Crown

Congrats!! Citrinschwarz is a beautiful color and with that interior a very classy, tasteful combination! 

That are gonna be some long 7 months.... ;)

Suzy

2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basaltblack metallic
2012 Audi SQ5 TDI | Lavagrey metallic
 

Porker:

MKSGR:

Porker:

Went for a final testdrive today in Liechtenstein. Conditions were far from ideal as you can see, but it was enough to convince us of the package offered by the Alpina B3/D3. Fantastic quality of suspension and drivetrain.

Took the plunge on Citrinschwarz (with Alpina sticker on the front spoiler) and black Merino-leather interior (with beige leather piping) and took the stop & go cruisecontrol as well. It will be an RWD with an LSD.

Now a 7 month wait.

 

 

You don't have much snow where you live, right? I am just asking as the RWB BMWs with wider tires are extremely bad in snow. Nearly no traction at all. AWD might be an interesting option if you want to move and not stand still in the snow 

It would indeed be interesting to be able to move

We have snow where we live in CH, but not to an extent that I wouldn't be able to drive an RWD-car on winter tyres in it. In my experience a good winter tyre does at least half the job.

That aside, I wouldn't sacrifice my cars' dynamics in order to be able to accelerate harder on snow during 2 months a year.

The problem with my wife's M3 was that you could get stuck on a regular road in the middle of Germany. No kidding. The car was useless in snowy conditions. No kidding...

Congratulations Porker !  As for the snow problem , maybe with 2 bags of sand in the boot it will help with traction on snow .

Looong wait, 7 month !

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Gnil:

Congratulations Porker !  As for the snow problem , maybe with 2 bags of sand in the boot it will help with traction on snow .

Looong wait, 7 month !

Or that body you just hit, when your car was uncontrolable slipping off the road....  (Just kidding of course....)

i think with winter tyres it's managable and like Frank said, it's only for two months a year. Personally I'm always a fan of AWD cars, espacially for daily use, but i can definitely understand why he likes the RWD with LSD for the other 10 months a year 

Suzy

2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basaltblack metallic
2012 Audi SQ5 TDI | Lavagrey metallic
 

Porker:

Took the plunge on Citrinschwarz (with Alpina sticker on the front spoiler) and black Merino-leather interior (with beige leather piping) and took the stop & go cruisecontrol as well. It will be an RWD with an LSD.

 

Congratulations Porker - fantastic car and colour scheme.    Shame about the wait though.

Did you go for 19" or 20" in the end and was the beige leather piping extra?  I've not seen that in the UK configurator. 

Gen II Cayman S

GR:

Porker:

Took the plunge on Citrinschwarz (with Alpina sticker on the front spoiler) and black Merino-leather interior (with beige leather piping) and took the stop & go cruisecontrol as well. It will be an RWD with an LSD.

 

Congratulations Porker - fantastic car and colour scheme.    Shame about the wait though.

Did you go for 19" or 20" in the end and was the beige leather piping extra?  I've not seen that in the UK configurator. 

We have no choice but to go for the 20", you cannot spec the car in Liechtenstein without the 20". It rode beautifully on the 20", but I agree it's complete overkill.

The beige leather piping comes as standard if you order a black Merino leather interior. Looks really great, I wouldn't have gone for a black interior without it.

SuzyF:

Gnil:

Congratulations Porker !  As for the snow problem , maybe with 2 bags of sand in the boot it will help with traction on snow .

Looong wait, 7 month !

Or that body you just hit, when your car was uncontrolable slipping off the road....  (Just kidding of course....)

i think with winter tyres it's managable and like Frank said, it's only for two months a year. Personally I'm always a fan of AWD cars, espacially for daily use, but i can definitely understand why he likes the RWD with LSD for the other 10 months a year 

Which solves the case immediately, in prison I have no need for xDrive anyway, it would just be money thrown away!

No, it's exactly as you say, I'll get more satisfaction from not having xDrive more of the time. Plus, it's unique to the Alpina to be able to spec it with RWD and LSD. A 335d now comes automatically with xDrive.

MKSGR:

 

The problem with my wife's M3 was that you could get stuck on a regular road in the middle of Germany. No kidding. The car was useless in snowy conditions. No kidding...

