Here in the United States, we only get a couple of ALPINA models, the B8 Gran Coupe and the XB7. Now that the new 7 Series has launched, the ALPINA B7 is gone. The B8 Gran Coupe also isn’t long for this world and neither is the XB7, as both cars are past their LCI facelift. Which is unfortunate because there are plenty of other excellent ALPINA models on the other side of the Atlantic that we just don’t get, such as the ALPINA XD3 in this new video from AutoTopNL.
This particular XD3 is a post-LCI car, so it has the new face, new taillights, and slightly updated interior. With its updated design, it looks fantastic and far better than any other X3 variant, X3 M included. It’s also the most interesting, thanks to its quad-turbocharged diesel engine. It’s a 3.0-liter quad-turbo diesel straight-six that makes 394 horsepower and a whopping 590 lb-ft of torque. For the record, that’s more torque than a BMW M5 CS and its a diesel six-pot. Impressive. According to ALPINA, it gets from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 165 mph.
Inside, the XD3 looks mostly like a standard X3, just with nicer leather seats and some blue and green stitching. However, it’s still a lovely place to be and you can see that in the POV video. No one will complain about driving the XD3 to work everyday. Another great thing about the ALPINA XD3 is it still uses BMW’s old cabin tech, so it still has iDrive 7 with physical climate controls. No obnoxious touch controls here.
What’s great about the ALPINA XD3 is that it combines the best of both worlds: performance and efficiency. Its immense power makes it effortlessly quick, as you can see in this video. It clocks over 200 km/h with a yawn and helps the XD3 explode out of corners. However, it’s also based on one of BMW’s most efficient engines, the B57. We’ve seen the B57 engine achieve some shocking fuel consumption and range figures, so it can absolutely do the same in the ALPINA, when driven gingerly. So, as an owner, you sort of get three cars in one with the ALPINA XD3: you get the performance SUV, the luxury cruiser, and efficient daily commuter. All in a great looking, super rare package.
It’s a shame we don’t get the ALPINA XD3 here in the ‘States. If customers just knew they existed, they’d buy them. U.S. customers love special SUVs. It’s also sad that ALPINA won’t be making cars like this much anymore, as the brand is being absorbed into BMW and the pessimist in me fears that it will just become a luxury trim level for normal BMWs. So enjoy it while it lasts, folks.