1987 BMW Alpina B10 3.5

The BMW E28 Alpina B10 was in production from 1985 until 1987. Styled by Claus Luthe at BMW, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon seating five adults.

The B10 was Alpina’s third model to be based on the E28 5-series. Early models were based on the 528i, with all after car number 8 based on the then new 535i. All UK Alpinas were based on production E28s – the M535i was also a candidate for conversion should it be what the customer wanted. The engine was derived from the M30 straight six, and developed 261bhp. Alpina’s own wheels and suspension were fitted, as well as front and rear spoilers for stability and Alpine’s own interior upgrades. Most were manual, though a switchable automatic was also available. 60 came up in 6.4 seconds.

The ride is less firm than in the M car, but more sporting than a standard 535i. And this generally sets the tone for the rest of the car – it’s a performance upgrade, but not one that feels the need to be too aggressive about it. This is the car for the man who wants a fast and entertaining saloon for more than B roads or racing circuits, the clever choice, the hand made and personal expression of what a 1980s performance saloon car ought to be. 261bhp is ahead of the standard car’s 215bhp, but not quite so extreme as the 282 you’d find in an M5.

Despite being an Alpina, it’s still an E28, which means that the same trouble spots apply as would apply to a humble 518. Check the sills, which can rot out around all four jacking points and at the rear edges. The latter means removing the rear axle, and isn’t a cheap fix. The leading edge of the bonnet attracts stone chips, which can develop into far worse. The floor, footwells and boot floor are known trouble spots, too – and check the Alpina specific spoilers and wheels for damage as these will be hard to replace. Check that all the electrics work too, given the age of these cars now nothing is guaranteed, and it’s better not to have to worry about that sort of thing after purchase.

With just 26 right hand drive Alpina B10 3.5s made across a three year production period (One by Alpine, the rest by Sytner which was the official UK Alpina distributor), frankly you can’t afford to be choosy if one of these supersaloons is on your bucket list. We’d advise that sober metallics sell best as always, but frankly the lurid stickers applied by Alpina and fitted to many cars cancel out any advantage in that department. These are extrovert cars and so extrovert colours needn’t devalue them. Some more subtle models do exist, but as before we’d not recommend you focus on those simply by dint of total numbers made. We’d advise you take an expert with you to view, in part to confirm that the car you’re viewing is a genuine Alpina. There have been imitations in the past, and the Alpina price premium means you want the real thing.

The Rover SD1 Vitesse would always be considered a rival, though for less money – as would the Mercedes AMG Hammer, based on the W124 model. It would also be an unusual person who discounted the E28 BMW M5 as a viable rival for the Alpina, likewise the Audi 200 Quattro Turbo. The same sort of people who bought these new might have considered a Porsche 944, though clearly this is a far less practical alternative. SAAB’s 9000 Carlsson might appeal to similar people with a lesser budget to play with, despite being a newer car.