Alpina B4 Gran Coupe Review (2022)

The relaxation of the interior is mostly BMW primarily based but with Alpina touches, these types of as excellently stitched leather, a compact plaque on the transmission tunnel and the application of some carbonfibre trim. There is a distinctive Alpina treatment method on the instrument cluster and – now new – when there is someplace on the infotainment panel that demonstrates a automobile, it now shows the Alpina model, not the BMW on which it is centered. Even in the right color.

There are selectable chassis, steering and engine modes as on the base BMW, but on a monitor I figured I could as nicely choose the firmest chassis and angriest engine and gearbox, since on the softest placing, I would not uncover out significantly about trip convenience anyway. And with the major accelerative, braking and cornering inputs that a check keep track of places by a car or truck, the B4 holds up terrifically nicely for a substantial, street-focused motor vehicle on a incredibly hot working day.

The B4 is fiercely fast to speed up – -62mph is 3.7sec – with clean and speedy gearshifts and, in the sharpest motor and gearbox mode, the occasional and extremely delicate exhaust pop and burble on the overrun. It has a significantly less gravelly motor observe than I remember from a current M3/M4 knowledge, with some six-cylinder yelp, but emotion smoother and quieter than an M car. Watching some cars lap from a vantage point beside the observe, a fleet of turbocharged petrol or diesel Alpinas would make for a specially subdued monitor-working day sound. You largely only listen to them when you can also see them.

The B4 steers with medium velocity and fat (that’s selectable), and with superb precision. System actions are comparatively rapid and sharp but really controlled. There is gentle dive under braking, aiding plant the nose, and at the time settled into a cornering stance, the chassis stability is fantastic.

Alpina’s engineers talk a honest bit about finding the entry speed appropriate on observe. If you attempt to carry too substantially speed, this entrance-engined, 4.8m-very long, 1965kg motor vehicle will nudge into stabilising understeer, as it need to do – and as you may possibly like it to, in incredibly very long, really quickly sweeping bends.