2011 BMW Alpina D5 Bi-Turbo review and pictures
The 2011 BMW Alpina D5 Bi-Turbo sets a new benchmark for high performance diesels as it offers its customers brilliant dynamics, maximum efficiency and outstanding performance. It is well known that diesel engines played a marginal role in the passenger car segment and the idea of a premium, luxury or sports car applying this kind of engine, was unthinkable. The success of Andreas Bovensiepen, together with Stuck, Menzel and Duez, from 1998, when they won the 24h Nurburgring behind the wheel of a BMW 320 diesel engined race car. Thus, the D10 Bi-Turbo is the fastest production diesel saloon and it is the result of ALPINA's development of a high performance version of the BMW 3-liter in line six cylinder diesel engine, using two turbochargers, opening the doors to an entirely new customer group and proving that the finely balanced and harmonious automobile in its entirety is highly relevant, besides maximum performance. The engineers from Buchloe, Germany did serious efforts on optimising the air intake flows, leading to a significant reduction in loss of pressure. The engine breathes more freely, providing a maximum output of 350 HP between 4,000 rpm and 4,200 rpm. While the engine is fed with air through a large volume intercooler featuring an outlet design and optimised inlet, two additional separate water coolers ensure that all cooling mediums are kept at optimum temperatures. Higher exhaust gas temperatures are higher due to an exhaust manifold made from high-strength material. The advanced SWITCH-TRONIC 8-speed Sport Automatic Transmission was tested and adapted in co-operation with ZF and includes special mechatronic components and a different torque converter, ensuring unparalleled levels of both comfort and performance. The intelligent combination of state-of-the-art engine and transmission technologies allow the D5 Bi-Turbo Saloon to achieve impressive performance figures: 0-100km/h in 5.2s, and a top speed of 270km/h. Light steering, ultra-comfortable suspension and an imperceptibly shifting transmission make the D5 Bi-Turbo an ideal partner in stop-and-go traffic, when covering great distances or when encountering less than perfect road surfaces.
