Australian first drive: 2021 Alpina B3

Just a tiny bugbear, a small annoyance – sometimes that’s all it takes to frustrate. In a world where many are blessed with an abundance of choice, every factor counts. In a market proliferated with luxury performance cars, dotting I’s and crossing T’s becomes critical.

Therefore I couldn’t help but exhale a sigh of relief when first sitting behind the leather-bound steering wheel of the Alpina B3. The aluminium shift paddles are not only lovely to operate, but it also means that the dreaded shift buttons are gone.

Yes, the beautifully CNC-milled items are a $502 option, but on a car with a base price of $142,900 before on-roads it seems a small price to pay. For the first time, a seemingly small Alpina detail that used to be a B3 sore point can now be deleted.

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It might come across as an overreaction. However, with so much performance on tap, the added interaction the paddles provide is key. While Alpina might project a USP pertaining to luxury and comfort, both of which are attributes the B3 retains, there’s now more reason than ever to find enticing roads off the highway.

Big power, colossal torque and all-wheel-drive traction are now all part of the remit. Therefore, getting the finer details right that enhance driver involvement can only be a bonus.

Rest assured, while dynamics have taken a front seat, aesthetics haven’t been forgotten. And that’s good news for those still unable to stomach one of the most controversial grilles in BMW’s history. Given Alpina’s strong ties to the Bavarian giant, the B3 starts life as an M340i and not an M3, so it sidesteps the polarising face and gains an aggressive front bar that also aids cooling.

Tradition is important at Buchloe, meaning an Alpina badge within the front splitter and pinstripe detailing is offered. The iconic ‘Alpina Classic’ 20-inch forged alloys will set you back an extra $4091. They’re worth it. The rolling stock, low front apron and a rear lip spoiler create luxe, sleeper vibes. Yet it’s still one for the keen-eyed aficionados.

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''The chassis and cabin starts life as a humble M Performance product, but the oily bits are basically full-fat M''

While the chassis and cabin start life as a humble M Performance product, the oily bits are basically full-fat M. It’s not often we find reasons to thank more stringent emissions laws (environmental benefits notwithstanding).

In terms of the B3, we can. And that’s because ever-tightening limitations on the CO2 expelled from the quad exhaust pipes has rendered the N-designated powerplant defunct. Instead, Alpina is using the motorsport-derived S58 powertrain. Or, more to the point, the new M3 engine. Never before has a B3 been granted permission to use the same hardware.

Yet, with Alpina being Alpina, it had to have a tinker. The B3 gets a revised intake and smaller turbos attached to the 3.0-litre straight-six, with the aim of increased torque and a more muscular mid-range.

So, while the S58’s power figure is down 35kW to 340kW compared to the M3 Competition, an extra 50Nm of brawn has been added for a total of 700 Newtons. That’s not mucking about. And neither is the launch-control-assisted 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds. On-road, the in-gear acceleration underfoot is as mesmerising as it is alarming. This isn’t a poser.

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The work carried out by the R&D team pays dividends in reality. That peak torque figure comes in at a lowly 2500rpm and continues to 4500rpm, creating a well of mid-range pull.

Holding a higher gear through a tighter bend poses no issue. There’s still reason to go searching for the redline with power being developed to 7000rpm. It’s a flexible and linear unit, which pairs brilliantly with the eight-speed torque-converter automatic. Work the paddles and the changes are decisively adhered to, while left to its own devices, the ZF ’box is intuitive.

With the addition of all-wheel drive, the B3 stops, turns and exits a corner in a way its forebear simply couldn’t. Finding a rhythm is easy and the Alpina sedan rotates through a tight apex vehemently.

M Dynamic Mode, accessed by pressing the traction control once, makes the chassis feel alive and the rear-biased xDrive system allows you to punch the throttle hard on corner exit without fear of retribution. There’s an electronically controlled limited-slip differential on the back axle, which means over-rotating the tail end is possible under heavy load.

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It doesn’t take too much provocation or wild inputs either and it gets the heart racing. Forget any preconceived ideas that this Alpina is a staid and conservative four-door.

It’s a shame the B3’s somewhat taciturn new exhaust system doesn’t quite match the heights of its dynamics. Put it down to the requirement of a particulate filter and the need for more subdued tones in keeping with the upmarket persona.

The M340i underpinnings result in a narrower front and rear track than the M3, and the Alpina also does without the M-car’s industrial bracing up front. This, coupled with the Pirelli P Zero ALP tyres, means the front end isn’t quite as resolute at the extreme.

Open-radius corners induce slight push from the front axle and the Alpina-specific (hence the ALP nomenclature) Pirellis can get hot quickly. With 395mm front ventilated discs up front clasped by four-pot calipers, the B3 stops well. There’s an option of an uprated brake pack with drilled discs and beefier pads that Alpina notes “may cause noise discomfort”.

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BMW’s variable steering gains attention, too. A more natural weight and feel has, according to Alpina, been worked into the system for more linear responses. It works, but there’s a caveat.

It depends which mode you’re in as Sport Plus returns a far too synthetic weight. Tick Comfort within the Individual setup and the rack frees up and generates a far more organic and progressive nature as you wind on lock.

For a car rolling on 20-inch wheels with 30-profile tyres (255-section front, 265 rear), the ride quality is deeply impressive.

The B3 uses custom Eibach springs, stiffer anti-roll bars and retuned adaptive dampers with proprietary software. The result is an absolute triumph, with the Comfort Plus mode delivering genuine suppleness. Okay, you lose some agility as the B3 tends to use all of its travel in this mode. However, Sport Plus offers enough compliance and damper sophistication that you can often get away with using it on some pretty poor surfaces. The B3 has ample dynamic bandwidth.

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With such dexterity on-road, it’s difficult not to be somewhat let down by the interior. No, it isn’t the quality of the materials used or the fit and finish. That all checks out. It’s an ambience thing, something that’s not quite tangible but also hard to miss. Several passengers mistook the B3 for a circa-$77K 330i.

While tradition has been eschewed with the addition of shift paddles, history is upheld via the blue and green stitching found on the B3's thick-rimmed steering wheel. A model-designating plaque also keeps the Alpina vibes ever-present, as do the badges dotted around the cabin – including those embossed in the seats. It’s also quiet on the open road, with NVH levels well suppressed.

Alpina utilises BMW’s 10.25-inch infotainment screen as well as the latest iDrive operating system, which is now a doddle to use and an ergonomic win. Wireless phone charging and smartphone mirroring are enhanced via an $807 pack that is well worth optioning. Apple CarPlay performs faultlessly (wireless Android Auto is also available).

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The B3 benefits from being more than a sum of its BMW and Alpina parts. And thanks to a new optional extra, it’s even harder to fault. Nit-picking is a last resort.

Alpina now offers a wickedly fast, dynamically engaging and premium product that makes it an inspired choice against the norm. While it trades on subtlety, it’s too good to reside as an option solely for those in the know.

2021 Alpina B3 specifications