Over the past decade, it feels like many performance cars have become difficult to use, and I’m not talking about the power. It seems that everything these days needs to be stiffer, more harshly sprung, less comfortable, and more about pummelling the road into oblivion rather than breathing with it. Thankfully, through the second half of the 2010s, not everyone forgot how to make a great road car. This is the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe, a factory authorized tuned BMW for the real world, if your real world has sections without speed limits.
Instead of being some sandpaper-rough glass-chewing beast optimized solely for test track times and figures, the B6 Gran Coupe was tuned for the road. No overly harsh suspension, no zero-compliance solid mounts for the subframes, just a comfortable, tactile, luxurious sedan that could rip down the autobahn at breakneck pace, keep up with lighter machinery on backroads, and not fuse your spine together over Belgian cobbles.
It was a car for connoisseurs, sold in America on a purely if-you-know-you-know basis. Fewer than 1,000 made it across the Atlantic, yet most model years of this attractive but largely unassuming sedan could keep top-end pace with a Ferrari F40. However, pricing hasn’t flung off into exotic territory, because this is a 201 MPH sedan you can buy for the price of a Hyundai Elantra N.
What Are We Looking At?
It all starts with a BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe that was pulled off the line in Dingolfing and sent over to the wizards at Alpina in Buchloe for some serious revision. We’re talking heavy engine modifications, Lavalina leather, special suspension, blue dials, a body kit, giant turbine alloy wheels, a titanium exhaust system, the works, all because the regular 650i Gran Coupe wasn’t good enough for Alpina’s standards. Once the transformation was complete, a new name was bestowed upon this four-door version of a two-door version of a four-door car: Alpina B6 Gran Coupe. Launched in America for the 2015 model year with 540 horsepower, it was a tempting proposition, but 2016 would be worth the wait.
For the B6 Gran Coupe’s second model year in America, Alpina decided it wanted to take the title from the M6 Gran Coupe in blood. Tweaks to the induction system and fuel system boosted output to 600 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque. Top speed? Officially, 201 mph. Goodbye, M6, Bentley Continental Flying Spur V8, and Mercedes-AMG E 63 S. On a long enough stretch of derestricted road, the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe would simply walk away.
However, the shocking part about the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe isn’t the supercar-baiting top speed, or the heavy-hitting output, or the fact that it ran from zero-to-60 mph in 3.3 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds at 116.6 mph during Motor Trend instrumented testing, it’s the refinement. While an M6 is meant to be track-capable, the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe is an unabashed Autobahn and backroad sledgehammer, a drama-free rocketship that flattens out potholes and resolves as an NHRA-baiting bubble of calm that exhibits all the traits that made enthusiasts fall in love with BMWs. As per Motor Trend:
In addition to the real-world plus of having four driven wheels, it benefits from a medley of other tradeoffs that make it a better road car. The B6’s ZF-sourced eight-speed torque-converter transmission is far smoother in everyday driving than the M6’s clumsy dual-clutch unit. Its hydraulically assisted steering is light and communicative, unlike the M6, whose steering was apparently tuned by marketing people who think that heavy means schporty. The M6’s three driver-selectable levels of power steering assist are equivalent to the system being low on fluid, completely out of fluid, or, in its sportiest mode, just plain broken. A harsh judgment, but a true one.
The Alpina’s rear subframe is isolated from the chassis with bushings, and as such, its occupants experience less road and impact noise. Although it rides on the same-size 20-inch wheels, the Alpina’s ride is far more supple than the M6’s. It soaks up bumps that have the M car bouncing and pogoing. Although its steering ratio is far slower (18.7:1 versus 12.7:1), the Alpina setup offers better on-center communication because it dances in your hands the way good BMW steering used to.
What we have here is the ultimate four-door BMW of the 2010s for the road, one that’s communicative, inviting, pliable, sumptuous, progressive, and totally under the radar. Only 907 of all variants were sold in North America, yet despite this extreme rarity, the best BMW nobody talks about is now available for sensible money.
How Much Are We Talking?
