German tuning company Alpina has unveiled its new B3 saloon at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, with fresh styling and more power
Alpina has unveiled its new 3 Series-based B3 saloon at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, marking the German BMW tuning specialist’s long-standing relationship with the Japanese market.
Like the recently launched Alpina B3 estate, this tuned saloon is based on the all-new BMW 3 Series and features a subtly redesigned exterior, an upgraded chassis, a fettled engine and a retrimmed cabin.
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The Alpina B3 saloon is powered by an upgraded version of BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, fitted with an improved cooling system, a freer-flowing exhaust, a pair of uprated turbochargers and a remapped ECU. Power and torque stands at 457bhp and 700Nm respectively.
Alpina claims the B3 saloon has a 0–62mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 188mph. As in the estate, the B3 saloon’s engine sends its power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, developed collaboratively with ZF. Its rear axle features an electronically controlled limited-slip differential.
Chassis revisions for the Alpina B3 saloon are identical to those fitted to the B3 estate, with a set of adaptive dampers, uprated Eibach springs, larger-diameter disc brakes, new brake calipers and a reconfigured electronic steering system. Alpina also offers an optional high-performance braking system with lightweight, drilled discs and uprated brake pads.
Alpina has also increased the track width and wheelbase of the B3 saloon over the standard 3 Series, which the company says will benefit the car’s handling. The revisions have allowed the tuning firm to fit wider alloy 19 and 20-inch wheels and tyres; Alpina’s trademark multi-spoke alloys are available as an optional extra.
Styling revisions for the B3 saloon include a new body-kit with a fresh front splitter, wider side skirts, subtly flared wheel arches and a revised rear diffuser. There’s also a new quad-exit exhaust system, smoked rear light lenses and a reprofiled boot lid fitted with a small lip spoiler.
The cabin of the B3 saloon can be trimmed to the owner’s preferences, with Alpina offering a range of upholstery, piping, embroidery and embossing options for the seats – and a choice of trim options for the centre console and dashboard. Elsewhere, the cabin is much the same as standard 3 Series, sharing its digital gauge cluster and iDrive infotainment system.
The new Alpina B3 will be available to order early next year, with first deliveries expected to arrive by mid-2020. Prices are yet to be announced, but we expect it’ll start from around £60,000.
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