The BMW Alpina B5 at a glance
The BMW Alpina B5 is difficult to compare
Almost at the same time we had the new Mercedes E-Class and the BMW Alpina B5 in the test department (combined fuel consumption: 11.2 l / 100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 256 g / km²). The car connoisseur knows that the 5 Series has also received a facelift this year (at BMW Life Cycle Impulse or LCI for short) in order to be able to keep pace with Daimler and Audi. We have already seen a lot of potential for leadership within the upper middle class in the E-Mercedes. But the BMW Alpina B5 Biturbo in particular is not a car that can be explained by simple comparisons.
The customer is king
You buy an Alpina when you are quite sure what you want. When you’ve had enough of the monotony of the big manufacturers. Of course: the book lovers also have to subordinate themselves to the large series from BMW. But they continue to do it with a lot of subtlety and manual skill. And that’s why we’re not going into the V8 biturbo in the front of the B5, but rather the inner values, a good meter further back. There in the passenger compartment, the inclined customer, provided they have the necessary financial strength, can go to extremes.
There are hardly any limits to individual taste
Shift paddles made of CNC-milled full aluminum, diamond applications in the headrests, embossed logos in Alcantara cover and, last but not least, leather in all possible and impossible places can be implemented. For example, the slats of the ventilation nozzles or the covers of the seat frames can be covered individually. If the customer demands even more exclusivity, Alpina serves the finest Lavalina. A breathable and extremely robust aniline leather skin that is otherwise only used by Rolls Royce in the automotive industry.
The dignified appearance suits the B5 best
In the case of our test car, the interior is kept in dignified black and is complemented by fireplace red accents, which in turn flatter the exterior paintwork in BMW Individual Aventurine Red II. Very comfortable comfort seats are now part of the standard equipment of the Alpina B5 and can be expanded to include seat air conditioning and a massage function.
The B5 puts a smile on your face
The latter is an advisable feature that will keep your back happy on longer stages. The standard seat heating and the favorite music playlist are switched on via wirelessly connected Apple CarPlay and you can’t avoid sitting in the car with a smile. Especially not when the obligatory BMW Live Cockpit in Alpina design shows outside temperatures in the minus range.
Guardian of the V8 Grail
You will really warm to your heart at the latest if you only lightly press the accelerator pedal. Because with all the luxury in the interior, the BMW Alpina B5 is primarily there for driving. A truly impressive and 457 kW / 621 hp V8 engine pushes up to 800 Newton meters of torque to the crankshaft. The eight-speed automatic “Switch Tronic” (behind which a ZF converter with Alpina-specific tuning is hidden) and the xDrive all-wheel drive with optional rear axle differential lock, the power is brought to the road.
Driving performance of a super sports car
In an amazing 3.4 seconds you will be catapulted from 0 to 100 km / h in the B5 sedan, after only 11.3 seconds you will reach 200 km / h. The end in the field is – without electronic limitation – at an equally insane 330 kilometers per hour. At this speed, a BMW M5 Competition (combined fuel consumption: 11.3 l / 100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 259 g / km²) is only a dab in the rearview mirror.
Nothing can replace torque
But the real culmination of driving pleasure does not come from high-speed trips. Much more impressive is the bearish torque, which is available in full from 2,000 tours. The 4.4-liter V8 biturbo accelerates the sedan with ease and almost hovering overhead, and rarely gets lost in the upper speed ranges. In addition, there is the exclusive Comfort Plus mode, which lets the adaptive chassis come a little further. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the steering, which is already very smooth from the central position, provides even less feedback.
The Alpina B5 chases 7s as well as 911s
If you activate the sport mode, however, the B5 pulls the reins tighter. The gearbox now shifts faster, the engine revs up (but does not get noticeably louder), the chassis works more responsibly. There are other cars for the circuit, but hardly a better one for the motorway. Even though the B5 stretches clearly in the direction of the 7 Series BMW on the long haul, the two ton sedan is a real fear opponent for 911 pilots on the pass road due to its very rear-biased design (and the active roll stabilization).
Economical when it counts
Alpina and Porsche also have in common that with all the performance offered, profitability does not have to suffer. That means: If you want, you can move the eight-cylinder with less than ten liters of Super Plus for 100 kilometers. In the real third mix, it is a good 12 to 13 liters that the B5 approves according to the on-board computer. This means that the Allgäu is also very close to the official factory specifications of 11.2 liters per 100 kilometers (NEDC).
Conclusion
The BMW Alpina B5 is currently one of the best performance sedans on the market. The combination of performance, suitability for everyday use, understatement and manufacture-like quality is unparalleled, the possibilities for interior customization are impressive. At the highest level, only the somewhat smooth steering and the subdued engine sound are worthy of criticism. As expected, the Alpina B5 with all its refinements is not a special offer. The leather work alone quickly costs as much as a new small car. (Text and image: Thomas Vogelhuber)