Video: BMW Alpina B6 GT3 Flies Over Safety Barriers and Crashes Onto Concrete Wall

The spectators at last weekend’s ADAC GT Masters championship at the Nürburgring witnessed a horrific crash involving Alex Plenagl and his BMW Alpina B6 GT3 racecar when the driver lost control of the vehicle and strayed off the course at a high speed.

Plenagl’s Alpina flew over the safety barriers, passed through a BMW sign and crashed onto the concrete wall.

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2012 BMW M5 revealed

BMW has taken the wraps off its new M5 which, unsurprisingly, is virtually identical to the Concept M5 that was seen at April’s Shanghai motor show.

As was revealed then, the 2012 F10 M5 gets a 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 instead of the 5.0 litre normally-aspirated V10 unit that powered its E60 M5 predecessor.



With Twin Scroll turbo technology and Valvetronic variable valve control, the new engine generates 552 bhp (412 kW / 560 PS). Peak torque is a substantial 680 Nm (502 lb/ft), which crucially is available from just 1,500 rpm.



Although there have been rumours that North American variants might get a manual transmission, for now drive to the rear wheels is via a seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission. This comes with various driver aids including low-speed assistance, traction-optimised automatic gear selection and launch control.

The result of all that is a zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) time of 4.4 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155 mph (250 km/h), although this rises to 190 mph (305 km/h) with the M Driver’s Package. Don’t expect it to take too long for an aftermarket tuner to crack the magic 200 mph (321 km/h) barrier.



Even the M5 benefits from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics programme, and the new model arrives complete with fuel-saving devices such as a stop-start function and brake energy regeneration. They undoubtedly help to achieve a fairly respectable combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 28.5 mpg (9.9 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 232 g/km.

To put those figures into perspective, the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG Saloon is down on power compared to the BMW, making do with 517 bhp (386 kW / 525 PS) and 630 Nm (464 lb/ft). That deficit isn’t really reflected in the performance figures though, as 0-62 mph (100 km/h) takes 4.5 seconds and the AMG has the same limited top speed as the M5. However, economy is where the Mercedes really loses out, as it manages only 22.4 mpg (12.6 l/100km) with CO2 emissions of 295 g/km.



The new M5’s chassis features specially recalibrated suspension with Dynamic Damper Control, DSC stability control with M Dynamic Mode, M Servotronic steering and an Active M Differential for the rear axle which is there to maximise traction.



Naturally, being an M5, the driver gets the opportunity to fiddle with a multitude of settings before the car even turns a wheel. For instance, there’s the gearshift program, steering response, traction control mode, accelerator sensitivity and dynamic damper firmness to choose. To help simplify things a little though, two set-ups can be memorised and then recalled using the steering wheel-mounted M Drive buttons.

Available from November 2011, the UK price for the new BMW M5 has been set at £73,040 on the road. By a very strange coincidence, that just undercuts the E 63 AMG Saloon, which costs £73,465.



Cheaper than both though, and a slightly left-field alternative, is the £71,950 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo.



Related posts:

BMW Concept M5

Alpina B5 UK sales start

Alpina B5 UK sales start

Following its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month, Alpina’s UK concessionaires have confirmed that the first deliveries of the B5 Bi-Turbo will take place later this year.

The 5 Series-based B5 uses the same 4.4 litre V8 as the mainstream BMW 550i, but retuned turbochargers and a revised inlet set-up mean power is increased by 98 bhp (73 kW / 100 PS) to 500 bhp (372 kW / 507 PS), while maximum torque jumps by 100 Nm to a substantial 700 Nm.



Also like the 550i, and typically Alpina, the B5 has an eight-speed automatic transmission. 0-62 mph (100 km/h) acceleration takes 4.7 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds quicker than the BMW. Unlike the 550i though, the Alpina dispenses with an electronic speed limiter, allowing it to go up to 191 mph (307 km/h).



Combined fuel consumption for the B5 is 26.2 mpg (10.7 l/100km), while CO2 emissions are 252 g/km. By comparison, that’s not too different to the BMW 550i, which manages 27.2 mpg (10.4 l/100km) and 243 g/km.



Another Alpina trait is that ride comfort isn’t totally sacrificed in pursuit of better handling. To help achieve this, the B5’s 20” alloy wheels do without the standard car’s run-flat tyres, and the adjustable electronic dampers have also been specially reconfigured.



