Alpina lobs all-new B3 pricing

BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 18th Feb 2020

ALPINA Automobiles Australia has announced pricing and specification for its all-new B3 sedan and Touring wagon, which are set to arrive into local showrooms in the third quarter of this year priced from $142,900 plus on-road costs for the sedan.

Opting for the Touring wagon will cost an extra $3000, with specification mirrored across the two body styles.

The B3 features a number of mechanical changes over the seventh-generation BMW 3 Series donor vehicle, particularly in the areas of ride and handling.

A signature element of Alpina vehicles is ride comfort, with the B3 enhanced by the fitment of Eibach springs and three-stage adaptive dampers, allowing for the extra-plush Comfort+ setting exclusive to Alpina, along with Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

The front suspension is fitted with specific front pivot joints to help increase negative camber and combines with the sports rear differential to improve handling, while the electrically assisted variable steering set-up is speed-sensitive.

Underpinning the B3 is the new S58 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine also found in the X3 M, tuned to produce 340kW of power from 5000-7000rpm (down 35kW on the BMW) and 700Nm of torque from 3000-4250rpm (up 100Nm), mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

With an emphasis on torque and smooth driving characteristics, Alpina has achieved the change in output through the fitment of its own turbochargers, cooling system, exhaust and ECU calibration.

With power being sent to the road via a rear-biased all-wheel-drive set-up, the B3 sedan can complete the sprint from standstill to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, with the Touring following 0.1s behind.

Official combined-cycle fuel consumption for both variants is rated at 11.1 litres per 100km on the WLTP cycle.

In the case of the Touring, Alpina can claim the title of the only BMW-based wagon in Australia offered with a six-cylinder engine.

Stopping power comes courtesy of special Alpina grabbers with 395mm front rotors with four-piston callipers up front, and 345mm discs with floating-piston callipers at the rear.

From the outside, Australian B3s are distinguished by 19-inch Dynamic light alloy wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero ALP rubber, adaptive LED headlights, Alpina badging, signature Alpina front splitter, rear lip spoiler and quad-exit exhausts.

Inside, the B3 scores a 10.25-inch multimedia display with BMW’s 7.0 interface, DAB+ digital radio, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, BMW Connected Package Professional, head-up display, ‘comfort access’, door sill finishers, and front sports seats with heating/lumbar support and trimmed in Vernasca leather.

There are also Alpina logos in the seatbacks, a sport leather steering wheel upholstered in Lavalina leather and finished in blue and green stitching, steering wheel heating, 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, self-dimming interior and exterior mirrors and anthracite headliner.

Safety kit extends to BMW’s driving assistant plus, parking assistant plus, active protection, alarm system and tyre pressure monitoring.

A number of options will also be available, including the classic Alpina 20-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels, a range of metallic paints and different leather trims and colours.

The B3 will be the first Alpina model to see a new-generation refresh following the brand’s introduction Down Under in 2016.

2020 Alpina B3 pricing*