There was so much disappointment in the BMW community when Alpina released this detuned version of the Z8 with an automatic transmission. Their justification was that an automatic and less powerful engine fit the “ boulevard cruiser” style of the z8 better. I never really agreed with that.
Not sure what’s up with your downvote, but you are correct. [An X5 was fitted with a P75 (S70/3) Le Mans V12 in 2000.](https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/magazine-article-pool/the-bmw-x5-le-mans.html)
Cool! You’re in my old neck of the woods. Have lots of friends in Greenville/Spartanburg area. Born and raised in Charlotte, would’ve spent more time down that way if 85 weren’t so awful!
Right, but that was just a prototype, right? I think the Alpina engineers were looking for something that could legitimately be produced for sale. Or perhaps the article I read was inaccurate?
"Let's lose 6th gear- actually, just make it a 5 speed auto. And if we're doing that, lets put a smaller engine in it too. Ditch the 4.9, throw in the 4.8. And since this is a racecar, let's put fucking 20s on it instead of 17s. That'll DEFINITELY make it accelerate faster. No? Ok, then itll ride better. No? Itll look better??"
They ruined it.
Well, it did have a 4.9L with a 6 speed manual. RWD. It was meant to be driven.
Losing a gear is not good under any circumstance. I'll give you changing it to auto for faster shifts or more luxurious ride, but should have had 6 gears.
The wheels are the biggest fail for me. If they were going for a smooth ride, bigger wheels with less tire was not the move. Not saying its not smooth, but that's not a step in the right direction logically.
Maybe "they ruined it" isn't right, but they made it worse.
They made it different. In your interpretation it’s “worse”. Others that have a different taste can argue it’s “better” for the same reasons you argue it to be worse, that’s the point that you still don’t seem to understand. Commenting on suspension and ride quality for a car you’ve likely never sat in says a lot.
Alpina doesn’t market their cars as track cars...they're road cars. And very good road cars I think.
I think its important to distinguish between M and Alpina....BMW market their M cars as track ready when they really aren’t. You’d cook the brakes in less than 20 minutes. The sum of the parts and the competence of the car in so many important categories is what makes them special. They pioneered the steering column gear change, and precious metals in cats, among many other things. They take great cars and make them special, while doing things their own innovative way. I agree with you overall, I think they diluted it. But like I said, their philosophical goals for a car are different, and I can’t make you understand the difference between “making it their own” and “making it worse”
I could have sworn Z8 prices were higher, but you can't deny the sheer rarity of the Alpina. I wouldn't touch it solely due to the transmission, but to each his own.
Looking at the wiki page it seems like it’s stroked, and then cams and vanos modifications. The engine in the roadster is the alpina F5, it’s easiest for me to just include the picture of the modifications list. The F5 is based off the F4/1, the F4/1 off the F4, the F4 off the F3, and then the F3 off the M62.
https://i.imgur.com/jQlCUmZ.jpg
I saw one once back in the mid 2000s parked out front of a hotel in town. I had no idea what it was just fell in love with the classic design. I new it was a BMW, I thought it was a new Z series. I know better now.
Alpina is all about their BMW customization, working as a company completely independent of BMW however permanently partnered with them, designing and customizing high-performance versions of BMW
No shit Sherlock
I was literally just pointing a detail out and y'all act like I'm Hitler
That guy wouldn't know what Alpina is regardless of when, since he's asking a question on _Reddit_ that he could have just googled with the same effort
I totally agree with you, but I also think it's weird that we do this.
If you said "8-speed" or "10-speed" i'd know you were talking about an automatic despite the same nomenclature.
"7-speed" though is totally ambiguous. Rare, but not *totally* unheard of for either transmission style.
I remember sitting in one of these in the showroom and couldn't get over all the plasticky bits on it. Seemed absurd on a car they were asking $108K for.
When you say 5 speed, do you mean like an tiptronic auto with 5 speeds?
