Relationships take time. It takes time to discover, to learn hidden depths and while sometimes things can be instantly beautiful, the pleasure is in finding the hidden nuances and subtleties. You want to slowly uncover what’s interesting, the little surprises and elements that you perhaps didn’t appreciate at first sight. This is how I feel every time I drive a new car. I want to explore, discover and take the time to be enchanted. It usually takes me at least a few days to really decide if I fully connect with the car or not.
I find it fascinating that people will buy a car without driving it, or at best on the strength of a 15 minute test drive. I appreciate that for many a car is purely and simply a mode of transportation, but we spend thousands of hours a year in our cars. This is like a major relationship commitment. Maybe I am being a bit of an anorak here, as we Brits say, but it’s a bit like the chemistry in relationships and friendships, there is always an immediate first impression, but really great connections build over time. I want to be charmed by a car and I can gladly say that this was very much my experience of my week with the B8 Alpina.
The story of Alpina takes us back to 1962, when Burkard Bovensiepen whose family owned the defunct Alpina typewriter business, modified a BMW 1500 with a Weber dual carburetor. The performance was so impressive, it was lauded in the automotive press and BMW certified the quality by awarding vehicles fitted with the Alpina system a full factory guarantee. Alpina was reborn as an automotive tuning house with 8 employees in an outbuilding of the typewriter factory in Bavaria. The core of Alpina was to develop high performance crankshafts and carburetors to deliver more power from BMW engines and they made a name for themselves in competition throughout the early seventies with wins in the European Touring Car Championships and Spa 24 Hours. Withdrawing from competition in the early 80’s due to capacity limitations, Alpina turned their attention to producing a distinctive line of BMW Alpina cars notable for their combination of amplified performance and luxury. Recognized by the German Ministry of Transport as an independent automobile manufacturer, BMW Alpina has produced X different models and today produces the B7 Sedan, XB7 and the B8 Grand Coupe, all of which are sold and serviced through BMWs dealer network.
The Alpina line today is distinctive due to its small hand-built production numbers and is focused on producing Touring Cars with higher torque, higher top speeds and suspension more focused on the road with sumptuous interiors. Compared to BMW’s M variant that is more focused on combining both road performance and track based capabilities.
The Alpina production process starts with delivering the highly tuned engines to the BMW production line where they are installed and then the cars are returned to Alpina for interior upgrades. The signature Alpina features include the 20-spoke alloy wheels and pinstriped decals with the notable Alpina logo on the front splitter, which is a throwback to the racing heritage of the brand. The exterior of the B8 accentuates the lines of the 8 series to improve the aerodynamics and engine cooling. Large air intakes on the front apron provide for enhanced airflow and serve to give the B8 a wider more aggressive stance. These unique Alpina styling cues are also applied to the rear of the B8, with a black diffuser insert and rear spoiler that follow the sweeping lines and contours of the 8 series and provide for an extended and subtly elegant silhouette. There are a wide range of BMW color options available for the B8, but for the purist the signature Alpina Blue or Green Metallics are the ones to select and they are exclusively reserved for Alpina. My demo car came in the signature Alpina Blue, which worked beautifully with the 20 spoke classic Alpina wheels and blue brake calipers.
On paper the Alpina B8 and the M8 are fairly close in terms of performance. The M8 has slightly more horsepower, but the Alpina has over 37 lb-ft more torque. I have driven lots of M Cars and they are truly impressive in terms of performance and all-round capabilities, but they are very performance focused and the vast range of options to set the different configurations particularly in the M5 and M8 can sometimes be a little overwhelming, particularly in a car that you use every day, use for longer trips and are unlikely to take to the track. This is where Alpina comes it brings combines exceptional performance with luxury and usability. They are also a little more rare and unique, certainly in terms of the number of people that stopped to check out my demo car.
Stepping inside the B8, the quality and finish are everything you would expect from Alpina with a combination of truly superb craftsmanship and premium materials. Alpina uses Lavalina leather, which is a cask pigmented full grain leather that comes from specially selected farms in Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Italy. Given the proximity to the Alpina factory, this means the hides require minimal preservatives and they are treated with a vegetable tanning process which retains the natural characteristics, resulting in a natural supple feel and softness. The natural grain markings remain visible on the leather and are entirely unique as no two are alike. My demo car came in the Ivory White and Night Blue, which perfectly complemented the blue exterior. The Lavalina leather extends to the instrument panel and steering wheel, which also has the signature Alpina logo as well as blue and green interior stitching. Alpina was a pioneer in steering wheel mounted shift buttons, which are also a feature of the B8 with plus and minus markings.
There is no mistaking the Alpina touch and there are elegant reminders with the Alpina logo subtly incorporated into the illuminated door sills, iDrive controller in crystal glass with its lasered Alpina logo and the interior trim in the Walnut Anthracite high-gloss finish. The B8 also has Anthracite Alcantara headliner and the standard panoramic glass sunroof. The interiors also feature the Alpina logo and metal plates with serial numbers reflecting the racing heritage of the brand.
