D3/D4 BMW ALPINA D3 S

[mihc]

New BMW Alpina D3 S. 355HP and 730Nm of torque. Photos of both Sedan and Touring.

 

[martinbo]

Specfůckingtacular.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Yowzers!! An Alpina has never looked this sinister before!

 

[martinbo]

There's no way ol' beaver face is going to top this.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Thank you very much but I prefer the gasoline. Can't see the point of a 100 k Euro diesel car.

 

[Matski]

Thank you very much but I prefer the gasoline. Can't see the point of a 100 k Euro diesel car.

More torque lower down, lower CO2 emissions, more economical.. it makes just as good a case for itself as the B3, maybe worse in certain scenarios, maybe better in others.

 

[donkeykong]

Thank you very much but I prefer the gasoline....

Especially when the gasoline is a full on 'M' engine.

 

[Giannis]

Specfůckingtacular.

Absofůckinglutely.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

More torque lower down, lower CO2 emissions, more economi...

The environmental question is a complex one and I would not put it here in discussion (although I'm convinced that gasoline engines are much cleaner than diesel ones, whatever the manufacturers may claim). The gasoline car has the new S58 engine of the future M3/4 but optimised for better torque. To speak about fuel economy in a car that costs more than 100 k Euro is a blasphemy. So for me, no diesel makes sense in this price range.

 

[martinbo]

I like petrol engines with high top-end output - more so free-revving NA ones - and I like grunty diesels with lots of low-end shove. They both have their appeal. A straight six BMW turbodiesel is a sublime experience - such effortless pace! That's the appeal: you don't have to rev the socks off to put distance between you and other traffic with no effort at all.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

I like petrol engines with high top-end output - more so f...

The diesel has bigger torque but due to the short rev range it has longer gearing, so a diesel with 650 Nm at 1500 rpm is equal to a turbo(that's the important part here) gasoline with 500 Nm at 2200 rpm.

 

[Centurion]

Excellent alternative to an X3 40d for long distance drivers with a heavy foot.

 

[Matski]

The environmental question is a complex one an...

They may be factors you wouldn't bare in mind when making this purchase, but in countries where the environmental rating affects your personal tax it adds up, especially if its relatively high mileage too.

The diesel has bigger torque but due to the sh...

You can spin the numbers that way if you want, but the fact is the driving experiences are not the same. Your preference for petrol power is fine, but its really not hard to see why people might prefer the diesel. Alpina choose to offer both so people can have that choice... It's a good thing.

edit: Looking at the UK information only, the D3 and D4 outsell the B3 and B4 by 2.7 to 1. The B5 however sells about 1.2 to each D5 sold. So the "cheapest" cars are bought in the more tax friendly derivative... could be coincidence, could be intuitive.

 

[Rolf]

The diesel has bigger torque but due to the sh...

In real world driving situations such as lower speed pull aways and overtaking maneuvers the extra low down torque of a diesel makes it more suitable for quick getaways than a petrol which has to be revved shitless to be able to get the same speed. Also the added benefit of 25 to 40% lower fuel consumption in all driving conditions makes a diesel powered car very attractive to own and drive.

 

[Rolf]

These new Alpina models are frekking eyecandy. The chromed grill looks elegant and fantastic while the black grille looks sinister.

 

[dalab]

It is the first time that I see its characteristic wheels softly blackened-coated and it shocks you a little at first but they are nice, I suppose that optionally it can be ordered with the normal ones

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

In real world driving situations such as lower speed pull a...

Do not mistake the S58 with a normal petrol engine. It must pull at least as hard as a big diesel. The matter with the fuel consumption is not that important at all. In the real world the diesel will consume app 3 l less than the S58, if we suppose that the car will be driven 20 000 km per year, that makes a difference of 600 Euro per year for the fuel, but handicapped by a more expensive maintenance. Also the petrol has 100 hp more for almost the same price.

 

[Rolf]

Do not mistake the S58 with a normal petrol en...

For alot of people the fuel consumption does matter as it means reduced trips to the fuel station especially on long trips. Why do you think diesel cars accounted for 60% of car sales in many countries for a long period of time? City consumption is noticeably less also. But there are benefits for petrol engines also such as more refinement, less engine noise and vibration and more power at higher revs.

You worry about maintenance costs then buy a 1980s W123 240D, most of them run to over 500,000km without opening the engine and are robust and mega reliable.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

For alot of people the fuel consumption does matter as it m...

So you say that someone who pays 100 k Euro for a car is driven in his choice by the 600 Euro, which he will save per year? The diesel has also add blue, bigger exhaust treatment system, that also needs maintenance and so on. If it is 150-200 hp car, the diesel is obviously the clear winner, but for everything above 400 hp is the opposite.

 

[Rolf]

So you say that someone who pays 100 k Euro fo...

There are not many choices of cars with over 400hp that are diesel powered. BMW Quad Turbo 400hp in the 750d/550d etc. and the Audi SQ7 TDI with 435hp is the only choices I can think of. Can you imagine a 600HP/1000nm BMW M5d with a 4ltr V8 diesel, that would be pretty awesome in my opinion.

This is an interesting comparison. BMW M550i with 462Hp/650nm vs BMW M550d with 400hp/760nm.

Both cars are virtually neck and neck from 0-160km/h, with the M550d only then starting to lag slightly behind. By the time the M550i has hit 200km/h the M550d is on 191km/h. Pretty impressive stuff from both cars, but even more impressive from the M550d as its a 3.0ltr engine vs 4.4ltr in the M550i.

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