The Sport Wagon Enthusiast

The B10 Touring was Alpina’s answer to BMW’s decision not to produce an E39 M5 Touring (other than M-Division’s sole prototype). Designed from the chassis up as a whole different animal from the 540iT and the M5, the B10 achieves the essence of Alpina: refined luxury with serious speed. Production of the B10 lasted from 1998 to 2004, and offered a variety of different options for touring enthusiasts.

The 1998 B10 V8 came with a highly evolved variation of BMW’s 4.4L V8 found in the E39 540iT. Starting with a new block for a displacement of 4.6 liters, Alpina added a new crankshaft, lighter and higher compression Mahle pistons, and a new ECU system to optimize power. The result was 340 horsepower, nearly 60 more than the 540iT, and a potent 347 lb-ft of torque. With the “gentlemanly” 5-speed automatic transmission, the 1998-2000 B10 V8 Touring could sprint to sixty in 6.2 seconds and storm onward to a top speed of nearly 167. In 2000, Alpina revised their 4.6 liter engine again, adding a dual-VANOs engine timing system, improving output by 7 horsepower and torques respectively. Yet this was not the last chapter for the B10, for as the E39 5-series evolved, so did Alpina’s fastest wagon.

Beginning in January of 2002, Alpina became producing the most-capable version made: the V8s Touring. To combat the new E39 M5 and the entire facelifted (refreshed) 5-series lineup, the V8s offered an updated engine with more power and refinement. Increasing the displacement on their 4.6 liter mill to 4.8 (due to an increased stroke), Alpina engineers also added a new crankshaft, reworked intake system, and new piston rings. Their effort yielded an engine that produced 375 horses and torques, and blasted to sixty in just 5.6 seconds. Like the standard V8, the V8s carried this power to the rear-wheel via a 5-speed automatic.

While the B10 V8 offered the braun to compete with the M5, it was a portly fellow and had no option for 3-pedals. Luckily for die-hard enthusiasts, Alpina also offered the B10 3.2 and 3.3 Touring. This model was based on the 528iT, and most importantly offered an equally sporting package with less weight and a 5-speed manual transmission. While only offering a 3.2 liters, the 3.2 was nearly as fast as the V8 with 260 horsepower from it’s silky smooth BMW straight six.

At the end of the day, the B10 offers the best of both worlds: V8 power through a torque converter or straight six harmony through your left foot. Either way, sport wagon enthusiasts outside the United States are treated to a luxury tourer with refinement, exclusivity, and versatility.