One to Buy: Number 60 of 62 built 1990 Alpina B6 3.5S
From its inception in January 1965 to the present day, Alpina has produced a variety of tuned BMWs that have gone onto acquire icon status. However, in terms of the road-going machinery from Buchloe, there is nothing to eclipse the E30 M3-based B6 3.5S.
Although BMW had themselves considered the possibility of putting their revered dual overhead cam straight six into an M3 bodyshell, the market for such a machine was not deemed large enough. However, no objections were raised when Alpina elected to create such a machine and the B6 3.5S was born.
Ultimately, BMW were proved correct and between 1986 and 1990, Alpina built just 60 examples of the B6 3.5S while another pair were constructed by the firm’s British agent, Sytner. Today, this great rarity ensures prices for the B6 3.5S are on a par or if not higher than the legendary final iteration of the E30 M3: the Sport Evolution.
Currently on offer at the Munich Legends showroom in Chelwood Gate, East Sussex, is number 60 of the 62 cars built.
Completed in October 1990, chassis BA50060 was configured in the handsome colour scheme of Alpina Blue with grey Alpina-striped fabric upholstery.
Originally delivered to a customer in France, the car was purchased by its second owner and exported to the UK where it was registered in June 1991. In September 1992 ‘number 60’ was sold via Bramley Motor Cars to its third custodian who retained it for the rest of his life.
The car, which comes with a documented history since new, is today being offered through Munich Legends by his surviving family and represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire one of the most highly regarded Alpina specials ever created.
Reprinted below is Munich Legends’ description:
Body: Coupe
Mileage: 134,000 kms (approx. 84,000 miles)
Year: 1990
Transmission: Manual
Exterior Colour: Alpina blue
Interior Colour: Alpina-stripe cloth
Former Keepers: 2
Price: £189,000
The Alpina B6s is a car that has surpassed Legend status and acquired an almost mythical level of rarity. Many Alpina experts and aficionados claim that the B6s is the greatest car Alpina ever made. Only 62 of these amazing machines were made worldwide, but its not just those numbers that make the B6s special.
BMW sent the finished E30 M3 from their factory in Munich-Milbertshofe straight over to Alpina in Buchloe meaning that unlike most Alpina cars, the ‘donor’ was a fully-fledged ‘M’ car rather than a standard production BMW. But, never mind your E30 M3 with its comparatively silly four pot 2.3 litre engine. The B6s uses the 3.5 litre incarnation of the classic straight six M30, probably BMW’s most successful engine of all time.
However things definitely did not stop there. Alpina went to work on the M30 and ended up making some pretty radical changes; longer con rods and shorter Mahle pistions, a revised cylinder head, remapped Bosch Motronic engine management, and an uprated cooling system to handle the extra power. The difference was remarkable – horsepower was up from the standard 218hp to 260 as well as increased torque (320Nm). Just for direct comparison, the most powerful E30 M3, the final version (Sport Evolution) reached only 235hp with 240Nm of torque.
This, of course, in its day, made the B6s one of the fastest cars on the road, and it still feels quick today, largely due to such monstrous torque in such a light car. The difference between an M3 and a B6s is as obvious behind the wheel as the numbers suggest.
On the other hand, perhaps unsurprisingly, Alpina decided that the chassis was perfect already, so needed no changes (that’s the one area nobody can argue with on an E30 M3) with the rear suspension unchanged, and for the front simply using the air conditioning-spec upgraded M3 suspension to take into account the extra upfront weight of the M30. The gearbox is also the Getrag dogleg 5 speed in common with the original M3.
All this makes for an utterly compelling machine. Based on one of the greatest touring cars ever made, tuned by BMW obsessives – the same people that propelled BMW onto the world racing stage in the first place – and trimmed out with that unmistakable Alpina style – the striped seats, those gauges in the air vents, the multi-spoke Alpina 16” alloys and of course all finished in beautiful Alpina Blue. Let’s face it, if you’re going to own a 3.5 B6s, Alpina Blue is the colour to have it in.
This particular E30 B6s – chassis BA50060 – was built in October 1990 and delivered new to France. We believe that the second owner – a doctor – bought the car to the UK and registered it here for the first time in June 1991, and it was subsequently purchased by Bramley Motors near Guildford, from whom our owner bought the car in September 1992. He owned the car for the rest of its life until his unfortunate passing – currently the car is still owned by his family.
The history file is a fantastic testament to the affection the owner had for his B6s, thorough and comprehensive, including pretty well every invoice and bit of paper pertaining to the life of the car, and making for truly fascinating provenance. The family have now asked Munich Legends to find a new home for this very special car.
