The Engineer Car Review: Alpina D5 S

The two silver badges perched on the tail of the Alpina D5 S speak volumes. Firstly, they signify that the depth of engineering that goes into this 171 mph super saloon is such that BMW is happy for the small independent manufacturer to badge these cars as its own. Secondly – and perhaps to some people’s surprise – the ‘D’ signifies that this formidable machine drinks diesel.

We’ll get on to the driving experience in a minute, but first it’s worth pausing to look at how these cars are built. Alpina, as we know it today, began life in 1965 when the owner of a typewriter company started producing revised cylinder heads and carburettors for the BMW 1500 saloon. BMW was so impressed with the quality of these conversions that it granted the vehicles a full manufacturer warranty. It was the start of a unique relationship that endures to this day.

Alpina has its own factory in the town of Buchloe, around an hour to the west of Munich. It’s here that the final assembly is carried out on the firm’s model range, which spans from the 3-Series derived D3 to the mighty B7 Biturbo, based on the 7-Series limo. It’s also home to a substantial R&D centre, including climate chambers and an emissions laboratory. Alpina uses these facilities develop its own models, as well as carrying out consultancy work for BMW.