Z
zedonist
Guest
Silver is the only true colour, mind not seen mine for so long wonder what it looks like!
What are the main differences between and Alpina Roadster and a Z4M Roadster?
- Thread starter Rev
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
With only 167 RHD Alpina RS' produced, finding a good one is always going to be a challenge but it's one worth persevering with as they are lovely cars. There are very few 'mint' examples around, extrapolating from the cars that have been up for sale over the last couple of years there are likely to be only around 10% of them left in top condition, and mileage isn't always an indicator of quality - one of the best examples (#168) was sold by a friend last year, a Lux in Black Sapphire with dream red leather, it had 52k on the clock http://thealpinaregister.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14466
I'm fortunate in that my garage queen is #320, and she's just as good as #168
Perry
If you want a rare zed you need an evolve Z3M
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
Very nice but, to be fair, there's a difference in that Evolve are a tuning company and ALPINA are classified as a manufacturer - they're still the only company that BMW allow to produce 'approved' versions of the base BMW cars that are sold through BMW dealerships.If you want a rare zed you need an evolve Z3M
I searched for a good Alpina for nearly a year. Agreed to buy one that was described as mint, but when I viewed it I was disappointed to say the least. I ended up very frustrated by the lack of choice and poor quality that was being peddled.
I bought a Z4M which is a lovely car. Very happy with it. It's also a completely different drive to the Z8, much more racy. So I suspect that it was the right choice for me, as the Alpina was a more docile beast and mid way between the two. So to have a contrast suits.
Your Alpina looks a cracker.
I bought a Z4M which is a lovely car. Very happy with it. It's also a completely different drive to the Z8, much more racy. So I suspect that it was the right choice for me, as the Alpina was a more docile beast and mid way between the two. So to have a contrast suits.
Your Alpina looks a cracker.
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Alpina are a tunning company, they take a bmw and modify it.. Same thing to me.
There's only 2 stage 3 Z3Ms in existence that I know of.
Well done Rev the Z4M is an amazing beast glad you managed to find a good one !
There's only 2 stage 3 Z3Ms in existence that I know of.
Well done Rev the Z4M is an amazing beast glad you managed to find a good one !
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
A tuning company takes a fully built car, removes items and replaces them with their own (or adds additional parts of their own)
Alpina don't 'tune' pre-built BMWs. As things stand, Alpina parts that have been designed, developed and made by Alpina are integrated onto the BMW production line using the part-built shell of the BMW as the basis of the car. They are built as complete vehicles, albeit vehicles that share a lot of common components with BMW.
Tuned cars are still identified by the VIN of the original manufacturer, whereas Alpinas have their own Chassis/VIN/engine numbers and only the Alpina VIN has any bearing on the identity of that car. If you don't think there's a difference, does your V5 say the manufacturer is 'Evolve' or 'BMW'? Mine says 'Alpina'...
Z
zedonist
Guest
Alpina vehicles are built in the Alpina factory, they take complete base vehicles from BMW that have not been registered, then work their magic using Alpina parts and then register them as new as Alpina.
Evolve take registered vehicles and work their magic on them in their own factory, using parts specified by them. No need to register as they are already owned vehicles.
It's the same with AMG and Mercedes.
Evolve take registered vehicles and work their magic on them in their own factory, using parts specified by them. No need to register as they are already owned vehicles.
It's the same with AMG and Mercedes.
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
I'm afraid that your information is a little out-of-date. Alpina's used to be built that way and, indeed, that's how my RS was produced - built in Spartenburg and then shipped to Buchloe for Alpina to fettle - new hand-built engine, exhaust suspension etc.
For the last several years, since BMW upgraded their production lines to allow custom builds, all Alpinas have been assembled on the same production line as the equivalent BMW model. They go to Buchloe after construction for final quality control inspection and any custom work, leather etc., that can't be handled on the production line
For the last several years, since BMW upgraded their production lines to allow custom builds, all Alpinas have been assembled on the same production line as the equivalent BMW model. They go to Buchloe after construction for final quality control inspection and any custom work, leather etc., that can't be handled on the production line
Z
zedonist
Guest
I can agree on the out of date on Alpina, that said BMW production lines like all other oem have always allowed for custom builds, every car built is custom to some extent, otherwise we would all be driving Henry Ford specials and using coach builders, looking at the time line i would assume Alpina just integrated to save on costs / overheads during the automotive recession and focus on their core competence of design, so in essence any new Alpina, is just a BMW with different badging and some nice bolt ons, bit like Ghia used to be with Ford, so like all modern things you get less and less for your money, the reason SVO companies like evolve and overfinch will sell more in the future because they will be that extra bit personal and special.
