Alpina D3 S

Alpina from Buchloe in the Allgäu region of Germany has been known for many years for high-quality, high-performance vehicles based on BMWs. Their latest project is based on the new 3 Series of the G20 series introduced last year and is named D3 S. With these two letters and the number everything is already clear for fans of the brand: it is a 3 Series with a sporty set-up and diesel engine. This makes it the ideal vehicle for frequent drivers in the field who want to enjoy a little driving pleasure on winding country roads in between.

The Alpina engineers chose the three-liter straight six-cylinder engine from BMW as the power source. By fine-tuning the two turbochargers and using mild hybrid technology from Munich, not only does it achieve a decent top performance, but also good acceleration at low revs. A maximum of 261 kW/355 hp and 730 newtonmeters of torque is available. This power is transmitted via an eight-speed sports automatic transmission by ZF to the xDrive all-wheel drive system with rear-emphasized torque distribution and accelerates the sedan version from a standing start to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. The station wagon version Touring needs two tenth of a second longer. The topspeed of 169.6 mph (sedan) and 167.8 mph (Touring) is stated in the data sheet. A sophisticated cooling system with transmission oil cooler, intercooler and outsourced coolant radiators ensures good heat exchange at the engine even in warm outside temperatures. On the chassis side, Alpina equips the D3 S with components from the B3.

BMW mild hybrid technology includes a 48-volt starter generator and a recuperation system which diverts energy during braking and stores it in a 48-volt battery. During acceleration, this can be used as additional power of up to 8 kW/11 hp. In addition to a diesel oxidation catalytic converter, a diesel particulate filter with SCR coating and an SCR system with two SCR catalytic converters and AdBlue injection contribute to exhaust gas purification. In this way, the new Alpina D3 S complies with the Euro 6d ISO FCM emission standard. It also impresses with its average consumption of 7.6 liters per 100 kilometers.

In addition to the standard 19-inch cast rims, Alpina also offers the typical 20-spoke wheels as forged rims in 20-inch. They reduce the unsprung mass by a total of around 14 kilograms. Together with Pirelli, Alpina produces specially adapted P Zero Ultra-High Performance tyres with the manufacturer’s identification ALP. Behind the wheels is the sports brake system with 395 millimeter front and 345 millimeter rear brake discs from the Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo.

The standard equipment includes sports seats with Alcantara/Sensatec upholstery, a high-quality audio system with DAB tuner and, from the BMW range, the large navigation infotainment package together with driver assistance systems like a Parking Assistant. The latter package can be optionally extended with innovative functions such as traffic light recognition, active lane guidance and an emergency lane assistant. Alpina dealers are accepting orders now. The first vehicles are expected to reach customers from November onwards at prices starting in Germany at € 70,500 (sedan) and € 71,900 (Touring).

Images: Alpina