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1994 Alpina B3 3.0 Coupe Number: 056


Click here or on any thumbnail to view the full gallery of 86 photos of this car.

Beautiful and exclusive!

Featured in BMW Car Magazine article January 2003.

An unmolested, low mileage example of a rare, and desirable Coupe.

This car is a proper Alpina Buchloe built car...not a Leicestershire built after-thought.

Beautifully specified and presented in Alpina Blue Metallic with full Alpina livery over heated black leather sports interior.

All Alpina refinements including wheels, steering wheel, gearknob, overmats, characteristic Alpina blue instrument dials and Alpina supplementary instrument binnacle, Alpina front air-dam (German documents confirm rear spoiler deleted as an option from new...thankfully (!), as this gives a much cleaner look to the lines without).

Other features and refinements include:

  • Heated front seats
  • Dual Climate control,Air-Conditioning with Air-Recirculate facility
  • Electric Slide and Tilt Sunroof
  • Electric Windows
  • Electric Adjust and Heated Mirrors
  • Heated washer Jets
  • Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
  • Map reading lights
  • Rear reading lights
  • Non-smoker's package
  • 3rd Seat Belt
  • Driver's Airbag
  • Cobra Remote Alarm and Immobiliser

    The 3.0 litre Alpina engine, gearing and suspension modifications make for a truly superb driving experience! The car is both fast and very smooth!

    Although nominally down by 36 bhp against the 3.0L E36 M3 (250 bhp vs 286 bhp) the peak torque figures are exactly the same but the torque curve is much flatter for the B3 with the peak arriving earlier and staying longer. This makes the power far more accessible and easier to use under normal road conditions. Granted if may lose out to the M3 on a track but it is far more tractable on the public road and the smooth, under-stressed engine is less likely to go "Bang!" on you!

    Straightline performance figures are very comparable with the 3.0L M3: A 0-62 mph time of 6.0 secs and a top speed in excess of 160 mph...Alpina never signed up to the gentleman's agreement amongst German car manufacturers to limit top speeds to 155mph! Please note that the available figures for the B3 relate to the more common 'Switchtronic' (semi-automatic) equipped cars. Remember this car is the much rarer fully manual version and hence is likely to have some performance advantage over the above figures!

    The gear change is slick, short and precise. The engine note is a deep bark on intial turn of the ignition key, muted when cruising but translating to the charactersitic vicious BMW straight-six snarl at high revs!

    Power is put onto the road via Alpina's typical suspension set-up of progressive rate springs and their own specification Bilstein dampers. The ride is very comfortable and benign during normal driving but 'tightens' when the load increases to give superb poise. Again, this is not meant to be a 'track set-up'...the whole car is designed for rapid yet comfortable road use. Think of it more as a "Gentleman's M3" !

    Despite the impressive performance this is actually a very economical car to have and run. Somehow the Alpina engineers managed to achieve very impressive fuel consumption even better than BMW's already impressive figures for their 3.0L M3! I have rarely seen less than 30 mpg and under careful cruising mid-30s is easily achievable...if you don't believe me come and I'll show you! Consumables such as brakes exhaust etc are all standard BMW 328i type items not the more expensive M3 items. The car is eligible for 'Modern Classic' insurance. I have such a policy with a limited annual mileage of 5000 miles for which I pay an annual premium of £298.35...pretty good for a 160+ mph car!


    DOCUMENTATION

    ALL appropriate documents (German and British) are present and correct. Including:

    'Original German 'Fahrzeugbrief'. This shows the original spec, Alpina modifications etc. Even the name, address and date of birth of the owner! Born 25.12.49...so clearly the car has always had 'mature' owners...sadly me included!

    Internationaler Zulassungsschein from 21/11/2001 when the car was exported from Germany and accompanying insurance documentation for this.

    British National Type Approval Certificate

    Previous MOT's

    Current MOT (until 22/2/06); Road Tax is until end June 2006

    V5 Document (in my name and address)

    Certificate of Installation for Cobra Alarm System

    Of course, as a 'proper' Alpina the BMW VIN is correctly crossed through under the bonnet and the car has its own Alpina VIN stamped into the chassis. In Germany Alpina is classed as a manufacturer in its own right.


    HISTORY

    The car has had four owners including me. The original german owner as above; imported by an englishman whose family run an exotic car storage business...the whole family seemed to drive Alpinas (see your copy of BMW Car Magazine Jan' 2003). He sold it to a local english fellow doctor who sold it to me.

    The car has never missed a service! All records of this have been meticulously kept! The Service Booklet is fully stamped up and every single invoice of expenditure on maintenance, consumable replacement/repair has been kept filed.

    The servicing has all been BMW main-dealer (Germany and U.K) until the last service (Insp II) which I preferred to have done by Moseley Motorsport (where I have my E30 M3 looked after) as I prefer the level of service, skill and knowledge there over my local BMW Dealership.

    The Servicing Records are as follows:

    (Delivery Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co, Buchloe 4/2/94)

    Oil Service 7111 km BMW Autohaus Sud
    Insp I 16575 km BMW Autohaus Sud
    Oil Service 25321 km BMW Autohaus Sud
    Insp II 38141 km BMW Autohaus Sud
    Oil Service 51475 km BMW Autohaus Sud
    Insp I 61657 km BMW Scotthall
    Oil Service 71217 km BMW Sewell
    Insp II 85823 km BMW Carrs
    Oil Service 97977 km BMW Carrs
    Insp I 109011 km BMW Carrs
    Oil Service 120866 km BMW Carrs
    Insp II 134740 km Moseley Motorsport


    Current mileage is 139800km (86,800 miles). The car is only used sparingly (in dry weather) being one of six BMWs I currently own. Hence it has only covered 3000 miles since the Inspection II and still has three green lights showing before the next service is due...which will only be an 'Oil Service'!

