1983 BMW Alpina B9 3.5 (E28)

Please note that the images have been provided by the vendor

Highlights

• Tuned 3.4-litre engine
• Five-speed manual gearbox
• Production number 166
• Extensive mechanical servicing
• MOT and road tax exempt

Overview

Based on the BMW 528i, Alpina offered a tuned version of the 5-series which came with performance upgrades including Mahle pistons, a reworked cylinder head, injection system, and camshaft. This led to improved performance figures: 245 bhp, 236 lb ft, a top speed of 148 mph, and 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds. And remember that numbers like this were worth more back when this car was built in 1983.

This particular Alpina has led an international life, having been built in Buchloe, Bavaria, it spent some time in Germany before being exported to Japan. Here it spent most of its life, and was imported into the UK in 2015. Not much is known of its time before it arrived in the UK, with just a solitary Japanese export document on file, but there are plenty of invoices on file for parts and servicing undertaken in Britain.

Over £6,000 was spent in 2023, including a gearbox rebuild and extensive work on numerous smaller mechanical and electrical issues. So you can rest assured that this Alpina has received plenty of attention to ensure it will be a pleasurable car to own and drive.

Now over forty years old, this car now qualifies as a historic vehicle, so won’t require MOT testing and is exempt from road tax. Its most recent MOT was passed without advisories in November 2023.

So if you’re looking for a rare example of an Alpina-tuned E28, this B9 offers a chance to enjoy high-performance 1980s driving, with the reassurance that it has undergone extensive servicing work in recent years.

History and documentation

• Built in April 1983
• Delivered new to Germany, before spending much of its life in Japan
• First registered in the UK in May 2017
• Alpina certificate confirming the car’s VIN, engine number, Alpina production number (166), and month of production
• Invoice on file for £6,226 of work carried out by Munich Legends in Nov 2023
• In Mar 2017 the car received £2,953 worth of parts and servicing at Barkers Motor Works
• Original sales invoice for €62,700.66 on 7th April 1983
• Japanese export paperwork, dated 2015
• Collection of invoices and old MOT certificates
• The car has passed the 40 years of age required for historic MOT and road tax exemption
• The most recent MOT expired on 15 Nov 2024, with no advisories
• Current owner since April 2024
• Two keys
• The odometer has reportedly stopped working
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Four registered former keepers
• HPI clear
• London ULEZ exempt

Interior

• This BMW features what appears to be the original Alpina interior
• Recaro front seats with fabulous velour upholstery
• There is a little wear to the driver’s seat bolster, but no rips or tears reported
• The seats provide plenty of lateral support
• Manual seat adjusters
• Carpets generally tidy
• Door cards in good condition
• Engraved Alpina plaque on the centre console, with production number: B9 - 166
• Alpina leather steering wheel and wooden gear knob
• Electric windows front and rear, all said to be functioning
• Dashboard free from cracks or damage
• All the instruments are said to work as they should, with the exception of the odometer
• Rear seats very clean and tidy
• Headlining in good condition
• Sunroof
• The interior courtesy light is missing
• Spacious, carpeted boot to the rear
• Interior trim panel missing from the rear of the boot
• Original toolkit still stored in the bootlid
• Full size spare wheel under the boot floor

Exterior

• Classic 5-Series shape and styling
• Arctic Blue paint, a smart and stylish colour
• The paint retains a deep colour
• Body panels well preserved, with no significant dents or damage reported
• There is a little surface corrosion on the leading edge of the nearside rear wheelarch
• Some small scratches, chips, and swirl marks can be seen in the paint
• There is a small area of lacquer peel on the bonnet
• The Alpina coach-line transfers are well presented
• The 16-inch, 20-spoke Alpina alloy wheels were refurbished in Aug 2016 at a cost of £340
• Four Dunlop tyres were fitted in Nov 2023
• Chrome badges present and correct
• Four round headlights remain clear and bright
• Alpina front splitter in good condition
• The rubber rear Alpina spoiler is peeling
• On the underside, the car is generally clean but there is a little surface corrosion
• Chrome exhaust tips

Mechanical

• 3,430 cc, six-cylinder engine with Mahle pistons
• Other Alpina engine improvements include the camshaft, cylinder head, and injection system
• Rated at 245 bhp and 236 lb ft
• Top speed 148 mph, 0-62 in 7.3 seconds
• Five-speed Getrag gearbox
• Rear-wheel drive
• Engine bay clean and tidy
• There is a little surface corrosion on some of the suspension and exhaust components
• In Nov 2023 the car received a gearbox rebuild, new clutch, electrical servicing, fuel/air mixture tuning, new battery, washer pump, hydraulic clutch cylinder, front and rear brake discs, steering track rods, wheel alignment
• No mechanical issues reported
• Said to drive smoothly, and have retained plenty of its original power

Summary

Sink into the fabulously original velour-trimmed bucket seats and listen to the six-cylinder roar of the Alpina-tuned engine. This B9 has survived in good condition, with plenty of original features and an impressively large file of invoices for recent servicing.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Chatham, Kent.