantic pain in the arse to clean, and that’s despite me sealing them with a ceramic coating. I’m hoping against hope that as the pads fully bed in the amount of dust seemingly produced will diminish.
The seats might be an issue for some. I mention this partly because I was made aware that there’s chatter on the BMW forums from some G2x M340i and 3- Series M-Sport owners about the seats being too firm. As far as I’m concerned they’re perfectly comfortable and I get out after a 2-3 hour stretch with no discomfort at all. The wife on the other hand does not like the seats at all, finds them firm and also can’t get in a comfortable position, especially with the headrest; this may be at least in part because she’s quite short. It’d be worth an extended test drive if you have back issues and are considering this car or an M340i.
Summary
Best car I’ve ever owned.
Edited by Jonny Wishbone on Thursday 15th July 19:59
Percy. said:
Excellent write-up!
One passed me on Lake Vyrnwy last weekend whilst I was walking the dog, followed not long after by an M340i touring, I would definitely be choosing the Alpina if I had the choice
That's a weird coincidence assuming you were the bloke who gave me a thumbs up just before I pulled into the road heading up to the hotel on Saturday!One passed me on Lake Vyrnwy last weekend whilst I was walking the dog, followed not long after by an M340i touring, I would definitely be choosing the Alpina if I had the choice
Percy. said:
Me and my partner were walking our Dobermann and I did give a thumbs up to an Alpina.....
Yup, that was me. I had to check my speed as for a split second I thought you were telling me to slow down and I was down the road by the time I'd clocked on that you'd spotted the car.Beautiful part of the world, with some nice driving roads around too.
Tin Hat said:
Well, I fear that I would be an easy victim of a Nigerian scam email - Based primarily upon your informative and entertaining posts, the C63s has gone, I’m seemingly now only a month away from Alpina ownership.
Surely only a madman would order a car based upon the experience of a random person on an Internet forum…..?
I hope to furnish you with gushing thanks in due course
If this is serious then I’m delighted, humbled and somewhat nervous for you all at once. Surely only a madman would order a car based upon the experience of a random person on an Internet forum…..?
I hope to furnish you with gushing thanks in due course
I hope you test drove the thing! Do both update this thread and start your own when the beast lands.
Tin Hat said:
I will - I hope that you will forgive my minor thread hijack?!
The interior is Vernasca Mocha, the leather does feel slightly more 'robust' than I had in my C63, but the general ambience is of much greater quality. The brown is a great compliment to the green.I have the heads up display, but I have not found it difficult to read the dash as you had commented earlier, perhaps this is only in certain conditions?
Worries about leaving the V8 behind were quickly dispelled - The straight 6 is silky smooth, I am eager to explore the torque as soon as everything has bedded in.
It also has an electric towbar which is an engineering masterpiece, I suspect that is pure BMW rather than Alpina genius.
I am not relishing the wheels from both a cleaning and kerbing perspective.........
On a final note, just to add to your very enticing intro at the beginning of this thread, I was told yesterday that more Rolls Royces are registered in the UK than Alpina's, rare beasts indeed!
I welcome the thread hijack; in fact if every G21 Alpina owner jumped onto this post simultaneously it wouldn't be that much busier. Having said that the number of current generation B3's has already surpassed the F31 generation from only a fraction of the production run, which still only represents low double figures. The Alpina Archive is a good resource for cataloguing the Alpinas produced over the years and gives you an idea of the relative rarity of your car and others.The interior is Vernasca Mocha, the leather does feel slightly more 'robust' than I had in my C63, but the general ambience is of much greater quality. The brown is a great compliment to the green.I have the heads up display, but I have not found it difficult to read the dash as you had commented earlier, perhaps this is only in certain conditions?
Worries about leaving the V8 behind were quickly dispelled - The straight 6 is silky smooth, I am eager to explore the torque as soon as everything has bedded in.
It also has an electric towbar which is an engineering masterpiece, I suspect that is pure BMW rather than Alpina genius.
I am not relishing the wheels from both a cleaning and kerbing perspective.........
On a final note, just to add to your very enticing intro at the beginning of this thread, I was told yesterday that more Rolls Royces are registered in the UK than Alpina's, rare beasts indeed!
Brown and green is a great combination and suits this car perfectly.
I haven't kerbed a wheel in years (honest!) but my N/S front already has a stone chip and a rim scrape most likely from a pothole given that my locale appears to be twinned with The Moon. Cleaning the wheels really is a monumental pain in the arse (and generally I enjoy cleaning the car) and whilst I would usually recommend sealing the wheels, I did so and it seems to have made little difference!
What version of the C63 did you trade in? Obviously a completely different car but comparable because of size, cost and ballisticness so I'd be interested, once you've run the B3 in and done some proper driving, how the cars compare.
Thanks for the update. I only just realised you had posted up thread a few months ago having chosen the Merc over the Alpina initially.
My experience of the fuel economy is that it has noticeably improved past a couple of thousand miles in. If you’re minded to try to do low 30’s on a run it is perfectly possible. If you can resist the urge to flex the right ankle, that is.