    Front brake pads and a rear wheel bearing were replaced at the last service. Additionally, I have had the A/C system serviced and a new condensor fitted so it now blows ice-cold. Most recently I fitted a new heating element to the driver's heated seat. The car has also just had a new battery. A laser wheel alignment has just been carried out.


    CONDITION

    Wheels: Just fully and properly refurbished to a very high standard...not by some 'man with a van' (car not used since). New Alpina centre cap badges. 4 keys and small cap pulling tool present.

    Tyres: All Michelin Pilot Sport. 225/45/17 fronts approx 6mm tread; 255/40/17 rears approx 4-5mm tread. Spare totally unused, never mounted on the car...note Alpina appear to have been too miserly to supply one of their own rims as a spare!

    Interior: Beautiful! All leather, carpets, headlining, dash, steering wheel etc are undamaged. The driver's seat (see photos) shows none of the excessive wear, cracking or tearing often seen due to carelessness and neglect. The leather has just softened with use (obviously!) but is in super condition. Please see the photos...These are what I call the 'money shots'! These are the ones you and I would always like to see in people's adverts but the ones they never show you! The other seats essentially look as if they have hardly ever been sat on! i.e leather still completely fresh and unsoftened.

    The car was just fitted with a brand new (for me!) quality Alpine Single CD/Tuner Headunit when I purchased the car. Additionally, I have replaced the frankly woeful original (made by Nokia) speakers with high quality MB Quart Reference Range Speakers and Crossovers in the front and MB Quart Discus Range 6x9" Speakers in the rear. Neither of these modifications show visibly as they are in the normal position covered by the normal speaker grilles. There are an additional 4 door mounted speakers (two of which were an upgrade) though these are not connected at present as it needs a better man than me to figure out the wiring! The original speakers will be supplied with the car...though frankly why anyone should want to fit these again is beyond me!

    The only interior 'fault' is the bulb supplying the back-lighting to the mileometer has blown...however it is still readable. Ordinarily this would be a simple job for me to replace...the E36 instrument binnacle is only held in by two screws. However, the supplemenary Alpina binnacle is in the way. This is only held by double-sided tape but the wire going to it appears to be somewhat short and I'm too worried to pull on it in case I disconnect it completely and can't reconnect it!

    The fold-down rear seats are a very useful feature turning the already fair sized boot into a really large compartment. I don't play golf or ski but I'd imagine you could easily get two sets of either sport's equipment in plus luggage for two?

    All tools, jack, wheel-brace, first aid kit and rechargeable torch are of course present.

    As a small 'touch' I had a tax-disc holder engraved to have the Alpina Crest, the car's model and it's own Alpina Serial number!

    Exterior: The Alpina Blue Metallic and Alpina livery are ALL original...the car has never been resprayed and it looks superb! The car has been 'Zaino'd and the depth of shine has to be seen to be appreciated. It is free of any major scratches, swirls, dents etc. However, please bear in mind THIS IS AN 11 YEAR OLD CAR STILL WEARING ITS ORIGINAL PAINT! Consequently, there are a few minor (and I mean minor) stonechips to the front nose and spoiler (which the camera fails to pick up easily). The only other 'noticeable' (and you have to look hard) blemishes are one (just one!) tiny dink the size of a 5p coin near the front of the passenger door (see photo with a 5p coin held adjacent to it for scale) and a couple of very small areas where some lacquer (only) has peeled on the lips of the rear wheel-arches.

    Whilst I am being probably over-harsh I do this for a reason. I am being this pernickerty as I wish to be as clear, honest and critical as I can be. I would not wish to waste anyone's time...and I don't expect mine to be wasted either! Unfortunately, previous experience (not related to this car) has taught me that, incredible as it may seem to the reasonable minded, there seems to be a small minority of misguided individuals who are under the misapprehension that they can find a 10 year old-plus car, with virtual super-car performance, with original paintwork but at the sametime without a single blemish...however small! Oh yes!...and then they want to have such a car for the cost of a packet of chips!

    If you have read this far but now feel you may fall into the above category please read no further...you are wasting everybody's time...and would be better off spending the same amount of money on a brand new car to meet your requirements! For the same money might I direct Sir to the KIA Picanto 1.1 (SE!) ...A very good car I'm sure! Unfortunately, at 64 bhp it has only one quarter the power of this Alpina and in 2 years time will sadly, probably be worth about a quarter of what this Alpina will be worth! Your Picanto 1.1 SE (!) will remain totally 'unmarked' for a little while which will make you happy but in the meantime...not exactly 'exclusive' is it?!

    In the meantime, I have no desire to listen to you "Um and Ah", watch you stroke your chin or employ any other tyre-kicking techniques in the hope that you can knock the car's price down. People who know about the marque and cars in general however are very welcome to view!

    The underbody and wheel-arches have been cleaned and waxed. Where easily accessible I have also re-coated exposed suspension parts in fresh rust-proofing paint.

    I hope the numerous photos speak for themselves with respect to the condition and presence of this car? In the flesh it never fails to draw admiring comments.


    SUMMARY

    This car is serviced, MOT'd, Taxed and ready to enjoy!

    It is exactly what it says on the dash-board plaque: an "Exclusiver Automobile".

    It is rare, desirable, smooth, powerful and visually stunning.

    Care and maintenance has been meticulous and as such it should hopefully give trouble-free enjoyment from a non-depreciating asset.

    This is performance Coupe well appointed for distance travel but in fully manual form it will also appeal to 'real driver's'!


    Price £7995

    SOLD



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    About Me


    Relevant articles:

    The Nikasil Issue
    BMW Servicing
    Fuel Calculation





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