Vendor supplied images
Highlights
- One of only 12 UK B5S 530bhp cars
- Exceptional concours-level condition
- Very late 09 registration
- Low mileage with full BMW service history
- Recently part of an Alpina collection
- Very high factory specification
- Long MOT to October 2024 with no advisories
The Appeal
BMW’s E60 M5 was very good. But to many minds, the Alpina version, the B5, was even better. It was equipped with the simpler N62 4.4litre V8 and offered a more balanced blend of comfort and handling. Just 80 saloons were built.
This car goes one better still. It’s a B5S, of which just 12 were carefully assembled by Alpina between 2008 and 2011. The S got a power hike to 530bhp - making it good for 0-60mph in 4.6secs - and an updated EDC system.
The vendor, an Alpina collector, imported this car from Japan last year. It is in truly exceptional condition - arguably at concours level. A low mileage car with full BMW service history - by Japanese Alpina dealer Nicole Autos. The car was rated 4.5 / B rating from the the auction house that sold the car to the vendor. There is also a Japan Automobile Appraisal Association (JAAA) certificate attesting to its excellent condition and a long, advisory-free MOT to October 2024.
Brutally quick and very luxurious super saloons do not get much better than this. It is close to a one-of-a-kind car, a proper M5-killer and a great addition to any discerning collection.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered 21st April 2009
- Imported to the UK in summer 2023 by the seller
- One registered keeper in the UK
- Always garaged as part of a small Alpina collection
- Maintained in Japan by Alpina dealer Nicole Automotive
- Examined by JAAA prior to export and condition certificate given
- Full service history by Nicole Automotive with last service at 54,464kms
- Records show just 12 B5S were built for the UK from 2008 to 2011
- The S got 530bhp (up from 490bhp), upgraded gearbox. revised EDC system and 20in alloys with Michelin tyres
Factory fitted options include:
- Alcantara headlining
- Sunroof
- Heated seats
- Rear blind
- Individual audio system
- Blue leather interior
- Later and more desirable CIC infotainment system
The Condition
- Unique & very rare ‘blue on blue’ colour scheme
- Unmarked condition inside and out
- Classic Alpina original blue bodywork with Alpina factory decals
- Factory Alpina 20in wheels with correct Michelin tyres
- Underside very clean with no advisories on recent MOT
- No corrosion or damage visible across panels
- No stone chips, marks, scratches or dents to note
- Recently ceramic coated since arriving in the UK
- High specification blue leather interior with no visible marks or wear
- Dark walnut veneers neatly contrast the Alpina fittings
It is hard to overstate the condition of this very rare car. For a 15-year-old car it presents as close to new as you are likely to find, no doubt a reflection of the care it received in Japan and then its sparing use as part of a small Alpina collection.
The specification is also compelling. The car is finished in classic Alpina blue metallic - complete with subtle factory decals - and sits on factory-correct 20in B5S alloys shod with Michelin tyres. Inside the highly appointed cabin reflects Alpina’s goal of building a high-performance sporting saloon that was also comfortable for all occupants. The blue leather trim is very well kept - there are no visible signs of wear - and accented by smart dark walnut veneers.
The underside is in similar order, being particularly clean and tidy with no structural advisories on the recent MOT.
The Mechanics
- 4.4litre supercharged Alpina H1 V8 engine derived from BMW’s superb N62
- B5S specification with upgraded 530bhp & uprated S specification gearbox
- Revised EDC with comfort and sport settings
- Very clean engine bay as displayed in photographs
- 6spd automatic gearbox with semi-automatic sequential mode
- Full BMW service history in Japan
- Factory standard, unmodified car
Every B5 began life on the BMW production line as a ‘stock’ 545i. But that is where the association ended. The cars moved to Alpina’s factory to be transformed. The work included updating and revising the internals and fitting a beefy supercharger. The standard B5 delivered 490bhp but the S hiked the output to a heady 530bhp. 60mph was achievable in 4.6secs.
This M5-bating performance is really only part of the B5 story. The car’s blend of performance and forgiving handling was well-regarded. Many contemporary reviewers rated it as the better car.
This very rare B5S comes to the buyer with full service history, all undertaken by Japanese Alpina dealer Nicole Automobiles. The most recent service was at 54,464kms and it is now on only 56,130. A glowing independent JAAA assessment and long MOT further reinforce the sense of a well-cared-for car.
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