While the appeal of wagons seems to have always split opinions ever since their inception, it’ll still be a topic that will never fade into oblivion. Why so? We figured that Alpina had a hand (or two) elevating this form factor's cool factor. Sure, Volvo’s 850 R served a loyal fan base from the mid 90s till date, and the current-gen RS6 Avant with close to 600bhp urges drivers to push them with a clenched jaw attitude, right till very far edges of unceasing grip levels - with two kids sound asleep at the rear.
But there is one that seemingly thrives on flying under the radar, so much so that its future very much built on present-day cult following could be impeded, or thwarted (for lack of a nicer word) by the parent in charge of its shells. I’m sure BMW will do Alpina justice by creating specials with big numbers to match, but one cannot help but rue the appeal of uninterrupted specialist works based in a town (Buchloe) populated by not more than 14,000.
When I think of Alpina, two buzz words come to mind - diesel and wagon. That would still form a microscopic view of the brand because Alpina makes plenty of petrol-powered world beaters like the continent-crushing G12 B7 bi-turbo (7 Series), and their compact sedans could tempt M enthusiasts away from making a trip down to Munich. But if you’re into offbeat choices, Alpina speaks your language.
In steps the F31 D3 S Touring, now on sale in Thailand as a near-new sample on display at Bangkok’s 25G car specialist. It’s based on the F31 330d donor car, but its motor is a modified version of the 335d straight six N57, tuned to push 345bhp and 700Nm. *Forgive me if the figures are under-declared as this "S" spec could squeeze even more power, but that only brings better news. A larger intercooler keeps both turbos running at optimum temperature, while the crankshafts are strengthened to handle additional torque. An 8-speed ZF gearbox and limited slip differential ensure power gets delivered to the rubber in need of more traction.
A 4.6 seconds sprint to 100km/h is not a mind-numbing number by 2023’s standard, but Alpina fans were never going to let this skew their perception of the brand. Handcrafted leather, big torque and more importantly Q-car appeal are what they’re after, even if this unit’s Classic Alpina Blue does no favours glistening in Bangkok’s blistering heat.
Priced between THB 6 to 7 million, it’s no loose change even for one that’s covered less than 3,000km. A new M2 costs THB6.3 million and the iX xDrive50 Sport is listed at THB6.2 million. But these are not the cars Alpina enthusiasts are after. They could already have a Spoon-fettled Honda S660 in the garage, or desire an Alpina to ferry his/her family to a holiday home in Khao Yai, where a Nissan March Nismo S resides.
It was never about brand prestige. Rather, it’s the appeal of fit-for-purpose specialist cars with strong story angles that makes for a garage aimed to please only one - the owner. And by this measure, Alpina cars in diesel estate trims make the cut…
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