If you dig the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe, you’re probably a fan of performance sedans, so let’s benchmark our favorite cheap new performance sedan, the Hyundai Elantra N. Bristling with feedback and spirit, the stick-shift Elantra N starts at $35,545 including freight, and you can totally buy a 2016-plus Alpina B6 Gran Coupe for that sort of money. For instance, this 2017 model sold on Cars & Bids back in December for a mere $28,250. Okay, it did have 95,100 miles on the clock, but with a clean Carfax showing both BMW dealer and independent specialist servicing, this Frozen White example is worth a look.
Then again, caring for satin paint can be a bit onerous, so what about something in a more demure spec with history outside of the rust belt? This 2016 Alpina B6 Gran Coupe sold on Bring A Trailer for $32,250 last year, and if you’re okay with Space Grey over black leather, it looks brilliant. According to a clean Carfax, it spent all its life in the southwest, and had 82,000 miles on the clock when it sold.
I get it, waiting for the right auction to come up can take ages for such a rare car, so what can the classifieds offer? Well, how about this 2016 model up for sale in Virginia for $29,999? Sure, black-on-black isn’t the most exciting color combination, but this thing has just 61,415 miles on the clock. The downside? It does have a minor hit on its Carfax from 2017. Still, if you can live with that, this Alpina B6 Gran Coupe is a ton of car for $30,000
What Can Possibly Go Wrong On An Alpina B6 Gran Coupe?
I suspect part of the reason the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe is so cheap is due to misinformation around the infamous N63 hot-vee twin-turbocharged V8. While the initial variant of this engine was undeniably awful to own, not only was the variant in the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe based on the vastly improved second-generaiton N63 TU, it also features Alpina’s own extensive modifications. As a result, the engine itself is quite robust for a 600-horsepower unit, optimized for extensive high-speed running in the hands of customers that do mega mileage, and owners report few problems.
The transmission’s even better, ZF’s ubiquitous and excellent 8HP eight-speed torque converter automatic with Alpina’s own calibration. Really, the main things to look out for are worn suspension components, seriously expensive LED headlights, and occasional little issues like window pinch sensors and keyless entry issues. On the whole though, the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe seems to be one of the most reliable 200 mph cars you can buy, so it seems that Buchloe’s secret sauce is working.
Should You Buy An Alpina B6 Gran Coupe For Elantra N Money?
Normally, a used high-end performance luxury sedan is a financial nightmare waiting to happen, but from all accounts, the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe seems like a potential exception to the rule. As it’s still a used high-end luxury sedan, it probably won’t be completely problem-free, but reports from owners make it actually appear like a decent bet and not a disaster. A 2016+ model with the extra power is one hell of a car, and so long as you’re willing to maintain it, it’s worth entertaining the idea of one for Elantra N money.
Top graphic credit: Bring A Trailer
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“It seems that everything these days needs to be stiffer, more harshly sprung, less comfortable, and more about pummelling the road into oblivion rather than breathing with it“
I think it’s because in most parts of the world, 200mph on the public roads is a very bad idea and even 120mph should be, if not discouraged at least be :
“oh you are going fast now! Are you sure that’s a good idea? BANG! Sorry about that bump, this road doesn’t seem suitable for high speed travel at all.” exciting or at least uncomfortable so the buyer feels like they are getting their money’s worth.
Oh, and those stupid tires on everything now. Some actual sidewalls would sort things out a bit.
Those Alpina-modded N63’s still have their issues and need replacing, based on what I’ve seen working at the dealership and from independent shops that work on them. The trouble is that they cost a LOT more due to that Alpina badge, as do any of the Alpina-specific parts. Only way I’d advise owning one of these would be with a healthy extended warranty.
“It was a car for connoisseurs.”
It’s not just the N63. With the possible partial exception of the E9x M cars, I’m not sure what historical period exists when connoisseurs associated a BMW with a v8.
E39 M5
Fair enough.
There’s the Z8 as well, which is in contention for greatest BMW of all time, at least in my book. But I still mostly agree with Neo, although with a caveat. I feel like this is pretty much the exact dividing line that separates fans of the old BMW and fans of contemporary BMW. A lot of their more recent performance cars are V8 powered but most of the stuff that folks pine for today when talking about old BMW was straight 6 powered.
