ALPINA B5 Review by GT Spirit

GT Spirit takes the ALPINA B5 and judges it based on the performance and aggressive styling. ALPINA took the already powerful and beautiful 2011 BMW F10 5 Series and made it their own. See what GT Spirit had to say on this excerpt below:

ALPINA B5 represents an alternative to the BMW M5, but will continue to differentiate itself from the M5 with its traditional branded elements, such as the oval four tailpipes or the larger air vents incorporated into the bumper.

The standard power-train setup includes a direct-injected 4.4 liter twin-turbo “N63″ V8 punching out 407 horsepower and a stump-pulling 600 Newton-meter of torque between 1,750 and 4,500rpm, while peak horsepower appears between 5,500 and 6,400rpm. Our test car arrived fitted with the automaker’s new super high-tech, buttery-smooth and lightning fast eight-speed automatic (ZF 8HP70). Stock performance figures? The 550i in its standard form has a maximum speed of 250km/h and 0-100km/h in five seconds.

Generating 507hp at a modest 5,500rpm, and with maximum torque of 700Nm available from 3,000 to 4,750rpm, the V8 power-plant inside the Alpina B5 BiTurbo provides more than enough additional performance, pace and acceleration. Upgrades have been realized by swapping the stock twin-turbo for two Honeywell-Garrett turbochargers, which sit inside the V of the two cylinder banks, working in parallel to force-feed the aluminum engine.

Compared to its super-charged predecessor, this engine configuration delivers more torque over a broader range and improves throttle response at lower revs. This is achieved merely because of the basic setup of the 550i, being more sophisticated it provided a leap forward for possible engine enhancements. Additionally, an optimized indirect inter-cooling system with a short intake and a stainless steel exhaust system featuring two double-ended, polished tailpipes are outfitted to the luxury sedan.

Read full review at GT Spirit.