More power is never a bad thing, especially in a beautiful ALPINA.
The B5’s bi-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine now makes 621-horsepower.
The diesel D5’s triple-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-6 cylinder engine produces 408-horsepower.
ALPINA is on a roll so far this year. In fact, the last two years alone, they’ve introduced the B3 and D3 S (3 series) among others, and most recently, the decadent ALPINA XB7 SUV. This time, the spotlight belongs to the BMW 5 Series Saloon (sedan) and Touring (wagon) in both B5 (petrol) and D5 S (diesel) iterations. Power is up, handling is up and the styling is still absolutely spot on.
Incredibly, the already potent bi-turbo 4.4-litre V8 from the factory will now produce 621-horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque, from 2,000 rpm in the B5. The standard 8-Speed Sport Automatic Transmission with ALPINA SWITCH-TRONIC has been appropriately designed to handle all this power. The Saloon is capable of reaching 100 km/h from a standstill in only 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). The Saloon is “slower” at 3.6 seconds and 322 km/h (200 mph), respectively.
Although the B5’s numbers are impressive, the D5 S’ specifications are more so. Its triple-turbocharged (yes, three snails) 3.0-litre straight-6 cylinder engine delivers 408-horsepower 590 lb.-ft. of torque, from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm. In this case, the Saloon covers the 0-100 km/h sprint in only 4.4 seconds with a 286 km/h (178 mph) top speed. This actually makes the D5 S one of the fastest diesel cars in the world. The really impressive stuff is that it will consume only 7L/100km in combined driving conditions.
Aesthetically, both versions are decked out with larger air intakes in the unique front fascia, quad tailpipes integrated into the rear apron, and the delightful ALPINA 20-spoke CLASSIC 20’-inch forged wheels. The chassis’ feature shorter and stiffer springs, ALPINA brakes on top of BMW’s built-in elements such as integral active rear steering, and more.