Item: Alpina B4 S
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The B4 S is an expensive car to buy, no question. That goes for those buying with cash, on a finance deal or on the extremely rare occasion somebody is allowed to run one as a company car. Lined up next to its rivals, it costs more than an Audi RS5 but less than a Mercedes-AMG C 63 at list price, although in both cases the differences are minimal. There’s a bigger difference between the B4 S and BMW’s M4, where the M4 is cheaper.

At least Alpina hasn’t skimped on the equipment: leather seats, climate control, sat-nav, DAB radio, LED headlights and 20in alloy wheels are all on the list. And, naturally, the options list is extensive, meaning the final price is capable of being staggeringly huge.

Selling so few cars in the UK every year means that we don’t have any residual value data for any Alpina, but you only have to look at the classifieds to see that their rarity, and exclusivity means values hold extremely well – easily as well as its rivals.

However, like those rivals, runnings costs will be steep. Driven spiritedly, the B4 S gets through a fair amount of fuel and its tyres won’t thank you for that either. A new set of the latter could run to four figures quite easily. Then there’s the servicing costs for its high-powered engine and the cost of insuring it against thieves – many of whom will be partial to the B4 S’s looks.

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The B4’s engine is one of the finest in the business. It’s a BMW 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol unit fitted with two turbochargers, which means when you push it hard, it’ll produce a ferocious 434bhp; ask it to pull from low revs and its stout torque means you rarely need to drop a gear in search of more go. It’s a brilliantly smooth engine, too, at any revs, and taking it close to its redline brings a wonderfully raucous straight-six noise from its sports exhaust.

An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard and feels urgent on the move when left to its own devices or when asked to swap gears using the B4 S’s wheel-mounted button changers. However, at slower speeds in town, the B4 S’s throttle response can feel a little sharp and the gearbox can struggle to keep up when creeping through traffic, even in Comfort driving mode.

Talking of driving modes, the B4 S has Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus settings, which bring an increasing amount of focus to its drive. These include weightier steering, better throttle response and stiffer suspension in search of more involvement for the driver. But even in its sportier settings, the B4 S isn’t the same animal as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m4/coupe/review/n17199">BMW M4</a>.

It’s softer, for starters, and doesn’t feel quite as eager to scythe into bends, but on the UK’s appalling Tarmac, that can often be good thing. It still steers extremely well (better than an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs5/sports/review/n17286">RS5</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/coupe/review/n17218">C 63</a>, for instance) and often feels more planted, especially in wet conditions. Being softer helps it feel less skittish, but also its standard limited-slip differential does a brilliant job of sending power where it’s needed for more effective cornering. And when the grip runs out at the B4 S’s rear wheels, it feels far less savage in the way that it snaps sideways versus an M4 in the same situation.

Also, when dialled back to Comfort mode, it’s far more comfortable than the rigid M4 on long journeys, despite wearing huge 20in Alpina-specific alloy wheels as standard.

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BMW supplies its cars to both its motorsport division M Sport and tuning house Alpina, but what results from each organisation is very different.

It’s best to think of M cars as hardcore, track-focused models that are hell-bent on lapping racetracks as quickly as possible. Alpina, on the other hand, is about long-legged performance, long-distance comfort and sumptuous luxury. It’s a tracksuit and trainers versus sports jacket and brogues situation.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5pEM8Tsx2Ng"></iframe>

The B4 S is Alpina’s take on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/coupe/review/n62">BMW 4 Series</a>, but it is closer to the range-topping <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m4/coupe/review/n17199">M4</a> in terms of performance. In fact, it has more power than that car – although the B4 S is fitted with the same basic 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, it has undergone some unique revisions by Alpina to produce more oomph. It’s available as either a coupé or convertible; it’s the coupé we’ve driven and are focusing on here.

But power isn’t everything. The B4 S costs a similar amount to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/coupe/review/n17218">Mercedes-AMG C 63</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs5/sports/review/n17286">Audi RS5</a> and, importantly, more than an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m4/coupe/review/n17199">M4</a>. Our review will help you decide whether it’s worth the extra.

The B4 S retains everything that’s great about the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/coupe/review/n62">4 Series’</a> driving position, but also a few things that aren’t so good. You sit relatively low for a sportier feel, but there’s plenty of electronic adjustment at the seat and wheel adjustment to ensure even the lankiest drivers should get comfortable. Less generous is Alpina’s decision (like BMW on the 4 Series) to leave out standard lumbar support – it’s a relatively cheap but frustrating optional extra.

Alpina is known for its luxury interiors and there’s no doubt that the B4 S feels a step above standard 4 Series models and the range-topping M4. The dash is covered in premium leather, the unique steering wheel feels just as plush and the door cards are similarly luxurious. However, just as in the 4 Series, some of the plastics further down the dashboard and some of the switches feel a little cheap at this price level.

Something Alpina can only thank BMW for, though, is the B4 S’s superb infotainment system. It’s essentially BMW’s professional iDrive system, which is made up of a wide 10.2in colour screen controlled via a rotary dial located between the front seats. Sat-nav, Bluetooth and DAB radio are standard, which is great, but it’s annoying that – like in the 4 Series – advanced smartphone mirroring technology Apple CarPlay costs extra.

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Coupe

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

ALPINA

B4 S

It won’t lap as quickly as an M4, but the B4 S is still a seriously fast, comfortable and decently agile sports coupé

Drivers of all shapes and sizes will be comfortable behind the wheel of the B4 S; there is plenty of shoulder room across the cabin. However, the centre console is a little cluttered when compared with, for example, that in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupé.

The rear seats are far from being a token gesture towards practicality. Even six-feet-tall passengers will be able to clamber in easily enough, thanks to the wide doors and front seats that slide far forward and out of the way. Once inside, there's a surprising amount of leg room, but the sloping roof means your passengers will have to slouch to stop their heads from brushing the ceiling. There’s only room for two in the back – with the space between them given over to an armrest.

As standard, the rear seats in the B4 S split and fold 60/40. Once folded down, the backrests sit at a slight angle rather than fully flat, and the parcel shelf is fixed so that there's a restriction on the height of objects you can fit into the boot.

The B4 S’s boot is on a par with those in similar rivals such as the Audi RS5, but is bigger than a Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupé’s. The boot's wide, square shape makes it relatively easy to load, but there is a deep lip so heavier luggage needs to be dropped (rather than slid) inside. With the rear seats down, there's even more room, and the rear passenger footwells double up as extra storage.

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It won’t lap as quickly as an M4, but the B4 S is still a seriously fast, comfortable and decently agile sports coupé

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

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