2002 BMW 520i Alpina B10 3.3 Replica
This car first appeared on my radar when Scot, fully paid up and long time Geoffista got in touch and said ‘do you fancy an Alpina replica?’. I have to admit my first instinct was to say ‘thanks but no thanks’, usually any car that’s a ‘replica’ is a couple of Halfords badges and an optimistic seller, but this car is quite different…
What we have here is a good quality, well cared for BMW 520i with a manual gearbox. It uses the 2.2 litre 6 cylinder engine, and although the ‘real enthusiasts’ demand a 2.8 or 3.0 variant, the 2.2 is nothing at all to be sniffed at. It’s got a cheeky exhaust pipe and it pulls beautifully, whilst sounding fantastic and looking like a very serious vehicle.
It has covered just shy of 160,000 miles, and I can absolutely confirm that from the drivers seat, you’d never know. The engine feels fresh and strong, the steering is as good as a Sporty E39 can get, the handling is sublime and the road holding is just perfect. Often with a second hand M sport BMW the pure handling that Munich intended has gone awry thanks to numerous cheapskate owners and too many potholes – not so with this car, I was blown away by just how well it drove. We often hear the phrase ‘one careful owner’, and I’m sure Scott won’t mind me saying that he’s not only a careful owner, but pernickety to the point of being anal. During the test drive Scott was pointing out things that I’d have never noticed, even after a 250 mile drive. It was clear from chatting to him that this car had been a labour of love.
Now for the interesting bit… The Alpina parts. All of these are genuine, taken from a scrapped B10 3.3 and it’s even got a replica of the Alpina plaque which corresponds to the vehicle from which the parts were taken. It features all the correct kit, with some lovely touches. The wheels are aftermarket Alpina, because the genuine items are staggered (expensive tyres), rare and very costly to buy!
On the drive home from Cornwall I covered 250 miles, returning 35mpg. Most importantly the drive was an absolute joy. The way it sits on the road is superb, it feels reassuring, sturdy and well built, which is everything the E39 is known for. What we have here is an affordable, superb looking car that you could park at any classic car show, without being scared to use it and without the fear of huge maintenance costs. It’s a perfect Geoff car.
Not sure what to do with this one… yet. Keep your eyes peeled.
And the day after, 250 miles further North… (with some new number plates, and a clean)
Wow that looks very well indeed 😍😍😍
That’s A beauty… Don’t put stickers on it!! 🤣