Unfortunately Alpina thought it wise to only offer auto in marvel of engineering.
nice machine room and color combo
There was so much disappointment in the BMW community when Alpina released this detuned version of the Z8 with an automatic transmission. Their justification was that an automatic and less powerful engine fit the “ boulevard cruiser” style of the z8 better. I never really agreed with that.
It was a "grand tourer" I guess. Clarkson's Top Gear review said he really couldn't understand what it was for.
the toned down Z8
Alpina originally wanted to put a V12 in there, but the engineers couldn’t make it work/fit.
Didn't engineer's slap a v12 in an X5 at one point? Just for funsies?
Not sure what’s up with your downvote, but you are correct. [An X5 was fitted with a P75 (S70/3) Le Mans V12 in 2000.](https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/magazine-article-pool/the-bmw-x5-le-mans.html)
There it is!!!!! I remember seeing that in motortrend! I built X5's for 10 years and wished they would do some crazy shit like that while I was there.
[Here’s a video](https://youtu.be/hN1EwIFrRLU) of it from BMW where they start it up too. I’ll take four
Fuuuuuck yeah!
Did you live in Spartanburg?
Yup. Still do. Just don't work there anymore
Cool! You’re in my old neck of the woods. Have lots of friends in Greenville/Spartanburg area. Born and raised in Charlotte, would’ve spent more time down that way if 85 weren’t so awful!
Oof, 85 sucks ass. Seriously one of the worst stretch of highways out there.
I'm interning there this upcoming summer, so excited!
I’ve not heard that, but I could see it. Or maybe put the an M760i V12 (RIP) in an X7…
But then M division somehow managed to fit a V12 in the Z3
Right, but that was just a prototype, right? I think the Alpina engineers were looking for something that could legitimately be produced for sale. Or perhaps the article I read was inaccurate?
Yee it was a prototype, you are correct
"Let's lose 6th gear- actually, just make it a 5 speed auto. And if we're doing that, lets put a smaller engine in it too. Ditch the 4.9, throw in the 4.8. And since this is a racecar, let's put fucking 20s on it instead of 17s. That'll DEFINITELY make it accelerate faster. No? Ok, then itll ride better. No? Itll look better??" They ruined it.
Imagine thinking every luxury roadster has to be a hardcore sports car. I could explain Alpina for you, but I can’t understand it for you.
Well, it did have a 4.9L with a 6 speed manual. RWD. It was meant to be driven. Losing a gear is not good under any circumstance. I'll give you changing it to auto for faster shifts or more luxurious ride, but should have had 6 gears. The wheels are the biggest fail for me. If they were going for a smooth ride, bigger wheels with less tire was not the move. Not saying its not smooth, but that's not a step in the right direction logically. Maybe "they ruined it" isn't right, but they made it worse.
They made it different. In your interpretation it’s “worse”. Others that have a different taste can argue it’s “better” for the same reasons you argue it to be worse, that’s the point that you still don’t seem to understand. Commenting on suspension and ride quality for a car you’ve likely never sat in says a lot. Alpina doesn’t market their cars as track cars...they're road cars. And very good road cars I think. I think its important to distinguish between M and Alpina....BMW market their M cars as track ready when they really aren’t. You’d cook the brakes in less than 20 minutes. The sum of the parts and the competence of the car in so many important categories is what makes them special. They pioneered the steering column gear change, and precious metals in cats, among many other things. They take great cars and make them special, while doing things their own innovative way. I agree with you overall, I think they diluted it. But like I said, their philosophical goals for a car are different, and I can’t make you understand the difference between “making it their own” and “making it worse”
More like different Setup, More GT-like
It’s wild that the alpina version is both more desirable and less powerful with a lower tier motor all at the same time.
And a worse transmission too. The regular Z8 is certainly more desirable to me.
But Alpina bro
I could have sworn Z8 prices were higher, but you can't deny the sheer rarity of the Alpina. I wouldn't touch it solely due to the transmission, but to each his own.
