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01-02-2014, 01:59 AM | #1 | |
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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:
Last edited by Boss330; 01-02-2014 at 04:08 AM.. |
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01-02-2014, 09:54 AM | #2 |
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Not sure why this is surprising. When the N54 came out WITH ITS ORIGINAL TUNING, the reviews were basically that it was incredibly hard to tell it wasn't an NA engine anywhere above 2000 rpms.
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01-02-2014, 10:08 AM | #3 | |
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My point is that when a Alpina twin turbo N55 can get that good reviews, then there is hope that BMW M has made a good job as well |
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01-02-2014, 10:13 AM | #4 | |
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First of all he asserts that the older engine - the N54 is the only one he could be referring to based on his words - is no longer in production which we all know is flat out wrong. It is still in use in the Z4 35i and 35is. Secondly, with Valvetronic, the B3 engine is no more an N54 than an S55 is, which is to say not an N54 at all really. If you remove everything bolted to the head, its basically an N55, no? I mean, I don't know whether they use a bone-stock N55 long-block or upgrade some of the internals such as timing assembly or cams or what have you, but why even talk about the N54 at all? In my mind they've taken an N55, removed the turbocharger and all supporting equipment, and replaced it with a twin-turbo setup. If I recall there was some claim elsewhere about them using an N54 block casting, but it's not clear why that would even be necessary, and even less clear that it would effect the character of the engine anyway. And for that matter, it's not even clear what the difference is between an N54 and N55 block to begin with - or indeed if there is any difference at all. I guess I could easily answer that last part by looking it up in one of the parts databases. In the end, if this engine has Valvetronic (and by the way, I don't know if Alpina even states anywhere that it does, do they? Not sure TBH), then its an N55 with TT setup much like the S55 although without the new closed deck block and other reengineering BMW has done to the rest of the long-block. That all being said, there is every reason to believe that the S55 will be as responsive if not more so than the B3's TT N55. I just don't like the wonky over-romanticized embellishment about rescuing the N54 from the trash bin or whatever. |
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01-02-2014, 10:17 AM | #5 | |
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01-02-2014, 11:27 AM | #6 | ||
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My interpretation is that they have the tooling to cast the exhaust manifolds. The official thread on the Alpina B3 also states that it's a N55 with twin turbos: Quote:
So, the B3 N55 has many of the S55 features such as twin turbos, electronic wastegate and forged crank. Last edited by Boss330; 01-02-2014 at 11:37 AM.. |
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01-02-2014, 01:55 PM | #7 |
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I really don't know about all that. I have three friends that each own a pre-LCI E82 135i. I've had plenty of wheel time behind an N54, and they've all had lots of time behind the wheel of my car. All four of us agree that the throttle response is nowhere near as close on the N54 as it is on a good N/A engine.
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01-02-2014, 03:28 PM | #8 |
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Sounds kind of quiet, even with the Akra! If Chris likes the Alpina, here's to hoping he's pleasant about the M3 and M4.
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01-03-2014, 03:27 PM | #9 |
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Relative has a slew of meanings. These are terms used in the 1m review and m5 review where owners have already stated otherwise.
Btw i made the news section with this |
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01-07-2014, 11:55 AM | #10 |
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you can clearly see on the video that they are using N54 turbos and pipings,
maybe they have upgraded internal wheels like RB turbos and vacuum activated WG from N54 that is how the engine should have been built from BMW.... |
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