1995 BMW B3 Alpina Switchtronic, £2800, Chinnor - Price Drop

Just curious really, mechanically how does this differ from the nearest BMW (presumably a 328)?

So the B3 engine is based on the 2.5 not bored to 3.0 litres to give 250 bhp and 320 nm torque iirc. Also the internals are reworked to Alpina spec including the cams, head, intake, ecu etc. it's not just a chipped 328 with a body kit.

When the shell arrived in the UK it is given a Alpina VIN and not a BMW one as this car was built by Sytners in Nottingham and still retains dealer stickers and plates.

Where a 328 gets to it's power curve this things lifts up its skirt and heads to the hills, in my opinion it is the gentleman's express whereas the M3 is a hooligan mobile!!! No offence intended :-)

Summer pub cruiser anyone?

The perpetual beat of live has not allowed me to dig deep, however tomorrow is a new day! Can you pm or send me a link etc of information around the mr2?

i had the earlier 2.8 version of the E36 Alpina and I actually preferred it to my M3.
the engines are torquey but also love to rev and easily make more power than they're rated at.

If i was in a position to buy another car (unfortunately got 5 cars atm) id be very tempted
good luck with the sale, have a free bttt from me

Welcome Wednesday and all that it holds!

shame you're selling, just found this one.

Just a bit of info, these e36's were actually built in Germany by Alpina and shipped over complete, Sytners only sold them on to the ordering dealer/owner, gone were the days they took everything out of the shell only to replace the parts with Alpina supplied items, so the e36 is a full on Buchloe built Alpina but they retained the original BMW vin number. I think not long after that (on the e46) they crossed the BMW vin out and stamped their own.

It's based on the then current 325i and used the US 3.0 M3 block (if I remember correctly). The 240bhp noted by Alpina for the B3 3.0 is very conservative (output varied anywhere from 250 to 260 odd) though and although not as quick as a 3.0 M3 under normal circumstances its not that far behind. Fantastically potent, torquey and great fun, and when the switchtronic works its brilliant, shame the system doesn't work on this one though (is it the steering wheel connections that have failed?).

Still quite a rare piece of kit, in 95 they only sold 8 saloons in the UK and over the B3's 3.0 life (before the 3.2 came on the scene) in the UK they only sold 21 saloons, so whoever buys it will have a rare car to live with.

Hello Sunday, still for sale or possible p/x up or down!

Up she goes