bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 05
bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 02
bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 01
bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 15
bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 26
Carsales Staff12 Sept 2019
NEWS

FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring revealed

Sharper AWD chassis and 340kW/700Nm turbo-six make this a BMW M3 wagon of sorts – and it’s under consideration for Oz

BMW tuner Alpina has ripped the covers off a svelte-looking performance wagon based on the new BMW 3 Series Touring, and it could come to Australia.

The new Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring AWD brings considerable performance and equipment improvements over and above the garden-variety G20 3 Series Touring.

“From an Australian viewpoint, the uniqueness of the B3 Touring has appeal and Alpina Australia is looking closely at bringing the Touring to market, as it did with the outgoing vehicle,” an Alpina Australia spokesperson said.

The Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring AWD differentiates itself visually from the 3 Series thanks to the use of improved aerodynamics, multi-spoke wheels and premium upholstery.

bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 15

The changes sit atop the latest-generation 3 Series, bringing wider wheel tracks, bigger brakes and more suspension rigidity thanks to Eibach springs, unique bump stops and larger stabilisers.

There are also Alpina-specific powertrain upgrades that ratchet performance to a colossal 340kW and 700Nm – considerably more than the forthcoming 275kW/500Nm 340i xDrive and surprisingly close to the outputs anticipated for the next M3.

In fact, in quite a coup, the B3 gets the same new S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six that debuted in the new 375kW BMW X3 and X4 M performance SUVs, and will also power the new M3 and M4.

The power fillip is accompanied by a new cooling system and variable stainless steel exhaust, along with changes to the donor’s eight-speed automatic transmission.

bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 27

All told, the Alpina boasts a top speed exceeding 300km/h. The rear-biased all-wheel drive system based on BMW’s much-touted xDrive hardware no doubt brings more surefooted on-road performance.

Pulling the B3 Touring to rest from high speed shouldn’t be a problem; cue the four-piston fixed callipers with 395mm brake discs at the front and floating callipers with 345mm rotors at the rear.

bmw alpina b3 2019 09 rgb 02

Alpina’s handiwork manifests inside too, with requisite metal emblems, logos and a production plaque designating each vehicle’s build number.

Stay tuned on whether the Alpina B3 BiTurbo Touring makes an arrival Down Under, where a price tag of about $150,000 plus on-road costs is anticipated… making it an M3 wagon of sorts.

Share this article
Written byCarsales Staff
See all articles
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.