For me personally as someone who grew up around old BMWs in the 90s and early 2000s I’d have a hard time plunking my money down on a Bimmer that doesn’t have an inline 6. While they do make good (if questionably reliable) V8s I’ll always associate the brand with carrying the straight 6 torch…and if I wanted a V8 luxury car specifically I’d probably try to get a Lexus with that glorious 5 liter or the best V/Blackwing I could afford.
That’s precisely what I did. Bought what was the quintessential BMW that was within budget about 20 years ago, a 528i E39 (the 530i was still too expensive). Bulletproof I6, manual, RWD, 50/50 weight distribution and something that a lot of folks overlook: the I6 E39s had rack-and-pinion steering while the V8s (even the M5) had a recirculating ball, so steering feel is objectively better. I supercharged it and I have 3/4ths of an M5 with less weight and better steering.
I did the same again just a year ago and purchased a B58 G30. I’m a masochist and I need help, please send help.
I can’t deny how good the V8 BMWs sound, but it just isn’t a pure BMW IMHO. Nothing as smooth this side of a V12 as a BMW I6.
I cannot help you, for the roundel’s siren song seduces me as well. Fortunately I have family members with BMWs, so I can enjoy them periodically without the whole…you know, having to own and maintain a BMW thing lol.
The 507 had a V8, unfortunately the amount of money involved to purchase a 507 as well beyond the plonking amounts and are more like a 44 pound duffel bag full of 100s with a resounding thud.
Other than that, to paraphrase Ferris Burller If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.
Serious question: did the N63TU actually fix the timing chain and HPFP issues? I feel like BMW never got those quite right, but I don’t know a whole lot about the TU variant.
Based on the amount of N63TU’s that we sold and installed at a dealership I worked at, I’m inclined to say no. They still have valve stem seal issues, injector issues, and oiling system failures, along with leaking oil and coolant non-stop.
I once knew someone who daily’d one of these in black, as his sensible vehicle compared to his Aston Rapide.
Riding in both was a bizarre experience as the Aston felt much more invigorating (likely due to the incredible noise), but I’m sure the B6 was significantly faster.
Droooooll
I’ve been tempted by these specifically. I will never do it ever as there are just way too many N63 horror stories out there. I’m sure it got better with time but if I’m rolling the dice on a secondhand Bimmer it’s going to have the B58 or S58.
I swore off BMW V8s after owning one. I’ll stick to 6 cylinder models, although I was just looking at 640 Gran Coupes.
Could be worse. S85B50 V10 anyone?
The ultimate “admire at a safe distance” modern Bimmer mill
Had one, sold it at 50K miles though. Had to replace one O2 sensor, zero other issues. 6 speed though, no stupid SMG.
At least the S85 is an exciting, F1-inspired powerplant that rewards you with an amazing sound and feel. The N63 doesn’t really reward you all that much, at best it just feels like a grumbly pushrod V8.
I have never really enjoyed the sound of anything V10. 12’s yes, high rpm v8’s yes, but most of the time the v10 just sounds agricultural to me. But as most would admit, opinions are like a-holes and we all have one. Most of the S85’s I have seen running have rod knock sounds coming from them, so that is of course the icing on the cake as far as sound I suppose.
opinions like a-holes…. I will steal that if you don’t mind
I feel like I encounter “actually BMW V8s aren’t that bad” takes with regularity…and every single person I’ve talked to who’s owned one and basically all of the BMW forums disagree. They have plenty of questionable straight sixes throughout their history but the consensus on the B58 and its offshoots is that they’re actually quite good.
Anecdotal. but I owned a beater e34 with the 3.0 V8. The car was literally falling apart, but the V8 motor was perfect.
The M60 is literally the only good BMW V8. Largely because it was BMW’s first V8 in a very long time, and with Mercedes and Lexus doing well with V8’s in the US market BMW wanted to make a good impression with theirs; meaning there was not a single corner cut. Double-row timing chains with an idler sprocket in the middle instead of a failure-prone U-guide, a bulletproof valvetrain that could handle 7k RPM without too many issues, and a real mechanical simplicity due to a lack of variable valve timing or any crazy tricks.
and then they made M62….
Just excuse the whole Nikasil fiasco.
