Alpina B4 Bi-Turbo Coupe 2016 Review
Craig Duff road tests and reviews of the 2016 Alpina B-Turbo Coupe 4 year old with performance, fuel consumption and verdict.
For some, batch production just isn't good enough. Potential BMW owners can now look forward to the next step in the form of improved variants of the 4 Series Alpina.
The Alpina name has an enviable reputation in Europe, thanks to the fact that regular BMWs are equipped with bespoke interiors and extract more power from the donor engine.
In the case of the Alpina B4, a two-year development program has turned a conventional 435i (yes, the latest model is now the 440i, which shows how extensive and laborious the Alpina updates have been) into a 301kW/600Nm twin-cylinder engine. turbo weapon.
Those numbers are well above the 240kW/450Nm found in the standard BMW, but it costs $60,000 more than the base car.
Alpina responds to the desire to have a faster car that is more enjoyable to spend time in than the factory model.
Performance is expected from an Alpina-badged BMW, but that's not a priority. Luxury, so the $60 bonus includes merino leather trim, a redesigned dashboard, thick floor mats, and custom aerodynamic and suspension upgrades.
The list of options is exhaustive - there are two more leather upgrades, each costing around $10,000.
Each imported vehicle will be built in Germany to customer specifications.
Alpina's relationship with BMW is so close that many of the parts are installed on the cars on the production line, which means that this does not affect the warranty and Alpina cars can be serviced at any BMW dealership.
The pursuit of speed and wellness puts the Alpina range between BMW's own M sports cars and a customization program recently expanded with BMW M Performance components.
The coupe is the first Alpina to be homologated for Australia, but sedan, station wagon and convertible versions will follow. The cars are sold at BMW dealerships in the capitals of the continental states under the umbrella of In Motion, led by the main BMW dealer in Doncaster, Ingo Reisch.
Reisch is a car enthusiast who became a car park owner but still finds time to appreciate the pleasure of driving. He says Alpina responds to the desire to have a faster car that is more fun to spend time in than the factory model.
“At this level, people want a unique experience, not just a car,” says Reisch.
“Alpina gives them that. Buyers looking at this car want M performance levels, but they don’t want sports car suspension or attention… they want to feel and breathe leather and touch quality every time they get in the car.”
On the way to
The Akrapovic exhaust ensures that the Alpina won't be mistaken for a regular BMW by neighbors - if you choose to drive it that way. The rear of the twin turbos and the metallic crackle that accompanies the gear changes are unlike any Beamer.
It's a combination of new pipes and a heavily revised eight-speed automatic transmission software. Step on the gas and he'll purr with a reluctant restraint that's more appropriate on the tree-lined boulevards he'll frequent.
And that's the beauty of the B4 - it instantly reflects the character you choose to display. A set of 20-inch wheels and a discreet badge are the obvious differences, but the Alpina rides just as well as you'd expect from a $160,000 high-performance car. Think of it like a jacked-up M4, with a slightly smaller mechanical clutch and a more impressive interior.
And this, in fact, is the competence of Alpina. It's a grand tourer with big pretensions, and for those willing to indulge their hedonistic inclinations, it's a hell of a car.
I would have a hard time getting past the M...but I suspect I might just as hard get past the well-handled B4.
Alpina B4 seems excessive to you? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
