Alpina is known for making viable alternatives to BMW M cars, including the Z4M, but few surpass the legendary tuning brand when it comes to performance. That’s not a problem for the 2016 B6 xDrive Gran Coupe.
The latest Alpina creation pairs up its ridiculously long name with more power than the BMW M6 it is based on, giving the driver a worryingly large 600bhp and 590lb/ft of torque to play with – a petrolhead’s wet dream.
A hefty increase on the standard M6, then, which shares the same 4.4-litre V8, only in the case of the Alpina it has been fitted with two specially-built, larger diameter turbos, a high-performance water-air intercooler, additional intercoolers and various other engine optimisations and upgrades.
An eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and xDrive four-wheel drive work with all those ponies to make the 2016 Alpina B6 accelerate from 0 to 62mph in an unbelievable 3.6 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating Alpina to date.
The M6, meanwhile, arrives at 62mph six-tenths of a second later and is limited to 155mph, as with most German motors. The Alpina can keep going on to 200mph.
Alpina has, in usual fashion, been busy elsewhere. You get 20-inch Alpina alloys synonymous with the tuning company as well as a new front spoiler, new rear spoiler and twin-exit pipes at the back. There are also stiffer springs, Alpina damping calibration and high speed tyres.
Such a powerful car is obviously going to cost a lot of money, with some estimates coming in at around £100,000 and upwards. That’s not such a bad deal when you consider the slower and potentially more common M6 Gran Coupe costs from £98,145.
The last Alpina to roll into public was the B4 Bi-Turbo, a souped-up version of the 4 Series.
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