My now ex-wife had a ’15 BMW X5 S-drive 35i with the M Sport trim package when we married. Turbocharged inline 6. Neither the engine nor the ZF automatic were ever the problem. It was everything else around them. It was the lack of an actual spare tire and then the sagging self-leveling rear suspension that convinced us it was time to get rid of it.
We traded it in on an ’18 Acura MDX, which was so much more enjoyable to drive in the real world. I’m sure the X5 would have been faster on a track, but day to day, the MDX was just a much more relaxed vehicle to drive. It was one of those cars that it was very easy to find yourself doing 80 mph + without noticing it. In Texas, that wasn’t a big deal.
She traded it in on a ’23 Lincoln Aviator and we now live 2,300 miles apart and I haven’t been in her’s or anyone else’s. So, I don’t know. She says she likes it.
Your wife lives 2300 miles away- huh?
Perhaps you missed the “ex” in the opening line. Not all of my ex-wives live in Texas. Actually, just that one. One lives in Australia, which is a lot further away. Cheers!
Why not a CTS-V?(even with their issues)?
Those cost way less new..
I don’t understand the hype of used german cars here…
Beautiful car from the era when BMW still knew how to design big sedans.
The problem is that an Alpina requires specific parts which are often really hard to find, uber expensive or even NLA.
So even if you drove it rarely, there’d be a point where you need an Alpina-specific injector and your engine doesn’t even follow BMW nomenclature so you’d be toast.
A “plain” 650i is a much wiser choice. A friend of mine had an E39 Alpina B10 and his life wasn’t easy. The car was great, but when it needed maintenance it was a nightmare
Pretty sure you can still get alpina parts and alpina even makes parts for old cars still.
And BMW in general has really good parts availability for older cars compared to most other brands
I have read some forums and I saw that for some cars they are winding that down…?
And even if you get parts, the cost to fix is very expensive…
Go watch M539’s YouTube channel. Every Alpina is a disaster. No parts availability and no interest from Alpina in helping out (until they realized how many subscribers he has). No thanks.
Yeah, it’s cool that they partnered with him eventually, but I’ll never forget the disrespectful way they talked to Sreten before realizing who he was.
BMW does have good parts availability, I fully agree. I own an E39 and I’ve had no issues with maintenance parts (brakes, suspension, engine parts), but some cosmetic things like trim, wheel well covers, underside panels, interior bits, etc. are becoming NLA, so it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.
HOWEVER, you can’t simply go to ECS or FCP Euro and expect to find Alpina-specific parts. That’s a whole different animal. Sometimes Alpina retrofits, say, brakes from a different BMW model, which is great if you figure it out, but sometimes those parts are unique to Alpina.
My friend’s E39 B10 used the engine from the latter E53 X5 4.6i, but it wasn’t a stock M62B46, it was tuned (read Alpina F3 here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M62#M62TUB46). The springs and shocks are also unique to it, not something you’ll find elsewhere.
Say what you want, but I would love to have one of these. I’m sure there are other Autopians like myself that don’t drive that much anymore (don’t have to), have garage space, and want a very comfortable sedan that can fly if needed. And these have the looks to boot (at least to me).
Will repairs be expensive? Without a doubt. But if you can keep the mileage down, it shouldn’t be too bad. If I could maintain a Saab 93 long after there was no Saab, the sticker shock shouldn’t be that bad.
I’m actually surprised how few B6s are currently on sale on cargurus. (9 nationwide)
I window shopped them for a while a year or two back and there would be 30+ listings easily.
Maybe depreciation has finally gotten so low that people are just holding on to them or buying good examples quickly
Or maybe they became mechanically totaled, which isn’t uncommon for BMWs.
Mechanically totaled or just totaled-totaled. At least in my area fast German luxury sedans tend to find their way to individuals with malicious intent when they inevitably wind up on buy here pay here lots awaiting their 4th or 5th owner. It’s not uncommon to see clapped out M cars doing 90 on the shoulder or being listed as the getaway vehicle in local news reports here in the DC area.
It’s also a huge thing in New York City. The secondhand market there is loaded with branded title M cars because rich kids buy them, use them for social media stunts, inevitably total them, and then move on to their next. I forget the specific name they have for it, but there’s basically a local scene of guys who make a sport out of weaving through traffic at reckless speeds and posting it on Instagram and Tik Tok.
