What is an Alpina B3?

[Brunty]

Just seen an Alpina B3 soft-top parked in our road - presumably it's a reworking of an M3, and obviously undertaken by Alpina.

But what have they done to it and what is it capable of?

TIA

Looked very nice BTW.

[pezza]

Just seen an Alpina B3 soft-top parked in our road - presumably it's a reworking of an M3, and obviously undertaken by Alpina.

But what have they done to it and what is it capable of?

TIA

Looked very nice BTW.

Think, lots of power, top notch suspension and exhaust, chipped n maybe turbo'ed engine, large wheels and probably very fast!

WHat alpina do to the 5 series is nuts.. I think the B10 is the V8 based engine Bi-Turbo'd for starters... you get the picture? /help

They also *play* with the V12 in the 7 series too...

Do like em! :thumbsup:

[Funkstar]

Doesn't look that quick compared to ours.

http://www.fast-autos.net/alpina/alpinab3s.html

Pretty cool though.

[I-S]

They actually start from a 330(C)i, rather than an M3. With the M3 most of their work would already be done, whereas by starting with an unfettled model they have more space to make the car disctinctively Alpina.

One example is with the E39 5-series (like Ian's), the Alpina B10 offered an auto box and touring variant, which the M5 didn't. The same is true with the B3, which can be got as saloon and touring, which the current M3 can't.

[Big Ian]

check out "THE TANK" (http://www.fantasycars.com/sedans/html/b12.html) near 2 tonne in weight and near 190 mph /yes

[I-S]

We were on holiday in southern france a few years ago in my dad's 740iL. Tootling down a country road, we crested a ridge going perhaps 10km/h over the limit (120 rather than 110) to see a group of Gendarmes by the side of the road. One of them flags us down, presumably for going a little bit fast we thought... at that moment, from nowhere comes a black, german registered B12L flying past us.

The gendarmes decided that this was a better target and flagged him down instead. He pulls in in front of us, pulls off to the side of the road and we continue on our merry way...

England 1, Germany 0.

[Physician]

I recollect from years ago that I could 'handle' most other cars when I had my V12 E Type .......... but Alpina's were always a handful. Especially when they came up behind you and you couldn't tell if they were standard BMW's or Alpina's until you could see the Alpina badge on the rear. :embarasse

[Kieran]

Unashamed /Hijack, but....


.....my V12 E Type ..........

:smitten:

[psbarham]

Unashamed /Hijack, but....



:smitten:
wrong , series 1 1/2 4.2l :thumbsup:

[Roberto]

I have to say, when I was just a little lad, I loved what Alpina did to the old 6 series.



WHO AM I KIDDING I STILL LOVE IT AND AT SOME TIME PLAN TO HAVE ONE.

Oh the B7, I just love those stripes, they should go back to marking all the Alpina cars with them. /Steeringw

[Physician]

wrong , series 1 1/2 4.2l :thumbsup:

Yep, most purists would agree with you. It's all down to personal taste I guess - for me the ONLY one I liked/do like is the V12 convertible (made for the USA market, of course).


http://homepage.mac.com/rgdavies2000/.Pictures/etypev12.jpg

[psbarham]

Yep, most purists would agree with you. It's all down to personal taste I guess - for me the ONLY one I liked/do like is the V12 convertible (made for the USA market, of course).



thats the reason i don't like it as much , its not that fantastically smooth v12 that i don't like in fact the e type was a better car to put it in than the xjs , its those stupid American market bumpers they just don't suit the smooth flowing lines of the 'E' . at the end of the day like you say its personal taste , having never driven a V12 'E' i can't comment , but i have been fortunate enough to have been driven in a series 1 3.8 dhc in cream , and have driven both the 5.3 and 6.0 l v12 XJS/R and i can only guess what your old one drives like but for speed the xjs's won it hands down but on sheer class and driver thrill and involvement the 'E' was by far and away the better car :thumbsup: [rambling mode off ]

[Pete M]

/Hijack

Speaking of fantastically smooth V12s....:bananadan
Here's mine: Jaguar Vanden Plas H.E. 5.3. I've had this since 1993 (it was in storage while I lived in the UK 97 - 02). Same horsepower as the VR-4, but totally different delivery. Not at all fast around town, it is more suited to the open road or Autobahn. I've only had it up to about 130, but it was still accelerating hard at that point.

[ThEbIrDmAn13]

Yep, most purists would agree with you. It's all down to personal taste I guess - for me the ONLY one I liked/do like is the V12 convertible (made for the USA market, of course).


http://homepage.mac.com/rgdavies2000/.Pictures/etypev12.jpg


that's right, one ofthe 3 cars that's actually better than everyone else's made for the US... including the Evo8 and the STI

[WildCards]

Just out of interest, I followed a lovely B reg B10 3.5 Alpina last night, he was driving like a nun, but i didn't want to overtake because I was too busy looking at his car, although he did accelerate away pretty convincingly at one particular straight.

Lovely to see theose old cars, especially in such good nick.