Geneva motor show: Alpina XD3 is a quad-turbo 265km/h BMW X3

ALPINA has applied its mechanical magic to BMW’s third-gen X3, turning the mid-sized luxury SUV into the fire-breathing XD3 with 286kW/900Nm and performance to worry some serious hi-po hardware.

Unfortunately, Aussies won’t get the opportunity to buy the most vicious version, with a watered-down XD3 the only option, if confirmed for local showrooms. Both offerings, however, promise to add some pepper to the crossover market.

While some car-makers are baulking at diesel power, the boutique BMW tuner is embracing liquid coal in spectacular style, fitting the left-hand drive xDrive30d’s six-cylinder engine with a mind-boggling four turbos.

The result is a demonic incarnation of the X3 that can crack 100km/h from zero in 4.6 seconds and won’t stop until 265km/h flashes up on its speedo.

But despite the prodigious power and monstrous torque, the Buchloe bruiser will still return about 9.0L/100km, says its maker.

Alpina has lined up the 2018 Geneva motor show for the XD3’s debut, where it will make its first public appearance alongside some of the company’s other fettled BMWs, including its new 5 Series-based D5 S sedan and B5 Touring, and the B4 S convertible which takes the 4 Series convertible as its basis.

The bad news is that under-bonnet packaging means the steering column of right-hand drive X3s occupies the nook where a pair of turbos reside, and if the XD3 is offered in Australia it will be a detuned diet version with just two turbos.

Amputating a brace of blowers knocks power back to 245kW, torque drops to 700Nm, the 0-100km/h dash takes a little longer at 4.9 seconds, with the top speed levels off at 254km/h.

Despite the performance deficit, the right-hand drive XD3 is still a potent SUV and definitively wipes the floor with the rest of the BMW X3 range. Only the forthcoming X3 M40i will challenge its mantle when it arrives in July packing a twin-turbo six that knocks out 265kW/500Nm – enough to get to 100km/h in 4.8s.

Alpina Australia is yet to confirm if the XD3 will be offered locally but given the increasing range which now extends to B3, B4, B7 and soon-to-be B5, and the local demand for high-performance SUVs, the XD3 would appear to be a dead-cert.