More than useless in snow and with all that torque the D3 has...  My wife was so happy when she got rid of her M3 and I hated driving it in snow. Same goes to the C63 AMG, this is why I sold it.

I still wonder where this myth with AWD driving dynamics sacrifice comes from. Modern AWD system are really quite dynamic and the weight plus doesn't really matter in most cases.

--

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

But I thought the D3 is a 4-runner? Thought this is the huge advantage over an M3?

Lars997:

But I thought the D3 is a 4-runner? Thought this is the huge advantage over an M3?

You have the choice, D3 Allrad or D3 Rwd with the option of a Drexler LSD, which, for me, is absolute music to my ears. I don't consider 4WD an advantage, the testcar was an Allrad B3 and it lacked the playfulness I expect of a powerful BMW. The fact you can spec your RWD D3 with a motorsport-grade LSD really shows Alpina's conviction towards driving pleasure imo.

Changed the exterior spec to Alpina Grün w/ shadowline. 

Congrats on your choice  this car has the best of both worlds, 2RWD and great engine for fun drive and lots of interior space & build quality to leave with. Are you keeping the Alpina stickers?

J.Seven

Porker:

Lars997:

But I thought the D3 is a 4-runner? Thought this is the huge advantage over an M3?

You have the choice, D3 Allrad or D3 Rwd with the option of a Drexler LSD, which, for me, is absolute music to my ears. I don't consider 4WD an advantage, the testcar was an Allrad B3 and it lacked the playfulness I expect of a powerful BMW. The fact you can spec your RWD D3 with a motorsport-grade LSD really shows Alpina's conviction towards driving pleasure imo.

Changed the exterior spec to Alpina Grün w/ shadowline. 

 

You are still young,  my Padawan...you are still young.  

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

RC:

Porker:

Lars997:

But I thought the D3 is a 4-runner? Thought this is the huge advantage over an M3?

You have the choice, D3 Allrad or D3 Rwd with the option of a Drexler LSD, which, for me, is absolute music to my ears. I don't consider 4WD an advantage, the testcar was an Allrad B3 and it lacked the playfulness I expect of a powerful BMW. The fact you can spec your RWD D3 with a motorsport-grade LSD really shows Alpina's conviction towards driving pleasure imo.

Changed the exterior spec to Alpina Grün w/ shadowline. 

 

You are still young,  my Padawan...you are still young.  

Well here's to hoping my opinion has nothing to do with me being young, I just love driving.

J.Seven:

Congrats on your choice  this car has the best of both worlds, 2RWD and great engine for fun drive and lots of interior space & build quality to leave with. Are you keeping the Alpina stickers?

J.Seven

You can order it without, currently it's ordered without stickers.

Porker:

 

Well here's to hoping my opinion has nothing to do with me being young, I just love driving.

With age comes wisdom (and the appreciation of being fast without risk more than necessary ).

I get the fun thing but for a business car I use all year long, I would like to be able to use it everywhere and under all weather conditions. Not sure this is going to work. The BMW 3 series is the worst RWD winter performer I actually ever encountered.  The huge torque of the D3 won't facilitate things. I guess this is what Markus tried to explain.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

RC:

Porker:

 

Well here's to hoping my opinion has nothing to do with me being young, I just love driving.

With age comes wisdom (and the appreciation of being fast without risk more than necessary ).

I get the fun thing but for a business car I use all year long, I would like to be able to use it everywhere and under all weather conditions. Not sure this is going to work. The BMW 3 series is the worst RWD winter performer I actually ever encountered.  The huge torque of the D3 won't facilitate things. I guess this is what Markus tried to explain.

I get that, but I don't see that much snow per year, let alone roads that haven't beem properly cleared. It's just not worth the sacrifice (and it is a sacrifice) for these 2/3 weeks.

I had a previous series 325i RWD and would always want 4WD going forward living in Switzerland. Especially if you go into the mountains skiing often it's a must. But on the other hand in five years of ownership I never got stuck and I never used chains.

