For the first time ever, BMW has an official wagon version of the M3, the M3 Touring. But the question is: how does it stack up to their incumbent performance wagon, the Alpina B3 Touring? That’s what Harry Metcalfe attempts to find out in his latest video, in which he takes the M3 Touring out for a spin to compare it to the Alpina.
Addressing the elephant in the room right off the bat, the Alpina just looks better. Yes, it lacks the aggression of the M3 Touring, but it still has its sporty touches, and overall, it’s just more classically beautiful. Its proportions and graphics are simply more restrained, most notably up front, where it not only sports the unique, pre-facelift notched headlights, but also a grille that’s not akin to a beaver’s teeth. This subtle elegance is also mirrored in its choice of colors: a grey paint job with silver wheels and blue brake calipers compared to the M3’s flashy green paint with black wheels and yellow brakes.
Looking at the numbers, the Alpina actually makes similar power and more torque for considerably less money. The B3 Touring produces 461 hp (468 PS / 344 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque for roughly £12,000 ($14,621) less than the ~£100,000 ($121,843) M3 Touring, which itself makes 503 hp (510 PS / 375 kW) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Both cars send power to all four wheels, but Metcalfe noted that the B3 did suffer from the occasional hint of torque steer here and there compared to the M3’s more RWD feel.
See Also: Should You Skip The New M3 And Go For The Alpina B3 Touring Instead?
Taking the M3 Touring out for a spin, the first thing that immediately stuck out was its sharpness compared to the B3, or its “sense of M”, as it was described. Metcalfe’s only major qualms were that the electric steering felt a bit dead despite its commendable directness and that the amount of drive mode adjustability was a bit overwhelming. Other than that, the driving experience was described as pleasantly feisty, the 4,112 lb (1,685 kg) wagon hiding its weight and partial front-wheel drive very well.
Overall, for a more refined, luxury-focused pick in both looks and ride quality, the B3 is your answer, offering comparable speed to the M3 with more style. If outright performance is what you’re looking for, go with the M3, as it surely won’t disappoint.
Unfortunately, we don’t get to see Metcalfe driving the Alpina, but he does say his opinions compared to the M3 come from back-to-back testing. Regardless, his review is still incredibly thorough, addressing many aspects of each car that would be useful to potential buyers, and we recommend watching the full video above.