Why did YOU buy an Alpina?

Post by **Charles** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:34 pm

That explains why Geoffrey runs a mile whenever I enter the showroom and start mentioning Alpina's

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:53 pm

I've wanted an Alpina ever since I was a teen admiring the gorgeous
E34 B10 3.5 that lived on our street, back in the days it was new...

When I heard about and subsequently researched the E34 B8 4.6,
I instantly knew it was perfect for me. Alpina has applied the classic
american muscle car receipe (take a small unassuming saloon and
shoehorn in an improbably large V8) but executed it in the suave and
sophisticated manner of the europeans. If it were a man, it would be an
iron-fisted boxer, educated at the best european finishing schools. One
look at that astonishing torque curve, and I was hooked.

I must say, I really subscribe to the whole Alpina ethos of offering
bespoke, discreet, well-bred savagery, with emphasis on titanic torque
rather than peaky power. It's like Mohammed Ali in a tux.

I love a sports car that only those in the know recognise for what it really
is. People hear the unlikely burble of the B8, they clock the lantern-jawed
front and the muscular road stance - oh, they know it's something special.
Yet they can't say why or what.

It intrigues...

I love that.

Bruno

Post by **Charles** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:56 pm

A poet

Welcome Bruno - do we have details of your car on the register?

simon13 · Post by **simon13** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:51 pm

How well put Bruno!

I'm the same, the wheels old style are so elegant there nothing out there like them. It's the whole package the rarity and saying u own an "Alpina"

Styling etc

I'm into the E30 variants and C2 commands mucho respect. 2.7 is a famous engine size for one reason! Alpina did it first

Your right on the talk, i bet that B8 is savage in the extreme

Lossieboy · Post by **Lossieboy** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:05 pm

I,d seen b10kens Alpina at a meet in Leicester, and a B3 near where I lived.....I already had a 325i, and I thought, I gotta get me an Alpina......I,m now on my second, and I reckon I,ll stay with them. The reason I wanted one was to have the power of the M3, without the brazen looks of one.....and it,s lived up to that. M3,s are common, but I still get looks from people and you can see there faces mouthing the word questioningly "Alpina.?" Its ace.!

Post by **Charles** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:05 pm

Like it Kevin.

The rarity and relative obscurity are key factors for a lot of owners.

For others, the engineering skills come high on the list.

Either way, there is something special about Alpinas and their owners that make ownership a joy.

MikeB3 · Post by **MikeB3** » Tue May 02, 2006 11:19 am

Hi guys i`m new on the board and i just buyed the B3S CoupÃ© no. 75,
got a M3 before, then an Subaru STI and now the Alpina.

The reason for buying this B3 where:

1. My parents got Alpinas in the past and we were ALWAYS satisfied
2. Its more exclusive than the M3, many stupid people drive M3 here in Switzerland and this gives the car a bad image.
The performance of the 330ci is not good enough to please me, so the B3 was the perfect car. Brings us to reason 4:
4. Because of the performance

kidsinister · Post by **kidsinister** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:37 pm

Here's one you don't hear too often - "bacause it was cheaper than buying a 325i Sport!"

hythe · Post by **hythe** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:32 pm

In short, I bought mine to do a daily 110 mile commute from Oxfordshire into London and back - except now we've moved back to London...

Got the Alpina rather than an M5 since (1) seemed like a more comfortable/relaxing alternative and at least as quick in a straight line, (2) exclusivity/bespoke spec and feel, (3) Touring bodyshell and (4) better fuel economy (which matters with only a 70l tank!)

Course, when I originally started looking for a commuter car, I test drove the 320td and 120d. I really am my own worst enemy sometimes!

Previously, as some of you will know, I had a B8 4.6 Touring (#14) - bought that one because I fancied something viciously fast, but needed it to be practical and easy to drive, to appease my wife! Being in purple (Madeiraviolett) also helped on that front.

Post by **neil** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:01 pm

hythe wrote:
Course, when I originally started looking for a commuter car, I test drove the 320td and 120d. I really am my own worst enemy sometimes!

He he he - and I thought I was bad !

and I guess the D3 wasn't out then either ?

hythe · Post by **hythe** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:39 am

Well exactly. I'd ordered a 535d Individual - bugger to cancel Individual orders, but they managed it somehow, so I ended up ordering the world's first customer B5 Touring instead - between us, David and I were the ones who convinced Sytner to bring that model to the UK!

mnk303 · Post by **mnk303** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:56 am

I had been driving Porsche's for some 10 years with the odd drift to something else for a while, but 4 kids and the general feeling that I needed to grow up a bit (nearly 50) I had to look at the car I drove. I still wanted a sports car and a special saloon, but could not justify both, especially as in the last 996 C4 I had had only done 1600 miles in a year, so I thought I would either look at a Bentley GT, M5 or Alpina B5, (after briefly owning a Roadster Lux S). The M5 was a little too raw for me and I certainly did not really want a box that I had heard right or wrong was a bit jerky round town, as I drove in the town quite a bit.

So I test drove the B5, and was immensely impressed it certainly had on par acceleration of the Porsche C4 if not slightly quicker but the way it got there was outstanding, I had never driven anything quite so quick yet without any hassle. The only thing I did not like was that it really needed the 4 exhaust pipes of the M5, and that nearly drove me away, and a LSDâ€¦ but I just kept thinking of the drive and the gentleman like sitting area, nice hand made interior almost Jaguar like. It was also some 30K cheaper than the Bentley, better on fuel, just as quick, so that was it. Other than minor window seals (normal BMW problem) and the odd software bug I canâ€™t fault it, I can use if for business and donâ€™t rub my clients up the wrong way as a Porsche did, I can take the kids out and at the same time feel a bit special. I donâ€™t suppose it will keep its value as well as a Porsche and I have to put up with the at times difficult BMW dealers, but I am happy with it. I can only name about 4 cars that have super car performance, 4 doors, Automatic gearbox, and reasonable on fuel (I usually maintain 18-22 mpg round town and 27-30 on a motorway), I may keep it for two years which will be a first for the last 20 cars I have owned. I am even thinking about the rumoured B5 series 2 in the works.

Post by **Charles** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:57 pm

Seems like pretty good reasons to me.

Welcome

L8 ALPINA · Post by **L8 ALPINA** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:58 pm

Hello, you certainly have a gorgeous car. Spread the word there are more to B.M.W"s than just an image or a badge.

nealpina · Post by **nealpina** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:23 am

When I was younger my Dad had a E21 and my Uncle brought me an Alpina E21 model car for Christmas, and as soon as I saw it I said to myself this is a special BMW and ever since then I have always wanted a BMW Alpina

Neal
Alpina B3 3.2 Coupe

theALPINAregister.com

Why did YOU buy an Alpina?

My Alpina B5