ALPINA is an independent German car manufacturer and is certified by the German Ministry of Transport as one of the smallest car manufacturers in Germany. ALPINA and BMW have been working closely together for more than 50 years, and on March 10, 2022, the BMW Group announced the acquisition of Alpina, which also means that there will be more room for closer cooperation after 50 years of close cooperation, and then we will take stock of a small number of classic models of ALPINA and BMW in these 50 years.
ALPINA B4 BITURBO
ALPINA officially announced its entry into the Chinese market on October 28, 2016, and introduced alpina B4 BITURBO (based on the BMW4 series) as the first model sold in China, ALPINA produces about 1200-1700 units per year, but the initial memory in my mind is still this ALPINA B4 BITURBO very textured classic 20-frame wheels.
In the sales statistics of ALPINA in 2014, models based on the BMW 3 series and 4 series accounted for 50%, so it is not unusual to be the first model sold in China.
ALPINA then announced that the ALPINA B4 BITURBO was priced at 1.1 million yuan, but in the same period, the M4 base model, also based on the BMW 4 series, sold "only" 906,800 yuan.
The engine of the ALPINA B4 BITURBO is upgraded and enhanced on the basis of the N55 engine, and as described in the name "BITURBO", a turbine is added to the engine, with a maximum power of 410 horsepower, a peak torque of 600 N·m, an acceleration time of 0-100 km/h of 4.2 seconds, a top speed of 305 km/h, and a ZF 8AT gearbox that is very familiar to BMW owners.
ALPINA car logo is red and blue, red is the representative of the double carburetor, blue is the forged crankshaft, the original meaning is that ALPINA is the car company that upgrades the carburetor and the engine forging, and with the development of the interior, appearance and other parts of the upgrade.
The reinforcement in the interior is more about the difference in materials and details, the seat is red stitching, the steering wheel has different leather and two-color stitching, the airbag cover is marked with the ALPINA logo, and the blue dashboard bottom and the details of the red hands echo the color of the logo.
The biggest difference in the interior is the nameplate under the air conditioning control panel, which is a unique identification of ALPINA, and on the nameplate it will show that this is the first ALPINA B4 BITURBO in the world.
The font on the meter is more stout, and the speed at the bottom of the meter has also increased to 330km/h, but the backlight color and LCD instrument display are not much different from the ordinary version of the BMW 4 Series.
The ALPINA Classic pullers on the side of the body require an optional fit, but the eye-catching ALPINA Classic's 20-piece wheels are enough to identify.
The deepest impression of ALPINA is this classic 19-inch 20-piece wheel, which has become the unique logo of ALPINA in my heart.
ALPINA B5 BITURBO Edition 50
In 2015, ALPINA manufacturers celebrated the 50th anniversary milestone, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary, ALPINA built two limited edition models, B5 and B6BITURBO, both of which are limited to 50 units, and are available in two unique Alpina Blue and Alpina Green colors.
Powered by a 4.4-liter V8 Bi-Turbo engine, the ALPINA B5 BITURBO delivers a maximum output of 600 horsepower and 800 N·m of peak torque, setting a 50-year record for ALPINA.
The ALPINA B5 BITURBO accelerated from 0km/h to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and from 0km/h to 200 km/h in 12.7 seconds, with a top speed of 328 km/h, making it one of the fastest luxury cars in the world at the time.
The brakes are equipped with 395 mm Brembo discs and high-temperature brake pads, and the original factory comes standard with Akrapovic high-performance exhaust pipes. In fact, SINCE 2011, ALPINA has included Akrapovic high-performance exhaust pipes as a standard manufacturer, and is the first manufacturer in the world to do so.
Akrapovic high-performance exhaust pipes are titanium exhaust pipes from Slovenia that reduce weight by 17 kg compared to steel exhaust pipes, and the large diameter and movable flaps provide the most powerful sound that the V8 engine can achieve.
summary
Whenever I summarize the modification and upgrading culture and manufacturers of overseas manufacturers, I don't need to say much about envy, but the high price is also mixed in my heart. Not only car manufacturers have a history of nearly a hundred years, but also the history of this nearly half century of modification factories, it is difficult to say that it is difficult to be envious, and I only hope that the car culture that belongs to us and the "CDM" that belongs to us can flourish, develop rapidly, and export to the world, which may also be the scene that fans across the country most hope for.