Whereas the previous generation BMW M5 had a bespoke V10 engine, it’s said that the next M5 will also use an adapted version of the 4.4 litre V8. That’s going to lead to some very direct comparisons between the BMW and Alpina. It can be assumed that the M5 will be more hardcore in terms of chassis set-up and choice of transmission but, until that car arrives, the B5 is the quickest 5 Series available which retains a full BMW warranty.



No word on price yet, but expect the Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo to cost around £70,000 in the UK. To put that into perspective BMW’s current 5 Series range-topper, the 550i M Sport, is £53,615.

Alpina B3 S Bi-Turbo

Considering getting a BMW M3? Well, there’s now an alternative: the B3 S Bi-Turbo from Alpina.

Unlike the M3, with its normally aspirated 4.0 litre V8 producing 414 bhp (309 kW / 420 PS), the Alpina uses a modified six cylinder turbo engine. Although the B3 S Bi-Turbo has slightly less power (394 bhp / 294 kW / 400 PS), its maximum 540 Nm of torque eclipses the 400 Nm of the M3.



Consequently the Alpina, which is only available with a six-speed automatic gearbox, is able to accelerate from 0-62 mph (100km/h) in 4.7 seconds. That’s pretty much the same as the 4.8 seconds a manual M3 takes, though the M3’s time falls by 0.2 seconds if the M Double Clutch Transmission - a £2,590 option - is specified.

Unless they’re frequent users of limit-free (and traffic-free) autobahns, top speed will be largely irrelevant to most prospective buyers. Nevertheless, it appears Alpina has dumped the electronic speed limiter, because the B3 S Bi-Turbo will go on to 186 mph (300 km/h), whereas the M3 is restricted to 155 mph (250 km/h).



It’s unlikely that performance cars like these are ever going to have massive appeal for environmentalists, but the Alpina’s green credentials are certainly better than the M3’s. The B3 S Bi-Turbo will do 29.4 mpg (9.6 l/100 km) on the combined cycle, compared to the 22.8 mpg (12.4 l/100 km) an M3 will achieve.

But it’s on emissions levels that the B3 S Bi-Turbo really wins, releasing ‘only’ 224 g/km of carbon dioxide. That’s almost a quarter less than the 290 g/km the M3 produces and, although arguably still high, it’ll have a direct financial benefit for UK customers.



That’s because the Alpina will just slot into ‘Band K’ for road tax purposes, meaning an annual bill of £245. An M3 driver however will have to pay £435 each year for the privilege of keeping their ‘Band M’ car on the road. That’s a saving roughly equivalent to a couple of tanks of fuel.

The Alpina’s on the road prices also manage to be around £2,500 cheaper than an M3, depending on body style, and it’s also available as a Touring version:

• B3 S Bi-Turbo: Coupe £50,250; Convertible £55,250; Saloon £49,250; Touring £50,250


• M3: Coupe £53,275; Convertible £57,285; Saloon £51,805

Specification-wise, both models are broadly similar. One difference is that Bluetooth telephone preparation comes as standard with the B3 S Bi-Turbo, but is a £535 option on the M3.

Buyers of the Alpina can choose from the standard range of BMW metallic paints and Dakota leather trims (albeit with Alpina roundels in the seat backs), or they can opt for BMW Individual colours and trims.



Alternatively, Alpina’s Exclusive Blue or Exclusive Green II metallic paintwork (as shown in the pictures)  is available for £1,535 extra. On the inside, Alpina ‘Lavalina’ leather re-trim packages cost from £3,065 to £7,665.

Customers might be tempted by those special paints and trims, because one area where the B3 S Bi-Turbo maybe lags behind is visual appeal. It looks like a normal 3 Series fitted with a front spoiler, revised rear valance and some body stripes, because that’s essentially what it is. There’s none of the bespoke body panels and, for the Coupe versions at least, carbon-fibre roof of the M3.



So, depending on your taste, the Alpina either lacks impact or is elegantly understated. And there’s also the potential issue of constantly having to explain to the ignorant what an Alpina is. One thing’s for sure though, whatever you think of those 20-spoke, 19” alloy wheels, they’ll be a pain to keep clean.

UK deliveries of the B3 S Bi-Turbo start in July 2010.