This is very interesting. If you want a fast mid-size German saloon you automatically think BMW M3, don’t you? But these days BMW’s longtime partner Alpina has something in its lineup than can drive many people away from the M car. It is the diesel-powered Alpina D3, and it is a lot better than you may think.

To help you choose the right 3 Series, Steve Sutcliffe hit the test track for an all-out BMW M3 vs Alpina D3 head to head battle. Check it out:

Alpina D3 was launched long before the new M3 came around, so we know that it is a superb saloon car, cozy, comfortable, and luxurious. What’s surprising is how close it is to the M3 in terms of performance. It’s astonishing how a diesel can be a better sports saloon than the almighty M3, but that seems to be the case here.

Video by Autocar