Alpina B8 4.6 Coupé: 3 Series with V8 engine

D as is not possible, BMW head of development Wolfgang Reizle said at the time said to Burkard Bovensiepen's mind game to plant the big BMW eight-cylinder in the new three-series E36. We have known since 1995: It works. Not on the assembly line, where the engine is implanted into the body from below. But at Alpina, where you can sink the Trumm from above in the engine compartment. Before that, however, the body-in-white of the 328i at the BMW plant had to endure 42 changes. And some components mounted in the front of the car, including brake booster and battery, had to be relocated. A newly designed oil pan provided the decisive installation space.

en. It doesn't sound raw and machine-like like large-volume Americans, but polished and subtle.

Small quantities, rising prices

The axle load distribution is exactly 50:50 despite the thick V8 at the front - not least because of the additional tank in the rear. And the chassis with the wide 265s on the rear axle can be quite comfortable. The Alpina B8, which can reach speeds of up to 280 km /h and of which only 221 units were produced until 1998, is suitable for long and short-distance journeys. An inconspicuous jewel if the Alpina decor is not glued. And in the case of the 23 convertibles built, a particularly sought-after car for connoisseurs and bon vivants. The prices have been rising for years, but are still a long way from the original price at the time in the region around 30,000 euros for good copies. Only the convertible scatters upwards enormously - if one is for sale.