Autoblog

Geneva 2011: BMW Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring is the one we want

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, BMW

BMW Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring - Click above for high-res image gallery

Sure, the BMW Alpina B7 is nice, but if we had the choice, we'd much rather have the new B5 BiTurbo Touring. After all, what's not to love about an Alpina-tuned station wagon that puts down 507 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque? All that grunt comes courtesy of BMW twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, running through a sport-tuned ZF eight-speed automatic.

There's far more to love about the B5 BiTurbo Touring aside from its sheer power. The already-attractive BMW 5 Series wagon gets a host of aero enhancements, as well as the Alpina-standard 20-spoke wheels. It's always nice to see a BMW painted in the tuning company's signature blue hue, too.

Unfortunately, the Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring isn't slated for consumption here in the United States (much like the standard 5 Series wagon). At least we still get our kicks with the B7.

Gallery: Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: BMW Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring is the one we want originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo - Full details and images

Zach Bowman — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, BMW, Luxury

2011 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo - Click above for high-res image gallery

Alpina has finally graced the world with a handful of images and all of the gritty details about the all-new 2011 B5 Bi-Turbo after its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The company has managed to bless the BMW 5 Series with a mythic 507 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. How, you ask? The B5 makes use of the same twin-turbo, all aluminum V8 found in the car's big brother, the B7. That means that there's a full 4.4-liters of displacement sucking down 1 bar of pressure for the two turbos under the hood. Sounds like a party.

The eight-pot is bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission that Alpina co-developed with the gear-swapping gurus at ZF. If the mood strikes you, the driver can click through the gears via buttons mounted on the back side of the steering wheel, though given the massive amount of work Alpina put into the transmission, odds are you're better off letting the car do the work for you.

There's also a completely reworked suspension on board that includes slightly shorter springs and unique control arms that help eek a little more camber out of the front wheels. Combined with the electronically adjustable suspension, the company claims to provide an altogether sharper driving experience. Speaking of wheels, Alpina has equipped the B5 Bi-Turbo with a set of the company's epic 20-inch rollers. Check out the gallery of high-res images below and then click past the jump for the granddaddy of a press blast.

Gallery: Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo

[Source: Alpina]

Continue reading 2011 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo - Full details and images

2011 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo - Full details and images originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alpina teases BMW B5 Bi-Turbo ahead of Goodwood debut

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, BMW, Luxury

The Alpina B5 has been spotted a couple of times and seen front and back, so it's pretty clear what we'll be in for. However, before the car's official unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, Alpina has released a sketch of what will be one of the hottest 5ers that doesn't begin with an "M." There will be two turbos stuck to the engine lurking behind that highly slatted front end, and we're told that "there will be an eye towards fuel economy with this car." But presumably, just one very, very little gnat-sized eye...

[Source: F10 Forum]

Alpina teases BMW B5 Bi-Turbo ahead of Goodwood debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Subaru Imprezas are on their way (to production)

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:52:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Wagon, Tokyo Motor Show, Hatchback, Subaru

Autoexpress has deployed their spies into the heart of Fuji Heavy Industries and have come out with confirmation that a duo of the venerable Impreza is due for release within the next year.

The UK will see a five-door hatch, with a traditional sedan to follow after the initial launch. Design influences will come from the B5 concept (pictured) that debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show this past October. Naturally, power will find its way to all four wheels, getting the required momentum from the brand's trademark boxer-four.

Whether or not the Turbo Parallel Hybrid version, shown off at the Detroit Auto Show in January, will come to fruition is another matter. The concept hasn't been heard of since, so we are assuming that a production version isn't in the cards anytime soon. Although the prospect of a gravel rooster-tail in a hybrid rally car makes our salivary glands work overtime.

Expect to see a finished version of the new Impreza at the Geneva show next spring.

[Source: Autoexpress]

New Subaru Imprezas are on their way (to production) originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil)

John Neff — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:13:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Hybrid, Etc., Green, Volkswagen

One lesser-known movement in green car technology is converting diesels to run on SVO, or Straight Vegetable Oil. Unlike biodiesel, which is produced by chemically modifying vegetable oil so that it can be used in a diesel vehicle with no modifications, SVO requires a second fuel system for the vegetable oil in addition to the standard diesel fuel system. Also, one doesn't operate and fill up an SVO vehicle like a normal petrol or diesel car. It sounds like a lot of work, so why are more and more people kicking up the veggie quotient of their diesels' diet? We decided to look into it.

No automaker offers an SVO-powered vehicle in its line-up, so tapping a press fleet for a quick evaluation was out of the question. Fortunately we stumbled upon Chuck and Tom Norton, a pair of sibs who run Turtle Plastics, an eco-friendly plastics business in Lorain, OH. The Norton boys recently had a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDi converted to run on SVO. Though Tom's the primary driver, Chuck was happy to hand over the keys to their "Vega Jet" for a spin last week and helped us understand what it's like to own and operate a vehicle that eats out of a dumpster. Let us explain...

Continue reading In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil)

In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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