Overall the interior of the B8 is an incredibly comfortable place to be, particularly for extended trips. The multi-functional, ventilated front seats are supportive and extraordinarily comfortable and the optional Bowers & Wilkins upgraded surround sound system offers exceptional fidelity, range and bass with its 16 speakers, including Diamond Dome tweeters and 1,400 watts of audio power. The 8 series platform includes the excellent and intuitive BMW navigation, communication, infotainment and driver assistance systems. Compared to the M8 the B8 has a much simpler performance interface with considerably less options, allowing you to switch between Comfort, Sport and Individual modes. I found this to be quite refreshing compared to the vast array of options and complexity of the M8, and the digital instrument panel offers two different Alpina tachometer designs which change between Comfort and Sport.
The essence of Alpina is the combination of high performance with luxury and comfort and the heart of the B8 is the Alpina tuned 4.4-liter V8 bi-turbo that smoothly delivers dynamic power across the entire rev range. With a maximum power output of 612 hp and a maximum torque of 590 lb-ft, readily available from just under 2,000 rpm through to around 5,000 rpm, the B8 tons of low-end power and feels effortlessly quick. Capable of 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds, the B8 will also reach a top speed of 201mph and will complete quarter mile sprint in just under 11.5 seconds.
A key to the sustained performance capabilities is the Alpina cooling system, which comprises of three external coolant coolers, an enlarged transmission cooling system and overall has 50 percent more cooling surfaces than the units found in the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe.
The twin-scroll turbochargers are seamless and imperceptible. Combined with the enhanced cooling system, the B8 is extraordinarily responsive, particularly for a car weighing over 5,000 pounds and it’s handling entirely belies its size. Alpina has worked with ZF to refine the 8-Speed Sport Automatic transmission to enhance the shift dynamics and maintain the super-smooth shift comfort. An advanced turbine torsional damper absorbs drivetrain vibrations and the B8 Sport, Comfort and Manual modes, again considerably simplifying the options compared to the M8.
The stainless-steel sport exhaust system was specially developed by Alpina to reduce backpressure and accentuate the sounds of the V8 and can be switched between Comfort and Sport Modes, even in Sport Mode the exhaust note if refined and relatively muted compared to the M8. The twin tailpipes are finished in polished stainless and elegantly integrated into the rear apron, contrasting nicely with the metallic blue body color.
Integral to the Alpina experience is the chassis and suspension set-up to finely balance precise handling characteristics with long distance comfort and B8 nails this. Stiffer suspension strut supports, reinforced sway bars and stiffer lower wishbone mounts significantly enhance the lateral dynamic properties. The B8 is beautifully balanced and feels sure footed, lithe and nimble as well as being supremely comfortable with the adaptive dampers providing for a range of driving experiences from Comfort+ to Sport+.
The BMW xDrive all-wheel drive system enhances grip and traction and the B8 also features active rear wheel steering, which has also been precisely fine-tuned by Alpina. The system enables the rear wheels to pivot up to 2.3 degrees left of right to for enhanced agility and maneuverability at low speeds and improved directional ability at high speeds. The Pirelli tires are fitted with a noise cancelling system to improve acoustic comfort and the Alpina brake system produced by Brembo is easily recognizable with the blue calipers.
The B8 really delivers on the Alpina promise combining a high-performance driving experience with powerful acceleration and precise handling together with an exceptionally smooth ride with the adaptive suspension. Steering is crisp and the B8 carves through the corners with minimal body roll. The active rear steering clearly helps out here and the all-wheel drive with the 21 inch wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero ultra-high-performance tires offers a ton of grip. The B8 corners likes it’s on rails. The ZF 8-speed transmission is smooth, slick and shifts up and down flawlessly. The M Sport brakes offer exceptional bite and braking performance.
In terms of consideration set, alternatives to the B8 would likely include the M8, Mercedes AMG S63, Panamera GTS and the electric contenders such as the Tesla Plaid or Lucid Air. As regular readers to this column will know, I have not yet succumbed to the ‘electric dream’ and will continue to drive V8’s as long as I can hold on.
The B8 Alpina is already a very well-equipped car and starting at a base price of $139,900, my demo car came with the Ivory White and Navy Blue leather at $2,000, the Driving Assistance Pro Package at $1,800 and the Bowers & Wilkins sound system at $3,400. With destination and handling this brought the B8 to $148.095.
The B8 is such a great all-rounder, charming, a delight to live with and incredibly capable. There is also a wonderful uniqueness about the Alpina, which among those ‘in the know’ garners admiring glances and nods of approval. After a week with the B8, I am thoroughly seduced, this is the one you take home and introduce to the family.
More information on the Alpina B8 can be found here.
Photographs by James Henderson.
