Skip advert
Advertisement

Alpina D3 Touring review

345bhp Alpina D3 Touring estate is the closest you’ll get to a BMW M3 Touring

Overall Auto Express rating

5.0

How we review cars
Find your Alpina D3
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The D3 Bi-Turbo Touring is one of the best all-round performance cars you can buy. It’s as close as you’ll get to an M3 Touring, although it delivers its performance in a more refined manner than BMW’s lairy M car. The rear-drive chassis is sharp and responsive, yet the ride is so well resolved that your passengers will barely notice the bigger wheels. Add in excellent real-world economy, and this Alpina is a gem of a sports car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

German tuning firm Alpina has more than 50 years of experience making fast BMWs even faster. In fact, it’s so well respected that its cars are fully endorsed by BMW – you can get them serviced at any dealer – plus it has access to the newest models sooner than many rival tuners.

Best fast family cars.

As a result, it has just launched its updated D3 Bi-Turbo, which is based on BMW’s facelifted 3 Series. That means you get new LED daytime running lights, plus Alpina’s bodykit and 19 or 20-inch wheels, which give the D3 a purposeful look. Pinstripe logos are optional.

Inside, Alpina has ditched the small gearchange buttons it normally fits to the back of the steering wheel and retained the standard car’s paddles to operate the eight-speed Switchtronic auto gearbox.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

EcoSport

2021 Ford

EcoSport

5,133 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £14,378
View EcoSport
Fiesta

2023 Ford

Fiesta

21,924 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,777
View Fiesta
Kuga

2020 Ford

Kuga

18,902 milesManualDiesel2.0L

Cash £19,465
View Kuga
Puma

2023 Ford

Puma

30,948 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L

Cash £18,088
View Puma

Under the skin, the car uses the 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesel from the 335d, although Alpina has uprated it with new air intakes and a larger intercooler to boost power to 345bhp and raise torque to 700Nm. All that extra power is good, but perhaps more significantly, the D3 is rear-wheel drive – whereas BMW’s 335d is now only offered with xDrive 4WD.

In reality, the Alpina has plenty of grip and a very effective traction control system, as it’s only in the wet where you would need the added security of four-wheel drive. In a straight line, the D3 is astonishingly fast, with in-gear response to match some supercars. In fact, a claimed 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds is only three-tenths slower than the BMW M3. But take it easy, and this diesel sports car can return 50mpg economy.

As well as being fast, the D3 Bi-Turbo is hugely capable in corners. With plenty of grip on offer, very little body roll and communicative steering, it handles with the precision and accuracy of a small sports car – making it easy to drive quickly on twisting back roads. Yet the Alpina is also a capable cruiser, and even when it’s fitted with 20-inch wheels, only the biggest potholes will unsettle the ride.

If you go for the Touring estate body, you’ll have a practical family wagon with a 495-litre boot, which is more than enough space for most needs. Add in a plush interior with some bespoke Alpina touches and a long list of standard kit, and the Bi-Turbo is one of the most accomplished all-round sports cars you can buy. It’s just an added bonus that your whole family can enjoy it, too.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Senior test editor

Dean has been part of the Auto Express team for more than 20 years, and has worked across nearly all departments, starting on magazine production, then moving to road tests and reviews. He's our resident van expert, but covers everything from scooters and motorbikes to supercars and consumer products.

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,848 off RRP*Used from £7,649
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,911 off RRP*Used from £14,900
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,725Avg. savings £4,199 off RRP*Used from £15,337
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £5,075 off RRP*Used from £14,895
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Chinese cars can’t match their European rivals when it comes to engineering
Opinion - Shanghai Auto Show

Chinese cars can’t match their European rivals when it comes to engineering

This new brand of cars might have battery tech on their side, but European buyers want much more than that
Opinion
25 Apr 2025
New electric car MoT tests could be coming to the UK
Tesla Model X on two-post inspection ramp

New electric car MoT tests could be coming to the UK

New technology and driver assistance systems require changes to annual testing, says EC
News
25 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: the one and only Nissan Juke for less than £150 per month
Nissan Juke - left cornering

Car Deal of the Day: the one and only Nissan Juke for less than £150 per month

Nissan’s best-selling small SUV just got a little bit cheaper and is our Deal of the Day for 26 April
News
26 Apr 2025