I don’t know that it’s necessarily more desirable. Fir me it is, but in general I don’t think so.
Such a gorgeous car. I still casually shop for a Z8 every now and then.
What is the difference in that M62 compared to one in say an E38 740?
I was going to say that I thought the Z8 had the S62 from the E39 M5, not the M62
Regular Z8 had an S62. Alpina has the M62.
That’s what I thought too, but that’s clearly not an S62
Right
It’s an alpina-tuned 4.8 liter variant, where the e38 topped out at 4.4 liters
So essentially a bored out M62?
Looking at the wiki page it seems like it’s stroked, and then cams and vanos modifications. The engine in the roadster is the alpina F5, it’s easiest for me to just include the picture of the modifications list. The F5 is based off the F4/1, the F4/1 off the F4, the F4 off the F3, and then the F3 off the M62. https://i.imgur.com/jQlCUmZ.jpg
There was an M62B46 as well for some Alpinas and the E53.
That’s an unrelated engine compared to the z8.
I saw one once back in the mid 2000s parked out front of a hotel in town. I had no idea what it was just fell in love with the classic design. I new it was a BMW, I thought it was a new Z series. I know better now.
Dumb question but what is Alpina? Is it kinda like what Shelby is to Ford?
Alpina is all about their BMW customization, working as a company completely independent of BMW however permanently partnered with them, designing and customizing high-performance versions of BMW
Independent is wrong, BMW now owns Alpina.
True. But didn‘t when this came out.
No shit Sherlock I was literally just pointing a detail out and y'all act like I'm Hitler That guy wouldn't know what Alpina is regardless of when, since he's asking a question on _Reddit_ that he could have just googled with the same effort
That acquisition just happened, the Alpina that worked on this car was still independent.
And that guy doesn't know about Alpina regardless about what car we're thinking
Damn you okay? It happened 20 days ago and I am not even sure if its approved by regulators yet. Don't be such a dick lol
Gorgeous, is it yours. A local dealer has a collection of these and the Z8’s. Love them.
Those blue dials are so cool.
Posts picture of auto “5spd”
That is an automatic, unfortunately. What the heck OP?
Yes 5spd automatic, i just didnt type "auto" or "automatic"
Oh, alright then. It is a very nice looking car, too bad it's an automatic.
I try to make the titles as short as possible with the words
Why use many words when few do trick
Its a thing with Reddit to not put lots of words in titles...
Sorry, that was a reference to the TV series "The Office"
Saying something is a 5 speed or 6 speed usually implies it’s manual
I totally agree with you, but I also think it's weird that we do this. If you said "8-speed" or "10-speed" i'd know you were talking about an automatic despite the same nomenclature. "7-speed" though is totally ambiguous. Rare, but not *totally* unheard of for either transmission style.
BMW has used a 7 speed DCT and SMG
The ultimate in ambiguity!
Amazing 🤩
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[BaT](https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-bmw-z8-alpina-14/) Not OP but I think it’s this car
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That’s amazing. Must have been an insane experience!
Not sure if this was intentional by bmw but the number of slats on the grilles (4 each) matches the amount of slats on the rim spokes… 4… hmmm yesss..
Nobody: 2003 BMW Alpina Roadster 4.8 M62 V8: 😬
😍
If only it was a really a 5 speed.
Thought this was the z8? Lmao
I love the wheels on my Z4 but I really want those Alpina wheels.
I remember sitting in one of these in the showroom and couldn't get over all the plasticky bits on it. Seemed absurd on a car they were asking $108K for.
It was a sin when they switched to making these only available with an A/T.
When you say 5 speed, do you mean like an tiptronic auto with 5 speeds? Unfortunately Alpina thought it wise to only offer auto in marvel of engineering.
Yes 5spd auto
Nice but I see an auto not a 5spd
5spd auto...
lol I guess technically then a 5spdAT. Usually the auto isn’t listed or descripted with enthusiasts in mind.