Photo: Alpina
Next to the brilliantly fast Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe, the German tuner also unveiled its latest convertible at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. I’m talking about the B4 Biturbo Convertible, of course.
The new car, based on the 4 Series Convertible from BMW is the closest thing you can get to an M4 drop-top at the moment as it’s numbers are simply mind blowing, on par with the proper Motorsport product.
The engine under the bonnet is based on the N55 unit used on the 435i but it was drastically improved. It uses the same 3-liter 6-cylinder inline bank but has two turbochargers and was taken from 306 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque up to 410 HP and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque. Therefore it has less HP but more torque than the M4. How does that translate into performance?
Well, the B4 Convertible is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions and the difference between the two is noticeable. The former does the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.5 seconds while the latter needs half a second less to do the same, being faster even than the M4 and its 7-speed DCT gearbox (the official 62 mph reported by BMW being 4.1 seconds).
This amazing performance comes both thanks to the xDrive all-wheel-drive intelligent system and the added torque, in combination with a revised 8-speed automatic gearbox that uses Alpina’s Switch Tronic technology.
To achieve this power output, the Alpina engineers changed the turbochargers and the exhaust system alongside a new intercooler, new spark plugs from NGK and a forged steel high-strength crankshaft. A new, high-power fuel pump was also installed, to make sure there’s a constant flow whenever you need it.
The exhaust not is now changed, thanks to Akrapovic, being also lighter than the stock version by 7.5 kg. On the outside, other traditional Alpina features are also visible, from the front and rear bumper aero kits to the boot lid spoiler and the side stripes. Turbine wheels are still here, too.
Inside the car, LAVALINA leather will greet you, in various combinations, depending on what you prefer. The speedometer and the rev counter also feature Alpina design alongside the door sills.
The new convertible is now available in Europe for a starting price of EUR74,800, including VAT. Unfortunately, American customers are still left out, for now.
Update: We added some live photos of the car, fresh from the floors of the Geneva Motor Show 2014.
The engine under the bonnet is based on the N55 unit used on the 435i but it was drastically improved. It uses the same 3-liter 6-cylinder inline bank but has two turbochargers and was taken from 306 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque up to 410 HP and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque. Therefore it has less HP but more torque than the M4. How does that translate into performance?
Well, the B4 Convertible is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions and the difference between the two is noticeable. The former does the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.5 seconds while the latter needs half a second less to do the same, being faster even than the M4 and its 7-speed DCT gearbox (the official 62 mph reported by BMW being 4.1 seconds).
This amazing performance comes both thanks to the xDrive all-wheel-drive intelligent system and the added torque, in combination with a revised 8-speed automatic gearbox that uses Alpina’s Switch Tronic technology.
To achieve this power output, the Alpina engineers changed the turbochargers and the exhaust system alongside a new intercooler, new spark plugs from NGK and a forged steel high-strength crankshaft. A new, high-power fuel pump was also installed, to make sure there’s a constant flow whenever you need it.
The exhaust not is now changed, thanks to Akrapovic, being also lighter than the stock version by 7.5 kg. On the outside, other traditional Alpina features are also visible, from the front and rear bumper aero kits to the boot lid spoiler and the side stripes. Turbine wheels are still here, too.
Inside the car, LAVALINA leather will greet you, in various combinations, depending on what you prefer. The speedometer and the rev counter also feature Alpina design alongside the door sills.
The new convertible is now available in Europe for a starting price of EUR74,800, including VAT. Unfortunately, American customers are still left out, for now.
Update: We added some live photos of the car, fresh from the floors of the Geneva Motor Show 2014.
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