Last year BMW revealed a couple of super diesel models powered by high performance oil-burning motors. That inspired their old tuner Alpina to come up with something similar, and so the B3 Bi-Turbo was born. The car is now launching in the UK market, where it is the fastest diesel production car.
Available in both Saloon and Touring (estate) body shapes, the BMW Alpina B3 Bi-Turbo Diesel packs 350 hp and a remarkable 700 Nm of torque. It translates into astonishing performance figures – for a diesel at least – with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 4.6 seconds, and a top speed of 173 mph. And yet it returns 53.2 mpg and emits no more than 139 grams of CO2 per kilometer. It is pretty much the best compromise between performance and economy.
With the BMW Alpina B3 Bi-Turbo Diesel you also get plenty of discreet style and elegance. There is a subtle body kit designed to make the car more aerodynamically efficient, and a set of 19” ALPINA alloy wheels in the company’s famous Classic design for better road holding. You also get hand-stitched full leather interiors of superb quality and a wide range of hand-finished woods for the dashboard and doors. These features set the B3 apart from normal 3 Series models.
As for the pricing, the Alpina B3 Diesel Saloon starts from £46,950, and the Touring (estate) from £49,950. Those are big numbers for a 3er, but you get greater performance, style, economy, and because of the low CO2 rating, tax benefits.
