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      01-02-2014, 01:59 AM   #1
Boss330
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Alpina B3 (twin turbo N55) review by Chris Harris - Interesting on throttle response

Maybe this has been posted before, but interestingly it doesn't seem that the Alpina B3 has been mentioned in any of the discussions on how a twin turbo N55 can feel like.

The Alpina B3 has a N55 based engine, but with twin (2 - two) turbos and new engine management.

Alpina B3 has:

410hp 5500-6250
600Nm 3000-4000

0-100km/h in 4,2s (4,0s with X-drive)
Top speed 305km/h

http://www.alpina-automobiles.com/en...ta/saloon.html

Seems the throttle response is something Chris Harris is really pleased about in the Alpina B3, even compares it to a NA engine feel...



More info on the B3 engine here:
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/a...ive-2013-08-01

Quote:
The trouble is BMW no longer makes that engine, so Alpina has got hold of the tooling for it and is now making it themselves. In tuning circles, this is called going the extra mile.

So why do they bother?

Because they're German and believe that if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Alpina's engineers thought the twin turbo set-up better suited the needs of the B3, giving better low rev response and pick-up, and maintaining power better across the rev range. Nor is that the only change. The intercooler is 40 per cent bigger, the exhaust is by Akrapovic and saves 7.5kg, there's a new fuel pump, spark plugs, wiring loom and ECU. These are far reaching mods and they've had the desired effect. 410bhp and a fearsome 442lb ft at 3000rpm.


And while the turbocharged motor might not have the sparkling response of the M3's naturally aspirated V8, it makes up for it with a massively forceful mid-range that's more useful and exploitable in everyday driving. It's a perfectly tractable, well mannered and smooth engine

Last edited by Boss330; 01-02-2014 at 04:08 AM..
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