Nice one Rev, got yourself your M power then, what colour did you go for and where are the Pics please?????I searched for a good Alpina for nearly a year. Agreed to buy one that was described as mint, but when I viewed it I was disappointed to say the least. I ended up very frustrated by the lack of choice and poor quality that was being peddled.
I bought a Z4M which is a lovely car. Very happy with it. It's also a completely different drive to the Z8, much more racy. So I suspect that it was the right choice for me, as the Alpina was a more docile beast and mid way between the two. So to have a contrast suits.
Your Alpina looks a cracker.
B
badman gee
Guest
I've seen nicks blue z4m in the metal!
Lovely motor
Lovely motor
Monty
Dedicated Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2014
- Points
- 29
Yes, I agree, Mark, but Ningo's beautiful Z4 Alpina on the Rutland run was really pretty with it's light tan leather interior, it's a real sports car!
Mike & Sandy
Perry Evolve are not just a tuning company who bolt on after market parts. They are in a way similar to Alpina in that they develop there own parts like bespoke exhausts, carbon fiber inlet systems and there own Ecu maps and set ups. Obviously a smaller scale but same principle.
Compare a standard z3m to an Evolve z3m is night and day. Same goes for a 3.0 Z4 to an Alpina 3.4.
Both rare and desirable
Compare a standard z3m to an Evolve z3m is night and day. Same goes for a 3.0 Z4 to an Alpina 3.4.
Both rare and desirable
Whatever you own doesn't really matter, it's enjoying it that does, so be thankful that you're in a position to do so.
It's a joy to own them all. From the 1.9's the the 5ltrs they bring smiles every mile.
Sssushhh!
It's a joy to own them all. From the 1.9's the the 5ltrs they bring smiles every mile.
Sssushhh!
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- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
I quite agree, and my comments weren't intended to start an argument, it's just that calling Alpina a 'Tuning Company' does them a great disservice as they are much more than that - and it 'presses buttons' for a lot of fans of the marque. Alpina's expertise with engines and suspension is so respected by BMW that they co-develop some of the newer engines and suspension parts.
At the end of the day a car worked on by a company like Evolve will be bespoke and reflect the exact wishes of the owner, and if an Alpina owner wanted to achieve that same level of customisation, they couldn't get it from Alpina so they would have to take the car to an aftermarket specialist - and many have. If you haven't seen what FemmeT did to his Alpina RS, it's worth a look at http://modgarage.net/project/alpina - I hate to think of the money that he sank into that project
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2014
- Points
- 43
- Location
- By the seaside - South Coast
- Model of Z
- Alpina Roadster S Lux
Over the past couple of years I have been helping Alpina-Archive to collate details of the RHD RS' and, as far as I am aware there are only 4 UK cars with Beige leather, all Lux models - #25 in Sapphire Black, #135 (Maldives Blue), #133 (Merlot Red) and #244 (Toledo Blue) - if Ningo's car is not one of those I'd love to hear more details.
EDIT: Just done a search and seen pictures of his car on the 'Rutland' thread - from the colour and the reg plate it's #135
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Z
zedonist
Guest
Problem is doing it the way they are doing it now makes them a design house and automotive parts supplier, and all you get is a BMW with an Alpina badge and a few trinkets because they will be limited to small modifications and constrained by BMW because of type approval and test costs.
It is exactly the same with Ford and RS, unless you got the numbers to sell, big modifications like the old Alpina models will never appear again, and they won't because these sort of cars and modifications are a luxury, and if you spend this sort of money you want to feel special, and have something no one else has got, not something off the production line.
I'm not saying their engine and suspension packages will not be available, but they will not be as evolved as before because of working in the market and not after market, in market means year on year cost down, after market is small numbers and high margin.
People like evolve will grow now because we are coming out of the recession, and they offer bespoke items so you have a car that no one else has, look at Liam's Evolve //M and you know it's special, the old Alpina Roadster looks special, the latest Alpina 3 series looks like a 3 series.
But top and bottom they all did the same thing, and they were are all tuning companies however distasteful it may sound, but then we English do like to be snobs ( spend money on things we don't need, to impress people we don't know)
That said my next roaster will either be an Alpina or a newer E89 35is, because they are both amazing cars.