Currently reading: Alpina D5 S - 322bhp, 171mph diesel saloon costs from £62,000

British version to get twin- rather than triple-turbo engine; prices to start at £62,000, Touring not coming to the UK

Alpina has announced pricing for the saloon version of its D5 S diesel at the Frankfurt motor show. The 171mph diesel super saloon starts in the UK at £62,000, although the estate will not make it to British roads.

The D5 S has been fine-tuned for Britain with sharper handling and a lighter set-up than European versions. In order to cater to the UK’s narrower, potted roads, the model has shed 100kg thanks to the use of a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six as opposed to a triple-turbo version offered on the continent, and the Twinpower turbocharger offered in the 530d.

Alpina GB said it prioritised this more nimble set-up over the additional grunt offered with European cars. The lighter D5 S produces 322bhp and 516lb ft, which is 60bhp and 74lb ft down on Euro-spec cars.

But the UK D5 S get the brand’s Integral Active Steering as standard. This four-wheel steering system is said to boost low speed manoeuvrability and high-speed agility, with Alpina CEO Andreas Bovensiepen claiming it makes the D5 S “feel like a 3 Series” sized car.

Csm 2017 09 bmw alpina d5 s 03 7d1c46d8f2

It also uses UK-specific Alpina Dynamic Drive electro-mechanical anti-roll technology, which enables softer damping to absorb bumps but minimises body roll in turns. The car sits on the same 20in Alpina Classic wheels as its European cousins. The intercooler has been increased in size by 20% over the standard 530d's, while a tweaked induction system reduces pressure losses by 30%. 

Alpina claims that its braking system resists brake fade more effectively than ceramic systems offered elsewhere, while the larger rear brakes, which receive less cooling air, are bigger than the fronts to help shed heat from their larger surface area. Rear-wheel steering is available as an option, although Alpina hasn't revealed how much it will add to the £62,000 asking price.

All four wheels are driven via an eight-speed ZF gearbox, with a quoted 0-62mph time of 4.9sec and top speed of 171mph. This makes the D5 S six-tenths quicker to reach 62mph than BMW’s quickest oil-burning 5 Series, the 530d xDrive, and 16mph quicker than that car’s limited terminal velocity. The D5 S is also claimed to offer 46.3mpg and emits 161g/km of CO2.

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The car gets nappa leather-wrapped seats with 20-way adjustability and a 205w 12-speaker sound system. Externally, its design is identical to that of the B5 – its 600bhp petrol sibling (pictured).

Its £62,000 price tag puts it just shy of £10,000 more than BMW’s sportiest diesel 530d, the xDrive M Sport – but the Alpina will be produced in substantially smaller numbers.

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Biter 6 June 2018

We are not dumb!

So it was a choice to bring in the lower power twin turbo engine? Instead of the incredible Triple turbo you can drive on the continent and not in the UK....

I don’t think so. If Alpina had that triple turbo engine in the UK model it would have been a huge USP!

Peter Cavellini 6 June 2018

Whose torquing here?!

 It may not have the full fat 388bhp and 74lbs/ft but, come on ! 328bhp and over 500lb/ft?!.. isn’t that enough for the public Road?

MarkII 7 September 2017

There won't be a UK Touring model

The title of the article is still inaccurate as I know for a fact that there won't be a Touring version of the D5 S for the UK (it will be available in Europe).
How can I be so sure? I have an email from ALPINA UK's Brand Manager (Gary Lott) at Sytner, who very kindly confirmed the situation to me last week.
Autocar really ought to do a much better job of getting their facts straight before publishing, otherwise they're doing a lousy job of accurately conveying information from the manufacturers, upon whose news their magazine is largely based.
GuyW 21 August 2017

Arcticle updated, so I

Arcticle updated, so I presume it is now accurate.

In which case, the new 5 series ALPINA is now xDrive, and is 100kg lighter than the old one (though not 100kg lighter than its European counterpart I suspect) which get 388 bhp. And its 20+ bhp down in power on the old D5.

GuyW 21 August 2017

Arcticle updated, so I

Arcticle updated, so I presume it is now accurate.

In which case, the new 5 series ALPINA is now xDrive, and is 100kg lighter than the old one (though not 100kg lighter than its European counterpart I suspect) which get 388 bhp. And its 20+ bhp down in power on the old D5.