Yes, yes, we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Alpina won’t be absorbed into BMW until 2026. And given the fast cars that are coming out M Division at the moment, plus some of the lovely interiors in the more expensive Beemers, Alpina becoming part of the empire doesn’t look a bad move. But we know what we like, and we like what we know; Alpina as an independent company (albeit with a very close BMW relationship) produced some sensational sports saloons, and it’s inevitable to worry just a bit about the future with such significant change. That’s what happens when you become old and anxious.
If you’re anything like us, the new chapter for Alpina has only served to make the good old days look even more appealing. That’s what rose tinted specs are for, after all. And if your idea of peak Alpina is a BMW saloon with more power, more stickers and more, basically, of all the good bits, then this should tick all the right boxes.
It’s a 1989 B10 3.5, so an E34 generation of BMW 5 Series (a fairly early car, actually, given the Alpina was launched in 1988) treated to a raft of upgrades that have made Buchloe-modified BMWs so desirable over the years. For the B10 3.5, that meant a new cam and cylinder head, the fitment of Mahle pistons, ECU tweaks and Alpina’s own exhaust for 260hp. Comprehensively outgunned by BMW’s own M5 in time, sure, but a very worthwhile gain over a standard 535i’s 208hp.
Torque climbed a little, too, from 225lb ft to 240lb ft, meaning the B10 could reach 62mph in seven-and-a-bit seconds before charging to 155mph. Which isn’t exactly slow for more than 30 years ago. Combine the additional performance with new springs and dampers (built by Bilstein to Alpina’s spec) plus bigger brakes, grippier tyres and a limited slip diff, and it’s easy to see how the B10 3.5 made an accomplished sports saloon in the standard E34 535i even better still.
This is one of the 572 cars built in and a four-and-a-half year period between early 1988 and late 1992. It looks about as good as you’ll now get for an Alpina E34, with just over 90,000 miles, an extensive history and all the Alpina goodness lovingly preserved. The wheels and decals in particular look far fresher than might be expected given they went on when the Berlin Wall was still up. The interior looks to have stood the test of time just as well. You always hope that Alpinas are bought by a more discerning kind of car buyer (because it’s a small niche to cater for between a regular BMW and an M car), and this B10 looks to have been doted on for a very long time.
Fresh from a recent service, the 3.5 is ready for a new life with its next owner. Much like its power output, the B10’s asking price sits between the regular 5 Series range and the M5, values of which show no signs of letting up. It’s for sale at £24,995; perhaps we’re becoming inured to big prices now, but when an E30 318iS can command £20k and an M635CSi double that and more, £25k for a genuine Alpina 5 Series doesn’t seem too silly. Not least with the stickers and those wheels. Hardly like it’s going to get any less desirable as 2026 nears, either.
SPECIFICATION | ALPINA B10 3.5 (E34)
Engine: 3,430cc, straight-six
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 260@6,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 240@N/A rpm
MPG: 26.9
CO2: Pass
First registered: 1989
Recorded mileage: 91,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £24,995
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