Car of the week - October 8 - BMW Alpina b6 Biturbo Gran Coupe

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  • Car of the week: BMW Alpina b6 Biturbo Gran Coupe.

    When Burkard Bovensiepen designed a multi-carburettor unit for the new BMW 1500 to increase its power in 1962 he couldn’t have envisaged that as he worked, using machines in his father’s typewriter factory in Germany, that he was creating what would become an iconic brand, dedicated to ultimate performance and individuality.

    Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen KG was formed on January 1, 1965 with eight employees and 50 years later it is now recognised as a manufacturer in its own right, producing around 1,700 cars a year, exquisite machines based on BMW, a partnership that has also lasted half a century.

    – Car of the week: October 1 – Cadillac ATS-V Coupe

    – Car of the week: September 24 – Hyundai Sonata 2.0-litre Turbo
    – Car of the week: September 17 – Dodge Challenger R/T
    – Car of the week: September 9 – Corvette Stingray Convertible

    Alpina, who have enjoyed enormous success in motorsport, produces a series of road cars based on BMWs designed for, in the words of Bovensiepen himself ‘a small circle of connoisseurs who appreciate the extraordinary and who know how to enjoy pleasure – automotive gourmets’.

    If you have an Alpina then you truly have something special and one look at the graceful, yet gorgeously aggressive BMW Alpina B6 Biturbo Gran Coupe, which is based on the BMW 650i Gran Coupe, fills you with anticipation of what to expect from this stunningly beautiful car. It is the first four-door coupe in the Alpina model line-up and represents sophisticated motoring with more than a touch of panache.

    It’s design is long, and sleek, with a stunning front dominated by the sculptured bonnet with carbon-fibre air-vents which leave you in no doubt that this is one powerful piece of kit. Take a look from behind the car and the rear continues the theme of athletic muscle, perfectly proportioned with an subtle spoiler and twin exhausts.

    The car sits on signature 20-inch Alpina wheels which set the whole thing off perfectly.

    To look at, then, this car is a masterpiece and one that really turns heads and the emphasis on top-end luxury continues inside with extraordinary attention to detail.

    Only the finest materials are used and there are endless options to personalise this car, depending on your taste. Our test drive car had fabulous red and black leather, including the hand-stitched Lavalina leather steering wheel, and a piano lacquer trim and it really did look the business.

    There are Alpina badges on the centre of the steering wheel, stitched into the backs of the seats and floormats and Alpina logos on the door sills.

    Each Alpina also comes with an exclusive production plaque with the model-specific build number.  The instrument cluster, in Alpina blue, is modern yet classic and there is a large infotainment touch-screen on the centre-dash.

    The whole package leaves you feeling pretty special and that’s  before you even start this thing up. Push the ignition button and you awaken a 4.4 litre, twin-turbo V8 with a very tasty 540bhp and a generous helping of torque at 730nm.

    It is married to an excellent ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox with Alpina Switchtronic for smooth power delivery to the car’s four-wheel-drive system.

    This Alpina is so posh that it turns its nose up at such common things as paddle-shifters and instead has Switchtronic buttons which are integrated into the back of the steering wheel which, to be honest, felt a bit weird.

    Although this car is all about power and looks extremely aggressive there is nothing lairy about the way it performs.  Everything happens  in refined yet super-responsive fashion. Even the engine, which does make an extremely pleasing growl, does so without shouting about it.

    Put pedal to metal and the  power is delivered immediately and effectively propelling this B6 from 0-100kmh in 3.8 seconds. The BMW xDrive system delivers great traction and the car sticks to the road as if it is on rails, no matter how fast you throw this machine into corners. You couldn’t get the back to step out like you could in an M6, but this car is not aimed at that market.

    The chassis and suspension systems are designed to deliver ultimate comfort at speed and there are four drive modes; Comfort, Comfort Plus, Sport and Sport Plus.

    The car behaves impeccably whichever one you choose but Sport and Sport Plus are the most rewarding. This is one of those cars which is almost impossible to fault, it really is that good, but, as with all high-end products, the price tag is a hefty one at Dh715,000.

    But, let’s face it, you’ll never find a gourmet dining out in a cheap restaurant.

    Verdict

    In the automotive world, like everything else, you get what you pay for. Yes, this is a very expensive car but you are getting something extraordinary it can be as distinctive as your imagination will allow with Alpina customers able to choose their own interiors and paintwork. It is a delight to drive and the feeling you get behind the wheel of this Alpina is uber-satisfying.

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