Alpina B4 S 2018 review
Content
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
- How practical is the interior space? 6/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10
- What is it like to drive? 9/10
- Verdict
- Is Peter right? Is it anti-M4? Or just a detuned 4 with a bit of extra grumbling?
If you're looking for a sleek two-door coupe with a shiny chassis, rear-wheel drive and a charismatic turbocharged inline-six, BMW has about eight options for you. Then that's how it should be. But wait. There is something else.
Since 1965, Alpina - the name of the resurrected typewriter company - has worked closely with BMW to produce great, high-performance cars under the Alpina brand. It actually started with an unofficial modification of a BMW 1500 with a twin Weber carburetor in 1962 and evolved over the years into a racing operation that won championships and races like the Spa 24 Hours.
Alpina returned to the shores of Australia in 2017 after a long hiatus with a new lineup including the BMW 4 Series B4. Shortly thereafter, BMW updated the 4 in what it calls LCI (life cycle momentum), so Alpina followed suit with price cuts, new equipment, and called it the B4 S.
| BMW Alpina B4 2018: Biturbo | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | - |
| engine's type | 3.0 L turbo |
| fuel type | Premium unleaded gasoline |
| Fuel efficiency | 7.6l / 100km |
| Landing | 4 Places |
| Price from | $109,600 |
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
If you thought BMW didn't mess around with the prices of their cars, you better buckle up. The 440i-based B4S costs a hefty $149,900. That's $48,000 more than the $440i and significantly more than the $4 Pure. But there is plenty of gear on offer and a few original, bespoke Alpina add-ons.
Alpina branded alloys are standard.
Standard equipment includes signature Alpina 20-inch alloy wheels, 16-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo with DAB, super-soft Merino leather everywhere, dual-zone climate control, surround view cameras, reversing camera, sat nav, keyless entry and start, front seats . and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, heated and power front seats, head-up display, automatic headlights and active LED headlights, LED taillights and a power sunroof.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are noticeably absent.
The stereo system and satellite navigation are controlled by BMW's iDrive. It's a system cracker and almost does without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The lack of such simple pleasures at this price point is a little lame, but here we are.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
The Alpina has always had a particular aesthetic that could be ruthlessly described as West German mid-80s - all with the right angles and body graphics. Think of David Hasselhoff's image of the Berlin Wall. The company has never deviated from adding boxy body parts to the various BMWs it has renamed under its long-term agreement.
Alpina continues the mid-80s West German aesthetic with the B4S.
For the B4S, Alpina adds signature billion-spoke alloy wheels (just a slight exaggeration), a new Alpina-badged front splitter, an oddly proportioned trunk lid spoiler, and—no kidding—stripes. As I said, West German mid-80s. You might still recognize the sleek 4 Series coupe, but perhaps the worst thing about it is the giant, wobbly ALPINA B4S on the trunk.
Thin strips are hard to find in today's market.
The interior is rather restrained, except for the misplaced Alpina sign under climate control. Again, it's all 4 Series, with an abundance of fine Merino leather throughout the cabin. Less pretty is the wood on the door handles and console, but the door cards have oddly attractive woven leather that looks and feels nice.
Unfortunately, the stock 4 Series steering wheel doesn't hurt either. There's nothing wrong with that - although the Alpina logo looks out of place - but if I were a product planner, I'd ask for a prettier M wheel.
Merino leather is widely used in the cabin.
How practical is the interior space? 6/10
If you're up front, you're in luck - it's a comfortable seat with plenty of legroom and headroom. The rear bottom is not terrible, despite the coupe's roofline. Two comfortable shaped seats provide maximum comfort and are separated by an unusual plastic tray. The folding armrest has two cup holders.
Behind is not scary.
Passengers in the front seats fill a couple of cup holders (bring the total to four for the car), and the long doors fit a bottle in each.
The trunk holds a reasonable 445 liters, which is not bad at all.
