Alpina believes they can do it better…
Notorious BMW Tuners, Alpina, revealed their all-new XD3 model ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The latest Alpina is based on the BMW X3 and is available with two different engines, depending on where you live.
The German tuners have treated the X3 to their usual exterior modifications, which include a much more aggressive front bumper, 22”-multi spoke alloy rims and a menacing new rear bumper that houses a quad-exhaust setup.
The interior of the XD3 differentiates itself from the regular BMW X3 thanks to the addition of an Alpina Sports steering wheel, a custom Alpina instrument cluster and subtle Alpina badges scattered around the cabin. Boot capacity remains at 550-litres, like the standard X3, however, capacity can be increased to 1600 litres after folding the rear seats.
A quick peek under the bonnet won’t reveal the petrol engine from the BMW X3 M40i. Instead, it is replaced by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel V6 capable of producing 246kW of power, which may seem mediocre at least until the 700Nm of torque kick in. This allows the Alpina XD3 to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, which is 1.4 seconds quicker than the diesel Porsche Macan S.
Unlike their right-hand drive siblings, the luckier left-hand drive XD3 models will be powered by a much more potent 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, which will be accompanied by four-turbochargers. The result is 286kW of power and a whopping 770Nm of torque.
An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard hardware in both models, while power is sent to all four wheels with the assistance of a tuned version of BMW xDrive. Alpina has also kitted the XD3 out with sports suspension and electronically adjustable dampers, while a limited-slip differential has been bolted onto the rear axle to further improve performance.
