► New 2020 Alpina B3 spied
► 450bhp six-cylinder turbo tipped
► Muscular bodykit a given
If you’re getting bored of waiting for the new BMW M3, you might want to check this out: the new 2020 Alpina B3. Our spies caught it testing in southern Europe, as engineers from Bochloe tweak the latest 3-series for a typically thorough performance makeover.
It’s the first time Alpina has got its hands on the G20-generation BMW 3-series and these spy photos suggest it’ll conform to type.
BMW E, F and G codenames explained
The OAL registration plate is evidence this lightly disguised prototype hails from the region of Bochloe, the home town of Alpina, while quad exhaust pipes and extra aero addenda are also telltale signs this isn’t your ordinary BMW test hack. The new bumpers and spoilers will be joined by Alpina’s trademark multi-spoke alloy wheels, and no doubt the option of some coachwork stripes along the flanks.
What engine specs can we expect from the 2020 Alpina B3?
The petrol B3 is rumoured to get a massaged turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six topping 450bhp, but you’ll be able to select a diesel option, most likely the 388bhp triple-turbo engine found in the XD3 and XD4.
Read our Alpina XD3 review
Mixing either powerplant with the BMW 3-series Touring bodystyle is a tempting prospect; BMW has never officially sold the M3 as an estate car and new M division boss Markus Flasch confirmed to CAR magazine that would not change with the latest Three.
‘Touring estates are not part of our M plan,’ he told us in an interview. ‘If I asked customers in Austria, Switzerland or Germany, they would probably give it the thumbs-up, but we are a global company and we have so many things to deal with on the powertrain side that we don’t go into products like this. This is what the SUVs are for.’
50 years of Alpinas: some of our favourite fast BMWs over the years