ALPINAs have always had a special place in the hearts of BMW enthusiasts. While anyone with a bit of money can go to their nearest BMW dealer and buy an M car, it take some serious knowledge and searching to get an ALPINA. This was especially true many years ago, before the brand became as popular as it is today. While still relatively obscure to the average buyer today, it was downright unknown in the ’80s. That makes them incredibly rare and special cars. So, naturally, they’re worth quite a bit of money. Would this 1986 BMW ALPINA B10 3.5 be worth it to you?

The ALPINA B10 3.5 was based on the E24 BMW 6 Series and only lasted a short time. Only 121 cars were built over the course of five years, making them very rare. The modifications done to the B10 3.5 over the 6 Series were drastic. Under the hood was a 3.5 liter I6 engine with upgraded high-compression pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft. There was also a new cylinder head with an upgraded camshaft to increase low-end torque. The net result was 261 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque. That engine was mated to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed manual, though the latter was very rare. ALPINA also fitted the B10 3.5 with special ALPINA-Bilstein shocks, giving it a better ride and more dynamic capabilities.

This specific car was fitted with an automatic transmission and was a Japanese import. It’s painted black, rather than the usual blue, and its livery is silver, rather than the usual gold. So it’s a special looking car, even for an ALPINA. It looks good though and properly sporty. Those 16″ wheels also look perfect, even if a bit small by today’s standards.

Inside, the normal leather seats are replaced with cloth Recaros and the steering wheel is replaced by a Momo wheel. Although, I’ve personally never been a fan of that steering wheel. It reminds me of the ones used on ’90s GM products. The rest of the interior is bang-on though and looks great. It’s also in super condition, which is shocking for being 31 years old.

It only has 34,000 miles on it, which is incredibly low for such an old car. Most people buy used cars with the rule that 10,000 miles per year is great. This is just over 10,000 miles per decade. That’s insane and it shows. The car is in pristine condition and looks fantastic. There’s no sign of rust, the interior is perfect and the engine bay is clean. Its original tool kit, safety kit and paperwork are also all present, making this a really complete classic.

This is a very special car. It’s rare, good looking, has great performance and seems to be in superb condition. It all comes at a price, though. At the moment of writing this, the current bid is $51,500. That’s not cheap and about as much as a brand-new BMW M2. The bidding ends in a day from now, making it likely to go up, so when you read this, it might be even more expensive. Do you think it’s worth the money?

[Source: Bring-A-Trailer]