The Alpina B5 is the BMW 5 Series as modified by Alpina. The E60 B5 of 2005–2010 used a supercharged 4.4-litre V8 and an Alpina B5 Touring reached 319 km/h at the Nardò Ring in an Auto Motor und Sport test; it was followed by the F10 and G30 generations with bi-turbo V8 engines.
Alpina B5 at a glance
| E60 B5 (February 2005 – September 2007) | BMW 545i basis, 4.4 L N62 V8 with an ASA centrifugal supercharger (“Turbessor”), same H1 engine as the E65 B7 |
|---|---|
| E60 B5 S (September 2007 – May 2010) | shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show; 390 kW (530 PS), 725 N·m, 0–100 km/h in 4.6 s, ZF six-speed Sport-Switch-Tronic |
| Top speed test | 319 km/h (198 mph), B5 Touring, Nardò Ring, Auto Motor und Sport, 2005 |
| F10 B5 Bi-Turbo | based on the 550i, Alpina-modified N63 twin-turbo V8, 373 kW (507 PS), 700 N·m, 8-speed automatic; unveiled at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed |
| F10 D5 Bi-Turbo | based on the 535d, N57 turbo six, 257 kW (349 PS), 700 N·m |
| G30 B5 Bi-Turbo | the next generation on the BMW G30 5 Series |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alpina B5
The BMW E60 and the 4.4-litre N62 engine of the 545i serve as the basis for the Alpina B5, which uses the same H1 supercharged engine as the E65 B7. Compared with the E60, the B5 has larger brakes, a new suspension with Electronic Damper Control, a stainless steel silencing system with polished double tailpipes and the typical Alpina changes to interior and exterior. It was made from February 2005 to September 2007, and the B5 S from September 2007 to May 2010.
The engine’s output is raised by a centrifugal supercharger made by ASA, also called “Turbessor” because it combines the advantages of a turbocharger and a supercharger: at low speeds it responds like a conventional displacement compressor, but it can also give the push of a turbo, and it reaches more than 100,000 rpm. At the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show Alpina presented the revised B5 S, with an optimised combustion process and a changed camshaft raising the power by 30 PS to 530 PS.
Alpina produced two variants on the BMW F10 5 Series: the petrol B5 and the diesel D5. The B5 Bi-Turbo, unveiled at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed, was based on the 550i with an Alpina-modified N63 twin-turbo V8 producing 507 PS.
Design and features
- Supercharger: the ASA “Turbessor” centrifugal supercharger on the E60 cars.
- Chassis: larger brakes and Electronic Damper Control, with the B5 S tuned with Sachs Race Engineering.
- Transmission: the B5 S introduced the ZF six-speed Sport-Switch-Tronic, with shift times halved compared with its predecessor.
Alpina B5 versions
- B5 (E60) and B5 S: the supercharged cars.
- B5 Bi-Turbo (F10, G30): the twin-turbo generations.
- D5 Bi-Turbo and D5 S: the diesel counterparts.
More Alpina models are in our Alpina collection, for example the B7, the D5 and the B3.
Alpina B5 questions and answers
How fast is the Alpina B5?
A B5 Touring reached 319 km/h at the Nardò Ring in a 2005 Auto Motor und Sport test.
What is the “Turbessor”?
Alpina’s name for the ASA centrifugal supercharger that combines the advantages of a turbo and a supercharger.
How much power has the B5 S?
390 kW (530 PS) and 725 N·m.
What replaced the supercharged B5?
The F10 B5 Bi-Turbo with a twin-turbo V8 of 507 PS.
Sources
- Alpina, English Wikipedia: 5 Series based Alpinas