2012 Cayenne S White/Espresso 

Ex: 993 Targa, 986S, 986 and 964 C2

993Targa:

I had a previous series 325i RWD and would always want 4WD going forward living in Switzerland. Especially if you go into the mountains skiing often it's a must. But on the other hand in five years of ownership I never got stuck and I never used chains.

It is sometimes luck too. The streets are usually cleaned quite nicely but if sh.t happens, it happens. We often drive to Katschberg (Austria) for skiing for more than a couple of days because the region is quite "snow safe". Each year, we had no issues with the car, no snow chains necessary. One year though, I had to use snow chains to be able to get "down" the road and many cars were stuck on their way up, blocking the whole traffic, trying to put snow chains on. It was really bad. Don't ask me how I left the hotel parking lot and I had a BMW X6 loaner (luckily the dealer gave me a pair of snow chains too with it).
Last year for example, a friend of ours, in a new BMW 5 series station wagon (RWD), was stuck in the parking lot. I had to help him to get out. With my Cayenne GTS, I just raised the air suspension and...  We left before he left and when we talked, he told us that he used a tractor to get "down" because it was too dangerous (don't have a clue how it worked, I never asked). He never had serious issues before, just once in the parking lot. Btw: This guy owns a 740d xDrive as a business car and he drives in Munich only.  Clever. 

--

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

Porker:

 currently it's ordered without stickers.

J.Seven

RC:

993Targa:

I had a previous series 325i RWD and would always want 4WD going forward living in Switzerland. Especially if you go into the mountains skiing often it's a must. But on the other hand in five years of ownership I never got stuck and I never used chains.

It is sometimes luck too. The streets are usually cleaned quite nicely but if sh.t happens, it happens. We often drive to Katschberg (Austria) for skiing for more than a couple of days because the region is quite "snow safe". Each year, we had no issues with the car, no snow chains necessary. One year though, I had to use snow chains to be able to get "down" the road and many cars were stuck on their way up, blocking the whole traffic, trying to put snow chains on. It was really bad. Don't ask me how I left the hotel parking lot and I had a BMW X6 loaner (luckily the dealer gave me a pair of snow chains too with it).
Last year for example, a friend of ours, in a new BMW 5 series station wagon (RWD), was stuck in the parking lot. I had to help him to get out. With my Cayenne GTS, I just raised the air suspension and...  We left before he left and when we talked, he told us that he used a tractor to get "down" because it was too dangerous (don't have a clue how it worked, I never asked). He never had serious issues before, just once in the parking lot. Btw: This guy owns a 740d xDrive as a business car and he drives in Munich only.  Clever. 

--

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

Was in the mountains over christmas and we rented a chalet. My father was not able to drive up in his FWD Volvo without chains and I didn't even notice that it was slippery in the Cayenne. So I will never have a car without 4WD anymore. Having young kids now, getting stuck (or worse) is not an option.

2012 Cayenne S White/Espresso 

Ex: 993 Targa, 986S, 986 and 964 C2

993Targa:

Was in the mountains over christmas and we rented a chalet. My father was not able to drive up in his FWD Volvo without chains and I didn't even notice that it was slippery in the Cayenne. So I will never have a car without 4WD anymore. Having young kids now, getting stuck (or worse) is not an option.

Same here. Spent Christmas in a chalet and drove up in the S5. Could hardly believe how much traction this car has. 4WD rocks.

2014 981 Boxster S | Riviera Blue | PDK | Sport Suspension (-20mm) | PCCB | PTV | PSE
2010 997.2 C2S | Carrara White | Manual | S-PASM (-20mm) | PSE | OZ Superforgiata
2010 Audi S5 cabrio | Ibis White

Previous
2008 997.1 C4S | Guards Red | Manual | PSE | Bilstein PSS10 | H&R Roll Bars | Dension 500
2007 997.1 Turbo | Meteor Gray | Manual | Bilstein PSS10 | Cargraphic Stage 2 | Dension 500
2005 987.1 Boxster S | Arctic Silver | Manual | OZ Ultraleggera | H&R Cup Suspension | H&R Roll Bars | Sachs Racing Clutch | Recaro Shells
2005 997.1 C2S | Atlas Gray | Manual | PSE | Sport Suspension (-20mm)

993Targa:

Having young kids now, getting stuck (or worse) is not an option.

