Alpinas get lots of love in Japan. Not only does this country account for 20 percent of the BMW tuner's annual sales, according to company officials, it has the only two stand-alone Alpina dealers in the world -- one in Tokyo and one in Yokohama. The company rolled out two new cars just for the Tokyo Auto Show, the 6 Series-based B6 BiTurbo and an even more limited-edition version of the 3 Series-based B3 with simulated racecar livery.
We probably wouldn't even have wandered into the booth if it weren't for the matte blue paint on the B6 BiTurbo coupe. We don't know what it is, but with that paint and those billion-spoke Alpina wheels, the 650's ho-hum form becomes stunning. The B6 convertible in the booth has the same mix of blue paint, but no matte, and looks nowhere near as good.
This seems like exactly the sort of car that would sell in the United States -- to potential BMW 6 Series customers who actually want their car to be attractive -- but BMW of North America likely doesn't want it interfering with the M6 (the next one, that is), so it won't ever make it our turf. Never mind, though, we've basically already driven it, as it has the same drivetrain as the B7 Alpina we tested, which is to say a significantly modified version of BMW's twin-turbo V8 making over 500 hp.
Meanwhile the Alpina B3 GT3 is an extra special 3 Series coupe inspired by Alpina's 6-Series-based B6 GT3 racecars, which took the driver's championship in Germany's ADAC GT masters series.
The B3 GT3 is basically a cosmetic tribute to that racecar, as it has the same 404-hp, twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-6 as the standard B3 (BMW's N54 engine is the starting point), but it does have an adjustable coil-over suspension so that it can be both your daily driver and a track-day toy. Then again, it also has a six-speed automatic (not a dual-clutch box, there's a torque converter here), so it's only a good track day car if you're afraid of a real manual.
More interesting is the little detail that the B3 GT3 comes in Alpina Blue, Mineral White or Black Sapphire, but you have to get the black paint if you want the racing livery, which is a vinyl wrap.
"You can keep the wrap on for up to eight years without worrying about damaging the paint," an Alpina official advises us.
Alpina will build 99 examples of this special B3 coupe. Thirty of those are allocated to Japan, and six of those are already spoken for by customers with an insatiable urge to collect Alpinas. Not one of these cars is reserved for the USA.
stovt001 says:
07:15 AM, 12/ 1/11
There should be more cars with matte paint.
roadburner says:
05:10 PM, 12/ 1/11
I loved the E65 B7 I drove for a couple of weeks. I wish you could buy an Alpina through your local BMW dealer(as is possible in Europe). I'd but a D3 in a heartbeat.