Photo: Guido Ten Brink/SB-Medien
Remember the days when having two turbochargers strapped to the engine was a novelty of sorts? That was the 1990s and cars of that type included the Jaguar XJ220, but now, four is the norm when you’re talking BMWs and Alpina models. Speaking of the automaker’s favorite tuner, the XD3 and XD4 arrived in Geneva with 388 PS and 770 Nm (567 pound-feet) of torque.
Developed from the G01 and G02 generations of the X3 and X4, both models are equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel connected to the tried-and-tested automatic transmission from ZF. The goodies are channeled through all four wheels, and the performance is impressive. Case in point: 4.6 seconds to 100 km/h (62 mph). Top speed, you ask? That would be 268 km/h (167 mph) for the XD4.
Right-hand-drive vehicles for the UK aren’t as lucky, with Alpina offering 333 horsepower and 516 pound-feet (700 Nm) from a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.0-liter diesel. Nevertheless, that’s plenty enough for a compact-sized crossover riding on 22-inch lightweight forged wheels and gifted with an upgraded chassis.
Sports suspension, an active differential at the rear axle, electronically adjustable dampers, there’s a whole lot to like about these fellars. The cherry on top of the Alpina treatment, however, is the subtle body kit with a dinky spoiler and no less than four tailpipes. The XD4 goes one step further, adding a rear splitter.
The goodies list carries on inside the car, with customers offered a hand-crafted and leather-wrapped steering wheel, bespoke instrument cluster design, and a little plaque located at the bottom of the dashboard, right in front of the gear lever. Even by the premium standards of BMW, the Alpina-spec cabin is something to behold.
Pricing for either model isn’t available for the time being, but it will be soon enough considering the order books open in the second quarter of the year. Deliveries for the XD3 and XD4, meanwhile, are scheduled to start at the beginning of 2019.
Right-hand-drive vehicles for the UK aren’t as lucky, with Alpina offering 333 horsepower and 516 pound-feet (700 Nm) from a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.0-liter diesel. Nevertheless, that’s plenty enough for a compact-sized crossover riding on 22-inch lightweight forged wheels and gifted with an upgraded chassis.
Sports suspension, an active differential at the rear axle, electronically adjustable dampers, there’s a whole lot to like about these fellars. The cherry on top of the Alpina treatment, however, is the subtle body kit with a dinky spoiler and no less than four tailpipes. The XD4 goes one step further, adding a rear splitter.
The goodies list carries on inside the car, with customers offered a hand-crafted and leather-wrapped steering wheel, bespoke instrument cluster design, and a little plaque located at the bottom of the dashboard, right in front of the gear lever. Even by the premium standards of BMW, the Alpina-spec cabin is something to behold.
Pricing for either model isn’t available for the time being, but it will be soon enough considering the order books open in the second quarter of the year. Deliveries for the XD3 and XD4, meanwhile, are scheduled to start at the beginning of 2019.
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