"We are not trying to compete with cars that must also perform well on a track". Short of simply stating "the B4 Bi-Turbo just isn't a
BMW M4
rival", Alpina couldn't be much more blatant in its intention for the new cars you see here.
Trip to the coast anyone?
That intro quote comes from Alpina GB sales manager Matthew Stripling, who also states that customers "value the finely-honed feel of a bespoke car and the easily accessible performance that comes with substantial torque available at almost any engine speed" so let's discuss the motor. It's the same as found in the
B3 saloon
, with 410hp, 443lb ft and 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds (4.5 for the lardier cabrio). Which ideally suits its not-an-M4 remit; less power than the BMW but more torque, similar acceleration and lower CO2 (177g/km for the coupe against 194g/km for a DCT M4).
The tweaks under the skin of the B4 are similar to those found in the B3 and D3. The dampers are stock items but retuned with 40 per cent stiffer springs and bespoke ARBs, bushings and bump stops. Brakes are 370mm at the front and 345mm at the rear, sat behind those iconic Alpina wheels, here 20 inches in diameter.
A busy high street in Alpina town
Without the trick components of the M4, the Alpina is heavier. The coupe is 1,615kg unladen (compared to 1,612kg for a DCT M4 with a driver) and the cabrio 1,840kg, against a 1,750kg kerbweight for the
M4 convertible
Alpina will show the the B4 Bi-Turbo publically for the first time at the Festival of Speed. Should it take your fancy, Alpina will ask £58,950 for a coupe and £62,950 for the cabrio.