Alpina B3 Touring

FIRST DRIVE B3 offers a subtle alternative to BMW's M3 Touring

- Alex Ingram

IT'S been a big 12 months for BMW's M Division. Munich's motorsport arm celebrated its 50th birthday by releasing its first purpose-built M car since the original M1, which took the imposing form of the plug-in hybrid XM SUV.

A model much closer to M's original core values was the new M3 Touring, the very first big-booted hot 3 Series. It didn't disappoint, providing all the excitement of an M3 saloon but with the practicality of a 500-litre boot thanks to its wagon bodystyle.

Neither are cars for the shy or retiring, though, so if you want a more subtle way of going very, very quickly, there is an alternative: the Alpina B3 Touring. Recent updates have brought it in line with the latest 3 Series, including new, larger infotainment screens, but Alpina has made tweaks elsewhere, too.

Among the subtle cosmetic changes is a revised front bumper. It adds a little more menace to the face, but it's still very conservative compared with the M3. Our test car rides on optional 20-inch alloy wheels, although 19-inch rims are fitted to the B3 Touring as standard.

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