The luggage compartment is a reasonable 445 liters.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10
A lot of your extra money ends up under the hood. The 440i packs a sleek BMW B58 turbocharged six these days, and the B4S does the same. The guys from Buchloe in Bavaria (there will definitely be women there too, I just liked the alliteration) added a couple of Alpina turbos to generate a whopping 324kW and, more importantly, 660Nm. Alpina says 600Nm (the shiny M4 CS's maximum torque) is available from 2000-5000rpm, with a full 660Nm available from 3000-4500rpm.
The B58 inline-six with Alpina enhancements delivers 324kW/660Nm.
The M4 Pure has 317kW and 550Nm of power from the S55 inline-six. Just to let you know.
Like the 440i, but unlike the M4, the B4S uses the reliably shiny ZF eight-speed automatic transmission found throughout BMW's lineup.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Alpina lists 7.9L/100km on the combined cycle, and we passed premium unleaded petrol at 11.7L/100km. I liked it, so it's not a terrible result.
What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10
The Alpina comes with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, ABS, stability and traction control, forward collision warning, front AEB, traffic sign recognition and active cruise control.
There are also two ISOFIX points on the back. Neither the Alpina nor the 4 Series has an ANCAP safety rating.
Warranty and safety rating
Basic Warranty
2 years / 200,000 km
guarantee
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10
Alpina offers a two-year unlimited mileage warranty, which is a little behind the times and not worth the price. Service is a different matter and you are charged your dealer's standard service fee.
What is it like to drive? 9/10
One of the key differences between the B4 and M4 is the smooth ride. While the M4 can crash over bumps and tend to be a little hard to live with, the crew at Bukhloe went after a much more luxurious ride. And in this they succeeded, because the B4 S is an excellent cruiser. Bumps are ignored with haughty disdain, even the stupidity of the "Sport +" does not completely negate the ride quality.
The steering is also very impressive. While the driving experience is still not on par with the Lotus Elise (few cars own it), the Alpina settings connect your palms to the road with more clarity than what you'll find in a 440i or M4. While the M4 especially adds too much weight, the 440i is a bit more circumspect in this regard.
And then we come to the engine. The B58 six is better than the N55 that preceded it. It's still a 3.0-liter straight-six, but it's part of BMW's modular engine family, which starts with a 1.5-liter triple in the Mini and 1 Series. The Alpina turbos are noisier, the Akrapovic exhaust is lighter and noisier. It doesn't have the all-out pop and pop like an Audi or a Merc (forgive me for the thought), but when you're on it, the B4 means business. With 660 Nm of torque, available over a wide rev range, provided by a steel fist wrapped in a velvet glove and bubble wrap, the speed builds quickly but smoothly.
The approach to chassis tuning seems to be based on the driving talents of mere mortals on regular roads, which is sort of like a 440i. It's an amazing pleasure to drive hard, but it's very forgiving and patient. The great thing about this is that you won't think twice before jumping long distances in it, the cabin is so comfortable and quiet. The M4 will leave him to die on a winding road, but that's perfectly fine.
One annoyance is the replacement of BMW's admittedly cheap paddle shifters for oddly tactile buttons. They are not particularly easy to use and, worse for a sports car, they are unsatisfactory. A strange detail with which you can get out of the reservation. The good news is that the eight-speed ZF is, as usual, the perfect "me", so you don't have to worry too much about manual mode or go the old fashioned way and use the shifter.
Verdict
You could almost call the B4 S the anti-M4. It's still fast and practical, but from a completely different perspective. It's much more of a grand tourer than the M4, and even with an Akrapovic exhaust (usually synonymous with joyful, anti-social racketeering), sophisticated.
For some, the price won't matter, because the Alpina delivers what they want - M4-like straightness without theatrics or uncompromising chassis. And there's also a bit of that twisted style exclusivity that you won't get anywhere else.
Is Peter right? Is it anti-M4? Or just a detuned 4 with a bit of extra grumbling?