My experience of the fuel economy is that it has noticeably improved past a couple of thousand miles in. If you’re minded to try to do low 30’s on a run it is perfectly possible. If you can resist the urge to flex the right ankle, that is.
andy-integrale said:
Adding to this thread as there's so little info about these cars, that these posts formed part of my pre-purchase info gathering.
Only a few days in but absolutely love it so far. The pace is staggering yet it's just a lovely thing in which to tootle about. Already done a tip run in it!
Excellent. I feel like between the Register and the various Alpina FB groups I’m on I may have seen your car. Is it Tanzanite with Fjord blue interior? If so throw up some pics of the interior if you get a chance and are inclined. I vaguely regret going with doom black, no matter how kid friendly it is. Only a few days in but absolutely love it so far. The pace is staggering yet it's just a lovely thing in which to tootle about. Already done a tip run in it!
Pace really is silly isn’t it? If anything it feels quicker than the numbers suggest, because of the torque and go in any gear no doubt.
Quick update, 6500 miles in.
My opinion hasn’t changed. It remains the perfect car for my requirements. I haven’t even had to invest in a roof box, though as the kids get older I can see one in my future. Especially as they’re girls, if they’re anything like the missus they’ll pack for a weekend away like they’re moving to Mars.
The wheels are an issue though. And not just because of the finger cramp induced by trying to get them spotless. I just got my third puncture (NSR) and whilst my local roads could be twinned with the moon, it’s not something I’ve had to put up with in other cars. Fortunately as I only replaced both rears 1000 miles ago, there was enough life in the OSR for me to not have to replace both. Which is a relief at £350 a pop for the OEM rubber.
Personally it hasn’t made me regret having the 20” Classics on the car (and at the very least since they’re forged it’s only the tyres that have failed me thus far rather than the metal) but I’ve no doubt that the very low profile tyres are puncture magnets. Worth a ponder for anybody considering one of these.
My opinion hasn’t changed. It remains the perfect car for my requirements. I haven’t even had to invest in a roof box, though as the kids get older I can see one in my future. Especially as they’re girls, if they’re anything like the missus they’ll pack for a weekend away like they’re moving to Mars.
The wheels are an issue though. And not just because of the finger cramp induced by trying to get them spotless. I just got my third puncture (NSR) and whilst my local roads could be twinned with the moon, it’s not something I’ve had to put up with in other cars. Fortunately as I only replaced both rears 1000 miles ago, there was enough life in the OSR for me to not have to replace both. Which is a relief at £350 a pop for the OEM rubber.
Personally it hasn’t made me regret having the 20” Classics on the car (and at the very least since they’re forged it’s only the tyres that have failed me thus far rather than the metal) but I’ve no doubt that the very low profile tyres are puncture magnets. Worth a ponder for anybody considering one of these.
andy-integrale said:
Not had a puncture yet, but fear I undoubtedly will. When you’re moving along, nice and serenely, then hit a pothole. F—k me! You can’t help but shout obscenities out loud.
Wouldn’t be surprised, even if you avoid punctures, it will be putting the tracking out. £40 to get that checked a couple of times a year might be a good investment.
Can you get the Alpina Pirelli’s fairly easily?
Yes you’re right I was thinking about the alignment thing today. For every puncture there’s been a dozen absolutely bone-jarring crashes over craters. Wouldn’t be surprised, even if you avoid punctures, it will be putting the tracking out. £40 to get that checked a couple of times a year might be a good investment.
Can you get the Alpina Pirelli’s fairly easily?
Surprisingly I’ve had no issues with sourcing the OEM tyres - both Black Circles and Kwik Fit have had them in stock judging by how quickly they could offer an appointment. I couldn’t help but ask the fitter to show me the tyre before starting work each time as I feared they’d stick a regular P-Zero on.
Tin Hat said:
I’ve had the two front wheels refurbed twice, the front offside needs doing again. The Alpina wheels are so easily damaged by the potholes on UK roads it’s alarming - I have never had rims before where you can physically see the distortion. At £130.00 to straighten and to reapply the powder coating it’s not cheap, but at least you don’t have to clean them again for a while! Typically the Local Authority managed to deny liability for the latest damage despite the whopping hole that was apparent for weeks afterwards.
I also had to buy a tyre earlier this year due to a puncture on the edge, from memory it was less than £250.00 from my local independent tyre place - The replacement tyre has the Alp reference moulded in the sidewall, so it must be genuine.
Still loving it to bits!
I’ve managed to keep 3 of mine unmarked, somehow. The remaining wheel has a scuff not from kerbing but, rather predictably, a pothole. I also had to buy a tyre earlier this year due to a puncture on the edge, from memory it was less than £250.00 from my local independent tyre place - The replacement tyre has the Alp reference moulded in the sidewall, so it must be genuine.
Still loving it to bits!
Out of curiosity, you’re not far from me. Where do you get your wheels done? I was vaguely considering Lepsons at some point in the future when the rest of the wheels inevitably develop battle scars (it’s conveniently close to KDS Detailing, who have a stellar reputation) but it’d be good to have a decent option closer to home.
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