This is actually my biggest concern too. Last time we arrived in Katschberg, it was 8 pm and dark and the snow was around 10 cm high on the roads, even on the Autobahn. Just imagine being stuck with two kids in the snow and in the cold, not pretty. AWD all the way for me and with family, the Cayenne (or a similar SUV) is a sure thing. I just wish I had convinced my wife to get something else than the X3 but she really didn't want a Cayenne Diesel (too big, too slow) and there were no other options. Why couldn't Porsche put the Macan earlier on the market? 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

Your itch is palpable. 

991 (what a car!) XC90 - Black/Black 2 kids, 1 dog

bridggar:

Your itch is palpable. 

 Don't worry, the itch is here, the money isn't. Even worse: I don't have enough room in the garage (thanks god ). The next purchase/lease will happen when my wife's lease runs out in aprox. 18 months. Unless of course I get a bigger garage.  

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), BMW X3 35d (2013)

bluelines:

993Targa:

Was in the mountains over christmas and we rented a chalet. My father was not able to drive up in his FWD Volvo without chains and I didn't even notice that it was slippery in the Cayenne. So I will never have a car without 4WD anymore. Having young kids now, getting stuck (or worse) is not an option.

Same here. Spent Christmas in a chalet and drove up in the S5. Could hardly believe how much traction this car has. 4WD rocks.

i noticed that too! My S 5 (4.2) was fantasic on the snow, even with quite wide winter wheels. But really it would follow my friend's Range Rover just about everywhere. 

Never again a 2WD unless it was a small Mini or something like a third car. Driving only 25 k a year but up to the Engadin almost every nice weekend in winter i cannot cope with the hassle of chains etc at all. And as was being said even less so with wife and kid in the car.

So Porker, congrats on your Alpina, but  I would also take it only in Awd form...  But each his own! 

turbolite

Porker:

J.Seven:

Congrats on your choice  this car has the best of both worlds, 2RWD and great engine for fun drive and lots of interior space & build quality to leave with. Are you keeping the Alpina stickers?

J.Seven

You can order it without, currently it's ordered without stickers.

My dear colleague,

No it isn't

X09 ALPINA Grün II Metallic CHF 2‘600.-
170 Deko-Set Gold, seitlich und Frontspoiler
 

--

M3 CSL / Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo Touring / RS2 Avant / GT3RS Kermit (coming up)

Really looking forward to that D3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

2003 BMW M3 CSL (sold) / 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 RS / 2013 MINI John Cooper Works GP / 2014 BMW Alpina D3 biturbo Touring

Porker:

Really looking forward to that D3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

And me to my humble 335d - however delivery seems to be going backwards, forecast delivery date when we ordered the car  was 20th June, last communication with the dealer was he should have known last week and would let me know, now it's at risk of not getting built until after the three week August factory shut down. Technically according to the order terms and conditions I can inform them on 2nd August  to deliver the car within 14 days and if they cannot they must cancel the order and refund my deposit. But then comes the problem of what to get.......

BMW 335d M Sport Touring estoril blue(on order) - Skoda Octavia Mk.3 daily drive

Amazing test and test result! Seems the D3 is the car to go for - great choice!

Anyway.... I'm for my part are done with the Diesel. Had to many of them and really like to rev again!

dreamcar:

Porker:

Really looking forward to that D3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoRAeL8qgSM

And me to my humble 335d - however delivery seems to be going backwards, forecast delivery date when we ordered the car  was 20th June, last communication with the dealer was he should have known last week and would let me know, now it's at risk of not getting built until after the three week August factory shut down. Technically according to the order terms and conditions I can inform them on 2nd August  to deliver the car within 14 days and if they cannot they must cancel the order and refund my deposit. But then comes the problem of what to get.......

Luckily we already had confirmation end of March/beginning April that the car was being delivered from BMW to Buchloe. Originally it was said to be delivered beginning September and Alpina confirmed the car should be with our dealer between 25-29 August.

M3 CSL / Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo Touring / RS2 Avant / GT3RS Kermit