50 years means special editions and more power from Alpina.
[Not a valid template]Legendary BMW enhancer Alpina celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion it’s bringing out a range of special edition, very powerful cars.
The company is creating 50 enhanced B5 Bi-Turbo saloons (or estates) and 50 B6 Bi-Turbo coupes to mark the half century, each with fettled V8 engines and a boat-load of power. The B5 is based on the BMW 5 Series, while the B6 is based on the 6 Series.
The Edition 50 cars boast 591bhp and 590lb ft from the revised BMW 4.4-litre V8, which gives them a 0-100kph time of 4.2 seconds and top speeds of 328kph. The extra power comes courtesy of two Alpina-specific turbochargers sat in the middle of the V, delivering up to 1.2 bar of pressure. Tweaks have also been made to air flow optimisation, shortening the intake paths to improve throttle response. A big air-cooled intercooler and two smaller water-cooler intercoolers keep everything frosty. Inside the engines, new lightweight pistons have been installed to cope with the higher heat generated by the engine.
The Edition 50 models have 59bhp and 52lb ft more than the standard B5 Bi-Turbo, and comes with a two-year BMW-backed warranty.
Other additions include a restyled version of the Alpina Classic wheels, each of which are 15.6kg lighter than the previous version. Each wheel carries the Edition 50 logo on the rim. A lightweight titanium exhaust saves 17kg compared to a stainless steel system.
Inside, trim panels are finished in piano black with Edition 50 and the company founder’s signature emblazoned in front of the passenger seat. A ‘1965 – 2015’ logo appears on the seat backs, the carpets and the key ring, while each car’s production number will be shown on a plaque fitted to the centre console.
The Edition 50 cars are available in either Green, Blue or a special Edition 50 Sepia created by BMW individual.
Alpina was started in 1965, and grew through racing success with BMW. Alpina drivers have included Derek Bell, James Hunt, Jacky Ickx and Niki Lauda. Perhaps the most notable achievement with BMW was the development of the lightweight BMW 3.0 CSL. Today, it focuses more on road cars, producing 1700 cars a year, all based on BMWs.
