By Matt Bird \/ Monday, 18 December 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
Alpina diesels aren\u2019t done just yet, that\u2019s for certain. There\u2019s currently still a lovely D3 S out there, as well as a D4, D5 and XD3. They\u2019re still pretty fantastic, too – we called the most recent Alpina 3 Series Touring \u2018the best and most desirable diesel-powered car you can buy period\u2019. High praise indeed, and wholly justified. <\/p>\n
But it feels like diesel could be half the price of petrol, twice as efficient and four times cleaner at the moment and it would remain out of favour. As legislators prevaricate on future fuels, so diesel sales continue to struggle. Certainly when Alpina becomes an integral part of the wider BMW empire, it\u2019s hard to imagine many diesel cars (if any) featuring in the lineup. Given how good they have been and continue to be, that seems something of a shame, if a wholly predictable one. <\/p>\n
Though not the first Alpina diesel, the F30 D3 era that launched a decade ago surely represented the very best of the breed. It had the undeniable appeal of a straight six, for starters; the four-cylinder D3s were interesting, and opened up Alpina to a broader audience, but they weren\u2019t the same. For \u00a35k on top of a 335d M Sport, D3 buyers were treated to more power and torque, of course, as well as a carefully revised chassis that brought the best out of a standard 3 Series that wasn\u2019t quite the standard bearer many assumed it would be. <\/p>\n
With suspension, steering and brake upgrades on top of the additional performance (plus, it should be noted now, hundreds of kilos less than a new 3 Series), the D3 was fantastic. It\u2019s easy now to recall even fairly recent cars a little too fondly, but even in period these things were raved about: Autocar put it ahead of a contemporary M3 as an everyday sports saloon; yours truly suggested that an Alpina like this made \u2018a compelling case for the ultimate do-it-all PH car\u2019, complete with genuine 50mpg potential. <\/p>\n
Perhaps a Touring would tick that box with even greater conviction, but it\u2019s still hard not to swoon over a D3 saloon like this. One of the early F30s (the build plaque says it\u2019s number 009), it\u2019s perfectly specced in Imperial Blue with Oyster Dakota leather and the Alpina multispokes. It presents well, bar the inevitable kerbing on those glorious wheels and stone chips up front, with precious little wear inside despite almost 80k on the clock. If it\u2019s been a motorway mile muncher, there really can\u2019t have been anything better. The odo readout is supported by iDrive service records and receipts. <\/p>\n
That a 10-year-old diesel 3 Series still commands \u00a325k says a lot about how well-regarded these Alpinas are (and a bit about how strong used car prices remain). While 335ds are commonplace and will offer up a very good compact cruiser experience, there really is nothing to rival an Alpina – however it\u2019s fuelled – for sports saloon supremacy. Don\u2019t be surprised if that 78k tally rockets up very quickly indeed – this diesel will do very nicely indeed.<\/p>\n