It’s a bit of a shame honestly. I think the cars deserve better, but then again if Ze Germans made more reliable cars they wouldn’t depreciate to the point that they’re viable cannon fodder.
Good point. The same thing is true around me and, I would assume, most places.
Alpinas are very typically low mileage runners per year so they’re not being mechanically totaled yet
Also they haven’t depreciated so badly as to be worthless. Even with a blown engine you could likely get a decent amount for a B6.
And they aren’t all being crashed either.
Just silly stereotypes
The article showcases a highly depreciated B6. Sure, it might be worth more than a standard BMW with a blown engine, but the repair costs are proportional, meaning it is just as susceptible to being mechanically totaled. I don’t know what it costs to put a new engine in a B6, but I doubt it is much, if any, less than what a B6 is worth with a bad engine.
But yes, I doubt Alpinas are being hooned into curbs nearly as often as the compatible BMW, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t more often than average. That is fairly typical with high HP cars.
I can’t wait to be back to work and follow through on one of these terrible, brilliant, terrible ideas. I love riding but I surely miss Driving (as opposed to driving the truck, which does not stir my soul in the least).
How about a SS Camaro and add a supercharger? Less money and will not break..
Why not just buy a Corolla with leather instead of a used Bentley
More reliable and both have 4 wheels and leather.
Blown V8 noises
If you want performance, the Camaro would be the better deal. If you want fancier leather, four doors, an exotic badge, and are willing to roll the dice on running costs, take the Alpina.
The average Corolla is not compared to a Camaro. Especially since it is designed to be fuel efficient, NOT FOR PERFORMANCE (I am not talking about the GR version)…
My fault for being too subtle for Camaro fans
The joke is that a B6 and a Camaro are not comparable other than horsepower, same as a Bentley and a Corolla aren’t comparable just because they both have leather seats.
I’m still growing my mullet out but it’s slow going, and unfortunately my plasti-chrome American flag badges still haven’t arrived from China (I thought they were supposed to pay the tariffs?)
Just gotta go on Amazon and buy the trucker hat with the fake mullet extension. The tariff wont be too bad because it might take it from $ five bucks to 15!! Win/win
I concur. Instead of “Camry”, “Accord”, a plebian M or some anono-crossover, bring this home.
Hmm, one has a stick, the other doesn’t…
And one might not last that long cuz Korean-made.
My Korean hot hatch has been way less of a headache than my German hot hatch was….although it hasn’t been problem free either
Have you had your scheduled Hyundai group engine replacement yet?
Funnily enough, the turbo Hyundai engines seem to be significantly less prone to catastrophic failure than their NA counterparts
This is the best, yet most horrible, idea I’ve seen in a while.
Wow that’s a lot of words
Amazing how similar this is in price and specs to the 23 Kia EV6 GT that recently sold on cars and bids. Nearly identical weight and seating/cargo space. The Alpina has slightly more power but the Kia is slightly faster.
Pedant hat on – the Kia is quicker (0-60), but not faster (161 mph vs 201)
I’ve owned a 2003 540i and it was both the best and worst car I’ve ever had. This looks like it could be both better and worse yet! I would love one of these!
E39s are some of the most reliable cars BMW has ever produced. Most examples of unreliability are due to past maintenance neglect.
There are M5s out there with 500k miles. I live in a tiny 3rd world country and our E39 owners group has more than 30 members with probably a hundred or more unaccounted E39s still rolling around. Extrapolate that to the rest of the world and I’m sure the E39 is still one of the most common 25+ German cars around.
Lack of parts is the only thing that will kill E39s. It’s already happening.
Beyond the cost of keeping it on the road (roll the dice if you have the money to risk), I think these were awkward-looking. They are very close to being beautiful, but the buttress form behind the front wheels, squinty eyes, and long snout that droops at its end ruin them for me. Too much Proboscis monkey in that front end.
there are probably worse ways to set $30k on fire
but this wouldn’t be the way I do it
No, unless you can lease it.
10ft pole, etc.
3.048 meter stange
My online research informed me that the Germans have a similar saying:
“Da fasse ich nicht mal mit der Kneifzange an.”(“I wouldn’t even touch that with pliers.”)
I’m surprised it’s not a single word.