FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring revealed
Sharper AWD chassis and 340kW/700Nm turbo-six make this a BMW M3 wagon of sorts – and it’s under consideration for OzBMW tuner Alpina has ripped the covers off a svelte-looking performance wagon based on the new BMW 3 Series Touring, and it could come to Australia.
The new Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring AWD brings considerable performance and equipment improvements over and above the garden-variety G20 3 Series Touring.
“From an Australian viewpoint, the uniqueness of the B3 Touring has appeal and Alpina Australia is looking closely at bringing the Touring to market, as it did with the outgoing vehicle,” an Alpina Australia spokesperson said.
The Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring AWD differentiates itself visually from the 3 Series thanks to the use of improved aerodynamics, multi-spoke wheels and premium upholstery.
The changes sit atop the latest-generation 3 Series, bringing wider wheel tracks, bigger brakes and more suspension rigidity thanks to Eibach springs, unique bump stops and larger stabilisers.
There are also Alpina-specific powertrain upgrades that ratchet performance to a colossal 340kW and 700Nm – considerably more than the forthcoming 275kW/500Nm 340i xDrive and surprisingly close to the outputs anticipated for the next M3.
In fact, in quite a coup, the B3 gets the same new S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six that debuted in the new 375kW BMW X3 and X4 M performance SUVs, and will also power the new M3 and M4.
The power fillip is accompanied by a new cooling system and variable stainless steel exhaust, along with changes to the donor’s eight-speed automatic transmission.
All told, the Alpina boasts a top speed exceeding 300km/h. The rear-biased all-wheel drive system based on BMW’s much-touted xDrive hardware no doubt brings more surefooted on-road performance.
Pulling the B3 Touring to rest from high speed shouldn’t be a problem; cue the four-piston fixed callipers with 395mm brake discs at the front and floating callipers with 345mm rotors at the rear.
Alpina’s handiwork manifests inside too, with requisite metal emblems, logos and a production plaque designating each vehicle’s build number.
Stay tuned on whether the Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring makes an arrival Down Under, where a price tag of about $150,000 plus on-road costs is anticipated… making it an M3 wagon of sorts.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
