Looking for advice on Alpina B3 Biturbo

[Vinzzz]

Extremely cool! Very nice color. Unique as I understand!

[Vinzzz]

Here is #32

[Vinzzz]

Another pic

[JohnW]

That is an unusual colour combination with the interior too. It works very well indeed, better than the black on black.

Do you have the later CIC idrive system? I have the older CCC screen so upgraded it to one of the Android units.

I like the red wood interior trims too, they were the same in #74

[Vinzzz]

Honestly I dont know. According the spec sheet it is a s606 system (production year of the car is 11/2008). For me it is not that important, knowing it has a lovely engine sound.

[JohnW]

If it has a single DVD slot it is one of the few that had the later and better CIC system, the map is on the hard drive.

Agreed with the engine sound and it is real and not artificially created.
The engine note has only improved with the mileage too. It’s got a low down boom now at lower rpm and when driven hard at the top of the range, when it is fully warmed up, it has that high pitched scream.
I should have the engine block walnut shell blasted but it may lose some of that low down boom.

[Vinzzz]

Do they have usb as standard? Forgot to check mines. Where to find it?

[JohnW]

USB was an optional extra with these S6FLA, so were things like DAB radio S654A. If it has USB it will be under the central armrest with the 3.5mm AUX input.

[Vinzzz]

Thanks for all the info. I will fly to Germany on December first to pick up the car. Looking forward to drive it 700 km's back to the Netherlands. Getting into the mood of attending an international Alpina meeting)))

[JohnW]

It will be a great first drive.

I bought 161 in early February a few years ago and drove it back from just north of London up the A1 through snow then very heavy rain, crossing the Pennine hills back to Bolton, near Manchester, about 280km.
It was on cheap summer tyres (most people in the UK drive all year on them unfortunately) with very worn tread and I found the wheel alignment was all out, I had to be extremely careful, but I bought it for a good price.

[Vinzzz]

Today I drove it to the Netherlands. What a car! So suitable for the Autobahn. It is cruising so effortless. I like the difference between auto and sport. Next stap is to get it registered here in my country.
My daily is a g20 330i. The difference between both cars is so huge like it feels the 330i has been built according lower production standards. Suspension, brakes et cetera, stability on the road: the (older) Alpina is still the better car. And I am keeping the sound of the 6 cilinder out of the comparison.

[JohnW]

I tried to advance to an F30 but it felt disconnected, you have far more feedback from the E92 and you have the soundtrack from the engine too, it’s an analogue experience.

Given the way Alpina seems to be heading towards from the rumours when it passes to BMW in 2025/26 I am trying to keep the B3 Biturbo as a life car, it’s the best I’ve owned and the E9X range seems to hit a sweet spot with me.

[Vinzzz]

The E9X is well kept secret indeed. I am completely surprised.
Mines will stay in the garage during winter. It needs some maitenance, cleaning and detailing (new fresh bmw logo's, etc). Cant wait till early spring when it will be ready to drive and shine!
When it comes to the driving experience is there any big difference between the B3 and B3S?

[JohnW]

Alpina only sold around 50 B3s in the UK, so around half as many as the B3, many B3 Biturbos in the UK were E93 too, it seems to be a fashion for convertibles here.

So I have not driven a B3s, I’d love it. My thoughts are that it will be slightly more refined again, with a little noticeable improvement in power. Alpina kept the N54 engine and upped the output, they ignored BMWs N55. I would happily have the B3s too.

One of my dream cars would be the E92 GT3, understated apart from the big rear wing. That is the one to own, it can only appreciate in value too.

It is a pity they did not offer a manual version in any, but I like both for different reasons; my left hip is bad so it’s less painful until I get a hip replacement, I changed the wheel buttons for the LCI paddles on mine as they did on the GT3, just my preference. I often wonder how it would have been with limited slip differential and dual clutch DCT from an M3, I did own one for a while and found that it really made little difference with the gear change if the B3 N54 was revved hard.

Strange how they made a manual version of the D3 Biturbo, but that’s a different car altogether, very nimble around town with that N47 4 pot, very similar to the E82 123d I had before.

I envy you with the Allrad, if you have the turbochargers reworked then I would have it tuned, I did when I had Number 74, after the turbos were replaced it made it quicker and smoother too at lower revs, output also matched the B3s.

[Vinzzz]

Yeah that E92 GT3 is the one to have, but for now I am verry happy with my ordinary B3))). The combi automatic/engine works great in this car. I am not sure a manual will add smth substantial to this car. For an old NA (like the Alpina Roadster S) a manual is always the better option. But maybe there is a B3 owner that made a swap to a manual.