While the ALPINA B6 name is mostly associated with the three generations of 6 Series models, the peeps from Buchloe also had a B6 2.8/2 based on the 3 Series Sedan and Coupe from the E36 era. It started off as a 325i before getting an enlarged 2.8-liter engine making a solid 240 horsepower and 293 Newton-meters (216 pound-feet) of torque.
It was originally unveiled in March 1991 at the Geneva Auto Show with a choice between a five-speed manual and an automatic with the same number of gears. ALPINA made this model until July 1993, with production believed to be limited to only 180 sedans and 40 coupes, plus 136 Touring wagons for Japan. A new video shows the saloon being pushed hard on an unrestricted section of the Autobahn during acceleration runs and a couple of top speed test.
If you’re a strong believer in the saying “they don’t make them like they used to,” this is the video to watch since the car appears to be in exceptional condition. A veritable time capsule, the sports sedan with a manual transmission took seven seconds for the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) journey, which is only a tenth of a second more than what ALPINA said three decades ago when the car debuted. German journalists from Auto Motor und Sport tested the sports sedan back in the day and managed a sprint time of only 6.4 seconds.
Flat out, it reached nearly 260 km/h (161 mph) based on what the speedometer was showing and 241 km/h (150 mph) if we look at the GPS-based smartphone app. When the car was launched in 1991, ALPINA said the B6 2.8 would hit 250 km/h (155 mph). A future member of the BMW Group, ALPINA recently unveiled the updated B3 and D3 S in both Sedan and Touring flavors. Interestingly, it seems there aren’t any plans for a new B7 based on the latest 7 Series G70 / i7. As a final note, ALPINA also had a B6 2.8 based on the E21 and a B6 2.8/1 on the E30 generation which also got the beefier B6 3.5 and B6 3.5 S.
Source: Petrolhead Number One / YouTube
