Alpina is the defacto tuner for BMW aside from the company's M division. It's been working on the organization's products for decades and, quite frankly, they typically do a bang-up job.
And if there's on thing Alpina does well, it's how it leaves a lasting mark on the vehicle. Mostly the vehicle's look stock except for the relatively discrete aerodynamics kit and large diameter radial spoke wheels.
But how good is the all-new B3? The souped up 3-Series. Well, only one way to find out and the U.K.'s Top Gear has found out. Turns out there's quite a bit of a story to the B3.
Take, for example, the motor, which is actually the N54 twin-turbo that BMW used to use. It puts out over 400 horsepower and over 440 lb.-ft. of torque, which is much more than the just ceased production M3 that had 295 lb.-ft.
Does this add up to a 10 out of 10? Well, not quite. But it is close.
**Click "Read Article" to read the FULL review
...
But the B3 must be pretty much as fast as an M3, isn't it?
I reckon it's faster. It is on paper, with a claimed 0-62mph of 4.2secs and a non-limited top speed of 190mph. And while the turbocharged motor might not have the sparkling response of the M3's naturally aspirated V8, it makes up for it with a massively forceful mid-range that's more useful and exploitable in everyday driving...
...
Some come on then, is it worth a ten out of ten?
If it was under £50 grand, then I think it would be. It does move the game on from a standard 335i and I can't think of a single upgrade or change that I don't agree with. It's a genuinely superb car. And for what it's worth the amount of work that Alpina has done is probably worth the asking price. Yet £55 grand for a 3-Series sticks in the throat. It's a nine...
Read Article