New 2020 Alpina B3 saloon hits Tokyo with 457bhp
German tuning company Alpina has unveiled its new B3 saloon at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, with fresh styling and more power
Alpina has unveiled its new 3 Series-based B3 saloon at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, marking the German BMW tuning specialist’s long-standing relationship with the Japanese market.
Like the recently launched Alpina B3 estate, this tuned saloon is based on the all-new BMW 3 Series and features a subtly redesigned exterior, an upgraded chassis, a fettled engine and a retrimmed cabin.
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The Alpina B3 saloon is powered by an upgraded version of BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, fitted with an improved cooling system, a freer-flowing exhaust, a pair of uprated turbochargers and a remapped ECU. Power and torque stands at 457bhp and 700Nm respectively.
Alpina claims the B3 saloon has a 0–62mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 188mph. As in the estate, the B3 saloon’s engine sends its power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, developed collaboratively with ZF. Its rear axle features an electronically controlled limited-slip differential.
Chassis revisions for the Alpina B3 saloon are identical to those fitted to the B3 estate, with a set of adaptive dampers, uprated Eibach springs, larger-diameter disc brakes, new brake calipers and a reconfigured electronic steering system. Alpina also offers an optional high-performance braking system with lightweight, drilled discs and uprated brake pads.
Alpina has also increased the track width and wheelbase of the B3 saloon over the standard 3 Series, which the company says will benefit the car’s handling. The revisions have allowed the tuning firm to fit wider alloy 19 and 20-inch wheels and tyres; Alpina’s trademark multi-spoke alloys are available as an optional extra.
Styling revisions for the B3 saloon include a new body-kit with a fresh front splitter, wider side skirts, subtly flared wheel arches and a revised rear diffuser. There’s also a new quad-exit exhaust system, smoked rear light lenses and a reprofiled boot lid fitted with a small lip spoiler.
The cabin of the B3 saloon can be trimmed to the owner’s preferences, with Alpina offering a range of upholstery, piping, embroidery and embossing options for the seats – and a choice of trim options for the centre console and dashboard. Elsewhere, the cabin is much the same as standard 3 Series, sharing its digital gauge cluster and iDrive infotainment system.
The new Alpina B3 will be available to order early next year, with first deliveries expected to arrive by mid-2020. Prices are yet to be announced, but we expect it’ll start from around £60,000.
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