[XAlp]

The carwow thread and M340i / Alpina B3 comments reminded me of this recently on the Alpina forum:

… “I spoke to Alex a couple of months ago and he said their allocation of B3 GT's is now full up for the remainder of Alpina's existence before BMW swallow them up and make them into a trim line.”

So before much longer seems like the only real B3 will be a used one 😞

[Alscoob]

Wish I had the money for the Alpina versions..... especially the B5 GT

Shame they will come to an end soon, well the B5 already has!

[kzg1969]

While i like the idea - the ones i have seen are just not as nice as the M3T equivalent. For example, the ones in the local dealer only has the basic leather.....not exaclty the feeling of luxury

but

the optins of sunroof and towbar are welcome!

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by kzg1969

While i like the idea - the ones i have seen are just not as nice as the M3T equivalent. For example, the ones in the local dealer only has the basic leather.....not exaclty the feeling of luxury

but

the optins of sunroof and towbar are welcome!

And there shows the importance of choice - I'd take a D3 over an M3T in the real world, but the B3 would be my dream car. It will need to be an older one as a toy though...

[kzg1969]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

And there shows the importance of choice - I'd take a D3 over an M3T in the real world, but the B3 would be my dream car. It will need to be an older one as a toy though...

there - since youre a dirty diseasle fan.....( D10, not D3)

[martin10chk]

Originally Posted by kzg1969

there - since youre a dirty diseasle fan.....( D10, not D3)

Please don't give BMW’s design department ideas - they are doing badly enough already.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by kzg1969

there - since youre a dirty diseasle fan.....( D10, not D3)

I know less about trains than I do about cars - I just know an Alpina is discrete progress whatever the engine, whereas the latest M cars are look at me.... and I like discrete.

Except the M2. I'll have one of those as a manual please...to sit alongside my EV and Mini.

[TurboWeasel]

I hope Alpina doesn't become a trim line, but rather what AMG is to Mercedes. But at least BMW absorbing them will save them from going under, which is a positive thing.

This is a brilliant video. Real and enthusiastic craftsmanship. No hint of BMW takeover mentioned at all. In fact the CEO seemed positive about their future.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

I hope Alpina doesn't become a trim line, but rather what AMG is to Mercedes. But at least BMW absorbing them will save them from going under, which is a positive thing.

This is a brilliant video. Real and enthusiastic craftsmanship. No hint of BMW takeover mentioned at all. In fact the CEO seemed positive about their future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqb1YjQuOo8

I read somewhere recently that BMW plans to take over Alpina's manufacturing, producing Alpina cars in their own BMW plants. Not sure what this means for price but it should offer the potential for higher volumes, which was Alpina's challenge all along. Hopefully the design and development folks at Alpina will be allowed to continue to operate autonomously?

[Wills2]

They have been making Alpinas in the BMW factories for years on the same production lines as all the other models, so there will be no change there, they used to make the engines at Alpina (after BMW had sent them most of the engine) for them to fettle with different turbos and internals, but I think even that might have moved to the BMW factories.

I think Alpina has mainly been developing and testing their modifications with BMW building them for quite a while.

The original UK Alpinas used to be lashed up in the back of Sytner's workshop after all

So long as they keep the knowledge base, given that BMW will have had to authorise the models for quite some time I don't see where the drama comes from especially as hardly anyone bought one in the first place so it's not like we're invested in it.