Ever wondered how fast an Alpina-tuned BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is around the Nurburgring? Wonder no more because the following clip stars the 2023 model year Alpina B4 Gran Coupe and Sport Auto test driver Christian Gebhardt behind the wheel. 7:52.11 may not seem all that impressive compared to the 7:15.67 of the M4 CSL, the fastest lap ever for a series-production BMW, but don’t forget the B4 isn’t an M car.
Revealed in March 2022, the B4 Gran Coupe begins life as the M440i Gran Coupe, an M Performance car that flaunts an inline-six powerplant. Codenamed B58, this lump is yanked out by the peeps at Alpina in favor of the M-specific S58. Remember that BMW doesn’t offer a full-blooded M version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe. That’s why Alpina developed the B4 Gran Coupe to be the closest thing possible to a BMW M4 Gran Coupe.
It should be mentioned the S58 in this fellow is also tuned by Alpina for this exact application. Flow-optimized turbine housings are featured, effectively converting exhaust gas energy into boost pressure at low revolutions per minute. A large intercooler, an optimized air intake duct with large-volume air filter housings, two relocated coolant fluid coolers, cooling air ducts with optimized cross sections, and a 1,000-watt electric fan are also featured.
As opposed to 503 horsepower at 6,250 to 7,200 revolutions per minute and 479 pound-feet (650 Nm) of torque from 2,750 to 5,500 revolutions per minute in the M4 Competition, the Alpina-modded S58 prides itself on 488 horsepower at 5,000 to 7,000 revolutions per minute and 538 pound-feet (730 Nm) between 2,500 and 4,500 revolutions per minute. Starting at €91,800 or $99,570 at current exchange rates, the B4 Gran Coupe sends those resources to all four wheels with the help of a ZF-supplied tranny.
The 8HP76 is the culprit, and it’s not stock either because select components are beefed up. Equipped with the standard-issue Alpina Classic 20-inch and 20-spoke wheels, the B4 Gran Coupe five-door liftback sedan hits 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 3.7 seconds. Maximum speed? That would be 301 kilometers per hour (187 miles per hour), thank you!
Even though it’s more of a grand tourer than an outright performance car, the B4 Gran Coupe features a number of performance-oriented chassis and suspension optimizations. On the other hand, these optimizations don’t hold a candle to the know-how of BMW M. Upgraded bushings and mounts open the list of improvements on this front, along with dome-bulkhead reinforcement struts and a 1.25-degree negative camber for the front axle.
Alpina-developed front axle anti-roll bars, a specific adaptation of the variable damper control, and a bespoke spring and damper configuration are included in the aforementioned price. A sporty car wouldn’t be complete without serious brakes, namely 395- and 345-millimeter discs fore and aft, squeezed by fixed and floating calipers. Alpina also offers a high-performance system with drilled composite brake rotors for some additional euros.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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