I can’t quite put my finger on what it is that I like so much about this Alpina B6 Biturbo. In my defence, there’s a lot of goodness on offer such as the powertrain for starters. That 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 540bhp and 730Nm of torque. Usually, big numbers like these do the trick for me but we haven’t even got warmed up yet...
This magical mill is mated to an equally impressive advanced Switch-Tronic eight-speed tranny, which shifts gears with incredible crispness. But there’s more. Maybe I like this car because of the way it sounds? The Akrapovic-built Titanium Exhaust System sure knows how to rumble and roar. The B6 handles with aplomb too, so perhaps it’s the agile chassis and suspension that makes it feel like a grand tourer one minute, then a track-day beast when you put your foot down and meet with a corner the very next. And I haven’t even got to the way it looks. It could be that I’m smitten by the supple Lavalina leather in the lovingly crafted interior or the iconic Alpina Classic 20in wheels. Yep, there’s a heck of a lot going for this Alpina; time to take a closer look at all of the above, starting with that awesome V8.
It doesn’t just perform heroics but miracles too, what with a combined fuel consumption of just 9.4 litres-per-100km — amazing when you consider the monstrous output and its ability to propel the handsome B6 from 0-100kph in a little over 4.0 seconds. It’ll thunder on until it reaches an electronically limited 320kph, otherwise without the shackles it’d probably just keep on going. For performance and economy, the motor hits the spot. The all-aluminium powerplant boasts two turbochargers and each supply one of the two cylinder banks with a venomous shot in the arm. The result is an astounding amount of torque over a broad RPM range, not to mention an electrifying throttle response. It’s almost telepathic and feels as if it is going fast before you’ve even floored it. The engine really is a marvellous piece of engineering and features a high-performance cooling system, high performance Mahle pistons (which handle pressures of around 1.2 bar) and direct injection. Ha, to think Alpina started out making typewriters!
Handling all that power is the automatic, but this isn’t any old slush ’box. Built with some assistance from ZF, the advanced Switch Tronic eight-speed Sport Automatic Transmission isn’t just a mouthful — it’s also very, very good. You’d need a seismometer to detect the gear changes, it’s that smooth, and you don’t feel any interruption in the delivery of power when you put the pedal to the metal, which will be 99 per cent of the time. When you are just cruising along, it’ll do so nonchalantly in eighth; the rev needle barely rising above 2,500rpm.
Your wallet will be happy and though it has 20 horses less than the madder M6, you will want to behave just as badly behind the wheel. Stick it in Sport+ and the B6 kicks you in the face. The transformation is staggering. Gone is that suave boulevard cruiser and in its place comes a beast on the rampage. The gears change quicker, the steering becomes stiffer, the throttle response gets sharper and it sounds much angrier. Whatever is happening under the muscular bonnet is mesmerising. The Switch Tronic buttons behind the fat steering allow you to shift down in milliseconds for great bursts of speed. The gearbox can skip several gears (depending on the RPM and engine load) and the way the B6 hunkers down and delivers the goods is a delight, while the Automatic Up-Shift function lets you shift into a higher gear if need be, again skipping several gears.
This all sounds great, but how does this car actually sound? Great. Thanks to the lightweight Titanium Exhaust System (which is 50 per cent lighter than stainless steel systems), the B6 is an aural treat and rumbles deep into your soul. It’s not obscenely loud either. You can choose to mute the sound if you wish (you won’t) by selecting Comfort+ using the Drive Dynamic Control. This closes the exhaust valves when the RPMs are less than 3,000. I don’t know why I am telling you this; you’ll only ever leave it in Sport+ as the valves remain open and the tips emit a glorious V8 soundtrack you’ll want to sing and dance to. This is rock ’n’ roll at its best.
All that power would count for little without a chassis tuned for the task. Fortunately, Alpina has that covered as the 1,870kg B6 packs a host of electronic suspension technologies including Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive as standard to keep the ride comfortable and smooth when you’re sipping a coffee to downright frenzied when you don your Pilotis and want some drama in your life, and all at a push of a button. It handles both scenarios brilliantly from cushioning you from road imperfections like a good GT should, to behaving like a proper sportscar when you want to slice open some corners.
Last, but by no means least, to the way it looks — and the best way to describe the B6 is via an oxymoron; as elegant as it is, under the surface it’s as wild as they come. It is polished yet brutish and it’s this dual persona that really captivates you when you’re behind the wheel.
I love the integrated carbon-fibre splitter on the front spoiler. It doesn’t just look good, it does a grand job in reducing lift by as much as 14 per cent while the twin exhaust tips add to the eye-candy aspect.
It’s a similar case in the cabin, which is impeccably crafted and oozing class. The blue Alpina instruments and illuminated door sills look a treat while the hand-stitched steering wheel fits my hands like a glove. Throw in a wide range of toys such as heated and cooled and adjustable-just-about-every-which-way seats, a navigation system with Bluetooth and USB audio interface, and you can’t help but be impressed. The myrtle wood trim looks neat too and no matter what you prod or poke, you won’t be disappointed; the build quality is absolutely top notch. After all, this is a BMW — only much better than a bog-standard 6 Series. The only thing I dislike is the colour of our test car, but you can dress it up how you wish as the personalisation options are vast.
Alpina has been ‘fixing’ BMWs for more than 40 years and knows what it’s doing; the B6 Biturbo is proof. It actually begs the question whether a standard 6 Series is needed at all. I’ve figured out what it is that I like so much about this car.
It’s everything.
