Alpina's Alternative to the BMW M5

Alpina, which has been tuning BMWs for years, has come up with a competitor to the new M5. It develops the same amount of power, reaches 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 195 mph Alpina does not believe in 155 mph limiters for its cars. As a result, it claims this is the worlds fastest production sedan and not many people would argue.

Heart of the BMW Alpina B5 based on the 5 Series, like the M5 - is BMWs 4.4 liter V-8. BMWs M Division does without turbos and superchargers. Not Alpina; they have adopted a centrifugal compressor, engine driven, to boost power throughout the speed range and produce the same power ouput as the BMW V-10.

Bu the system has a neat twist. At idling and when driving at low speed, the compressor does not operate, so gas mileage is quite good. A throttle plate upstream of the supercharger cuts it in and out according to load.

Mighty powerful with 500 bhp

This is a mighty powerful engine; at 2,500 rpm it develops 200 bhp, and ramps up to 500 bhp at only 5,500 rpm, so the character of the engine is completely different from BMWs V-10. Thanks to the supercharger, theres massive torque over a big range, with the maximum of 516 lb ft available from 4,250 to 5,250 rpm terrific mid-range power.

The engine drives through a ZF six-speed automatic, and the brakes, wheels and tires are all upgraded. The tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, 245/40ZR 19 at the front and 275/35ZR 19 at the rear these are just a bit narrower than those on the M5. The Alpina is also over 200 lb lighter than the M5 at 3,790 lb. Not a copy, a different approach to getting similar performance. Do you prefer revving to 8,000 rpm or getting a massive thump in the back at 4,000-5,500 rpm?

If you fancy something a bit more nimble, try the BMW Alpina B3 S Coupe. It is powered by BMWs straight six, bored out to 3.3 liter. It churns out 305 bhp at 6,300 rpm. Good for 168 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. A true competitor for many sports cars.

John Hartley is editor of www.fast-autos.com, an online magazine devoted to fast cars and supercars. He has written from many of the world's top auto magazines, and has written many books about cars and the auto industry, including 'Suspension and Steering Q&A' and 'The Electronics Revolution in the Motor Industry'.

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