SET to join its already announced Touring sibling, the 2020 ALPINA B3 sedan has been confirmed for the Australian market, with first deliveries expected in the second half of 2020.
Recently revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show, the new ALPINA B3 sedan showcases the strong relationship between BMW and ALPINA – a partnership that goes all the way back to 1965.
“We are proud to confirm Australian availability for both the B3 sedan and touring variants,” ALPINA Australia national sales manager Phil Jeffery said.
“The new B3 sedan now gives our customers the option of a traditional sports sedan with the incredible mix of performance and luxury that ALPINA is renowned for.”
ALPINA engineers were able to access the brand new S58 bi-turbo straight-six cylinder engine, and hone it, utilising unique turbochargers, cooling and exhaust systems to generate peak power of 340kW and maximum torque of 700Nm.
The sedan accelerates from rest to 100km/h in only 3.8 seconds (3.9 seconds for the touring), with extremely linear power delivery well matched to the driver’s throttle input, ensuring strong response in every situation.
For an engine with such exceptional performance and throttle response, the new ALPINA B3’s engine is also highly efficient, returning 11.-litres/100km fuel consumption on the new WLTP cycle.
For the new B3 sedan and touring, ALPINA has designed a new function for the SWITCHTRONIC gear shift characteristics. Solid aluminium is CNC machined to produce incredibly tactile, steering-wheel mounted gearshift paddles.
This new shifting system works with ALPINA-specific transmission software and up-rated transmission mechatronics to ensure impressive adaptation to the driving situation.
BMW’s intuitive xDrive all-wheel drive system, with ALPINA tuning, combines with a rear-axle mounted, electronically-controlled limited-slip differential.
Biased towards rear-wheel drive for incredible agility, the system can shift drive torque to the front axle to ensure maximum traction when the situation demands.
Using the highly-awarded, new-generation BMW 3 Series as a base has also enabled ALPINA engineers to develop a superior ride and handling package over the predecessor.
Up front, the ALPINA-specific front pivot joints enable increased negative camber, improving grip and steering response. The steering system itself is electrically-assisted and offers a variable ratio, improving low-speed maneuverability and high-speed stability.
Eibach springs are fitted at each corner, as well as three-stage variable dampers, offering SPORT, COMFORT and COMFORT+ modes; the latter an exclusive ALPINA setting.
Braking is taken care of via the ALPINA performance braking system. Impressive 395mm front brake discs are clamped via four-piston calipers, while on the rear 345mm discs use a floating-piston caliper. Each caliper is painted in timeless ALPINA Blue with white logos.
The exterior design is more progressive, while retaining hallmark touches to ensure exclusivity. A free-floating logo sits proudly on the front apron, while large air intakes are incorporated into the design to ensure aesthetic aggression and optimal cooling.
At the rear, the sport exhaust system features two twin tailpipes, neatly integrated into a bespoke rear apron. A discreet boot lid spoiler and lower diffuser sections further hint at the B3 sedan’s luxurious-yet-sporty ambiance.
From the moment the doors are opened, the interior stands out as beautifully crafted, comfortable and tactile. Climbing over the ALPINA-badged entry sills and into the driver’s seat, the hand-stitched Lavalina leather steering wheel is a delight.
Created in ALPINA’s own leather works, the softness and tactile quality of the steering wheel is a tribute to our in-house artisans. Of course, the option for a customised leather interior is also available for the B3 sedan.
Lavalina is an untreated leather available in a wide range of finishes, with customisation also extending to leather piping, specific stitching, embroidery and embossing to customer specifications.
A vehicle-specific production plaque is affixed inside the car, and metal emblems integrate into the floor mats and seat backrests to further the sheer luxurious feel within the cockpit. There’s also a super practical 480-litre boot space.
Taking its cue from the new BMW 3 Series, the ALPINA B3 sedan and touring models feature the latest in professional satellite navigation and ConnectedDrive technologies, including an ALPINA-specific, full colour digital dash display.
The central touchscreen is intuitive to use, while natural voice recognition and the traditional iDrive rotary controller add further options to connect with the ALPINA B3.
ALPINA Australia expects the B3 sedan to arrive in showrooms in the second-half of 2020; a similar arrival schedule to the B3 touring. Further information regarding pricing and specification will be revealed closer to the local launch date.
