Alpina XD3 2019 Review

To get to grips with the XD3 you first have to understand Alpina.

This small independent tuning company based in Buchloe Germany has been modifying BMWs since 1965.

But while factory hot-shop BMW M focuses on berserk high-power hardcore blasters, Alpina tries to take a few of the harsh edges off. Hey, performance levels can still be berserk, but there’s an attempt to cosset occupants as well.

Which brings us back to the XD3. As its name suggests, this vehicle is based on the BMW X3 mid-size SUV and it’s powered by a BMW inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

It’s expected to be Alpina’s primary model in Australia, a country in which the brand has only been present since 2016.

The Alpina XD3 will set you back $109,900 plus on-road costs.

For that you get a BMW X3 fitted with a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged diesel engine that makes 245kW/700Nm and drives all four wheels via an eight-speed ZF auto and BMW xDrive using Alpina’s own torque distribution map.

The XD3 accelerates to 100km/h in a spritely 4.9sec, reaches a top speed of 255km/h and average a claimed 6.4L/100km fuel consumption.

Don’t expect the latter if aiming for the former! On-test we were averaging 9.2L/100km and we weren’t pushing that hard.

If that performance level sounds good to you that’s fine, but in left-hand drive markets the XD3 comes with a quad-turbo set-up that adds another 40kW and 70Nm, cuts the acceleration time by 0.3-sec, adds 12km/h to the top speed and consumes an extra 0.5 litres of derv per 100km.

We don’t get the full fat version because of installation problems related to the steering column.

No such issues when it comes to the chassis. Alpina-tuned sports suspension combines stiff springs with adaptive dampers for a broader spread of performance than an M-car, by adding a Comfort+ mode to the other five usual Drive Experience Control settings.

Standard Alpina XD3 equipment is pretty much BMW-sourced. Tri-zone climate control, sat-nav, interweb access, a 10.25-inch touch-screen and a head-up display.

Safety gear includes the full airbag count, a bunch of drive assist system including autonomous emergency braking and a 360-degree camera.

You get wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay but Android Auto seems to be absent.

Exclusivity for a start. Alpina makes no more than 1700 vehicles per year and only a handful of them make it to Australia.

And if you fancy understatement then the Alpina XD3 ticks that box too. It’s elegant rather than excessive.

Our test car rolled on beautiful $4449 22-inch 20-spoke alloy wheels that offset a subtly handsome bodykit and lustrous white paint so deep it invited you to dive right in.

The subtle upgrades continue inside where there’s an Alpina steering wheel, instrument panel graphics, badging and a buildplate.

Then there’s the driving. We might be getting the B-spec engine, but in isolation that’s nothing to worry about. Those sequential turbocharger chime in on cue to dismiss lag and get things honking.

In any mode from Comfort+ to Sport+ this is a big, urgent engine. It’s not quite effortless, but close enough.

But the engine plays second fiddle to the dynamics. Having recently had the unfortunate experience of riding in the rigidly stiff BMW X3 M, I’d urge that tuning crew to check out the XD3.

It has a truly impressive breadth of ability. The Alpina tune allows it to cruise or bruise at the flick of a switch. It is so comfortable compared to some other performance SUVs it is shocking.

OK, all that weight (2045kg) and low-profile Pirelli rubber means sharp edged pothole causes discomfort, but such intrusions are rare enough to surprise.

Switch to Sport+ and it feels like someone’s left the travel chocks in the suspension. The M boys would feel right at home!

Electro-mechanical steering tune varies form light-ish to heavy-ish depending on the mode, but never becomes problematic-ish. Big 395mm discs are clamped strongly by four-piston Alpina-blue callipers.

The Alpina XD3 really can be hustled along a winding ride without getting all weird and wobbly about it. It doesn’t so much shrink-wrap around you as feel big, strong, heavy, fast and capable. Sort of like a German four-wheeled version of Buddy Franklin.

The other thing to remember about the XD3 is it’s based on a very good vehicle in the X3, which offers a high quality interior with heaps of space for four people and their luggage.

If you want a vehicle that’s flamboyant or showy look elsewhere. The Alpina XD3’s understated rather than overt. Many more people will understand what an M badge means as opposed to the Alpina shield.

The XD3 is also relatively stock inside. There’s not that much to differentiate it from the standard X3. An annoying change is the use of manual gearchange buttons on the steering wheel rather than paddles.

They are clunky and lack the ease of paddles, which are a no-cost option. So option them or use the gear-shifter in the console like we all used to.

And as we’ve just pointed out the XD3 uses as its base one of the best models in the BMW line-up. Don’t forget the X3 just finished third in the 2019 carsales car of the year.

Instead of an XD3 you could opt for a BMW X3 20d and buy yourself a second-hand M140i with the change. Maybe an $83,900 X3 30d and pocket the difference. The $100,900 X3 M40i is probably the XD3’s closest opposition in the range and that would surely be a fun comparison to do.

The Alpina XD3 is on-sale in Australia now, via Alpina’s five dealers located in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

It is covered by a three-year/unlimited km warranty and can be serviced at BMW dealerships .

The Alpina XD3 is for someone wanting a high-performance SUV but isn’t prepared to sacrifice comfort and usability for flat-knacker performance.

It’s a step below Mercedes-AMG V8s and stuff like that in price and intent.

Buyers should appreciate an understated sense of design and have an admiration for detail technical improvement and what it adds up to.

We’ve mentioned the ripper X3 M40i already, but into the mix you can also surely throw the new Audi SQ5 when it gets here, one of the plethora of Jaguar F-PACEs, a Range Rover Velar, a Porsche Macan 3.0 S and – just because we can – a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT V8. He he he.

And there are plenty more five-seat SUVs round the $80-120,000 mark with strong performance you could add to the mix.

Yep, a solid thumbs up for the Alpina XD3.

What could have been a brash, loud and thuggish, is instead well-mannered, capable, understated and handsome.

Its rareness will add to its appeal for some, cause others to discount it. But if you appreciate engineering depth ahead of marketing flash then the Alpina XD3 is a winner.

How much does the 2019 Alpina XD3 cost?
Price: $109,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 245kW/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km
CO2: 173g/km
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (BMW X3 2017)