There are undoubtedly BMW enthusiasts who would buy a diesel-powered M3. The combination of a diesel’s torque and fuel efficiency with an M3’s handling and braking might be very attractive. However, BMW won’t build a diesel M3, and it’s probably the right decision for the company.
But BMW isn't the only BMW game in town: German tuner Alpina decided to put together a sporty, diesel-powered 3 Series, and while it's not an M3, it's not bad.
The D3’s six-cylinder Bi Turbo diesel puts out 350 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. While the Alpina D3 may not be quite as quick as an M3, its zero to 60 time of 4.6 seconds and top speed of 172 miles per hour is fast enough for many of us. Especially when it’s matched with a fuel mileage figure of 44.4 miles per gallon.
The Alpina D3 doesn’t have the extreme body and aero parts as an M3. Some performance car drivers like that about the D3 for its stealth quality. By the way, the D3 also comes in a Touring version, which we suppose would be the ultimate stealth hot car.
As good as the Alpina D3 sounds, the bad news is, we can’t have one. Only the BMW Alpina B7 and B6 Gran Coupe are available in the U.S. If you’re moving to Europe, the D3 might be the perfect combination of power, comfort, and fuel economy.
The rest of us will have to be satisfied watching Alpina D3 road test videos, like this one from AutoExpress.—Scott Blazey
[Photo and video courtesy of AutoExpress.]
