30 Apr 01
The Alpina D10 Biturbo is an exquisite package of fun and sensibility brought to you by the master of exclusive BMWs. Alpinas are designed for BMW owners who demand more from their cars but find the M-power versions too extrovert. It's an image that lends itself easily to the concept of a performance diesel.
Based on the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder unit fitted to the 530d, the D10's engine has a biturbo system in place of the single turbocharger, together with second-generation common-rail fuel injection. This results in the magic figure of 500 Nm of torque (pulling power) or 369 lb ft in Brit-speak - a 67 lb ft increase over the standard car. Peak power is up, too, from 193 bhp to 245 bhp. Unfortunately, however, the turbo installation makes it impossible for the car to be converted to right-hand drive, so all UK cars will steer from the left.
Alpina claims a 0-62 mph time of 6.8 sec and a top speed of 158 mph, making it the fastest diesel saloon in the world. It's also impressively frugal: the combined consumption figures are 37.7 mpg for the manual and 32.1 mpg for the Switch-tronic automatic, although in our experience, an enthusiastic right foot will burn a gallon of fuel every 20 miles.
