The Alpina B4 Gran Coupe fills the role of the proper BMW M4 Gran Coupe. That makes plenty of power to fill a hole left in BMW’s portfolio, and a new video from Sport Auto shows it has the performance prowess to tackle the Nurburgring race track with ease. Alpina completed one lap in 7 minutes 52.11 seconds.
Powering the B4 is BMW’s twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. Alpina tuned it to produce 495 horsepower (369 kilowatts) and 538 pound-feet (729 Newton-meters) of torque. The engine sends the car from 0 to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just 3.7 seconds. It has a top speed of 187-mph (301-kph) and a unique Alpina exhaust to make sure it sounds good at full throttle. The B4 Gran Coupe falls ambiguously between the regular M4 and the M4 Competition, producing 476 and 503 hp (354 and 375 kW, respectively).
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Alpina also gave the car a bit of a visual makeover, but it’s not a major update. The most noticeable change is the wheels, upgraded to a 20-inch, 20-spoke Alpina Classic unit. Each wheel weighs 26.5 pounds (12 kilograms), helping to improve the car’s overall performance. They’re wrapped in custom Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires. The tuner also added new front and rear spoilers and a rear diffuser.
The B4 Gran Coupe also uses Alpina’s Sport Suspension, which combines high driving dynamics without sacrificing comfort. The setup includes a specially developed front anti-roll bar and an electronically controlled rear limited slip differential. Alpina also gave the B4 a unique spring and damper setup.
Other cars that Sport Auto has tested producing lap times similar to the B4 include the Merceds-AMG A45 S (7:48.8), Toyota GR Supra (7:52.17), BMW M2 Competition (7:52.36), Renault Megane RS Trophy R (7:55.12), and the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR (8:04.92).
Deliveries for the B4 started last summer for an equivalent starting price of around $100,000. The car is not available in the US, but went on sale in Japan late last year in limited numbers. Alpina offers other models such as the XB7 crossover, D4 S Gran Coupe (diesel) and the B3.
